Preview - USA U18's at Stars
Published on March 8, 2019 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
FRIDAY, MAR. 8, 2019 | 7:05 P.M. CST | ICE BOX
RADIO: LINCOLN STARS RADIO | WATCH: HOCKEYTV
Tonight's Contest:
The Stars (10-33-3-3) welcome the Team USA's (22-17-2-3) U18 squad for the first of two meetings on the weekend.
Last Game:
The Stars took on the Lancers Saturday in front of a sold out crowd at the Ice Box. The game picked up where Friday's third period had left off: an evenly matched, fast-paced period in which both sides generated chances, but couldn't find the back of the net. Jacob Mucitelli stopped all 10 shots he saw in the first, while Jon Mor was 11-for-11 for Omaha. At the end of the opening frame, the score was locked at zero. A tight first gave way to a wide-open second. The Lancers struck first and second in the middle frame. Daniel Hilsendager scored from an impossible corner angle just 1:45 into play for his first goal of the year, putting the Lancers up 1-0. Logan Will followed it up at 12:18 with a rocket-wrister during a stretch of 4-on-4. The Stars answered back just 42 seconds later when Brock Bremer fired a shot through Ryan Carmichael to make it 2-1. Jaxon Nelson scored on a breakaway for Omaha at 15:11 to restore the Lancers two-goal lead. It would last just 2:45 as Mikey Colella put home a power play goal against Omaha's red-hot penalty to narrow the score 3-2. The goal chased starter Jon Mor in favor of Akira Schmid for the final 1:09 of the second and all of the third. Schmid was lock down in the final stanza, as Omaha and Lincoln traded shifts and chances for the first 17 minutes of the third. After the Stars pulled Mucitelli, Aleksi Peltonen put home an empty net goal at 17:44. With 2:16 left, the Stars pulled Mucitelli again, only to see Jaxon Nelson score on the open net once more, sealing a 5-2 Omaha win. Schmid was excellent in relief, and though he won't get credit with the win, he was instrumental, going a perfect 13 for 13 in relief, and 37 of 38 against the Stars on the weekend.
The U18's took on Madison for the finale of a weekend double-header between the sides. Team USA had won 11-0 the night prior, and parlayed their momentum into a fast start in Saturday's opening period. Ryder Rolston tallied his ninth of the season just 2:12 into play on an assist from Domenick Fensore. Unlike Friday, Madison responded with a surge just past the middle point of the period. Chase Brand recorded his 12th of the year shorthanded at 12:33 and was followed by Chaz Smedsrud and his ninth just over 30 seconds later, giving the Capitols their first lead of the weekend. USA would fire back with two tallies in the first 1:50 of the second period as Judd Caulfield and Jack Hughes combined to re-claim the U18's lead. The Caps tied the game once more at 13:27 when Brand struck again off of helpers from Kristof Papp and Matthew Gould, sending the game into the third in a 3-3 tie. In the first 3:28 of the final frame, Madison's dynamic duo would strike again as Papp would notch his third point of the game and sixth tally of the season coming off of Brand's third point and first assist of the night. Matthew Gould picked up the secondary assist on Madison's go-ahead goal. Capitols goaltender Joseph Lamoreaux would stand on his head throughout the final 20 minutes of play, stopping all 22 shots he faced in the third period. With 11 seconds to spare, Branden Suter fired a puck into an empty net to clinch the upset for the Caps by a score of 5-3. Joseph Lamoreaux made a staggering 58 saves on 61 shots on to thwart USA in their efforts to obtain a weekend sweep.
Head-to-Head:
The Stars and Team USA meet for the first time in 2018-19 tonight. Lincoln faced many of the U18's players when they were U17's last year. In two games in Plymouth last February, the Stars took home a weekend sweep. The Stars never trailed in a 5-3, game-one victory, and followed it up with a thrilling game two. Matthew Boldy kicked off its scoring at 13:33 only to see Devlin McCabe tie the game at 16:05. USA struck back 29 seconds into the second period to re-take the lead. Josiah Slavin tied the contest once more at 9:53, sending the game into the third locked at two. At 9:21 into the final period, Danny Weight beat Tomas Vomacka to re-establish Team USA's lead. The Stars would match yet again after Collin Peters lit the lamp at 14:56. Zach Dubinsky would give the Stars their first lead on the very next shift, scoring just 12 seconds later off of Tristan Ashbrook's second assist of the night. Vomacka would hold through the final USA push, securing the win and the sweep.
Team Stats (In USHL Play):
GF: USA-4.16 (1st) to LIN-2.49 (16th)
GA: USA-3.75 (t-14th) to LIN-3.96 (16th)
Shots For/G: USA-33.05 (2nd) to LIN-27.90 (13th)
Shots Against/G: USA-29.57 (11th) to LIN-31.10 (14th)
PP: USA-43/179, 24.0% (2nd) to LIN-27/189, 14.3% (16th)
SHGA: USA-5 (t-6th) to LIN-9 (16th)
PK: USA-132/161, 82.0% (5th) to LIN-150/185, 81.1% (6th)
SHGF: USA 14 (1st) to LIN-2 (t-14th)
Leading Scorers (In USHL Play):
G: USA-Cole Caufield 18 to LIN-Brock Bremer 13
A: USA-Jack Hughes and Trevor Zegras 20, LIN-Brock Bremer 15
TP: USA-Cole Caufield 29 to LIN-Brock Bremer 28
Goalies (In USHL Play):
W: USA-Spencer Knight 9, LIN-Jacob Mucitelli 3
GAA: USA-Spencer Knight 1.87, LIN-Jacob Mucitelli 3.57
SV%: USA-Spencer Knight .929, LIN-Jacob Mucitelli .879
Shutouts: USA-Spencer Knight 1, LIN-Jacob Mucitelli 1
MIN: USA-Cameron Rowe 721, LIN-Jacob Mucitelli 976
What to Watch For: :
A pair of returns:
Zach Dubinsky hasn't played since October 13th. After sustaining an injury just six games into his season, the Stars veteran is back in the lineup tonight to help take on Team USA. Last season, Dubinsky tallied the game-winning, series-clinching goal against Team USA U17's.
Aidan Thompson also re-joins the Stars as tonight, the affiliate aims to skate in his seventh game with Lincoln this season. The Fort Collins, Colorado native has been a key piece for the Colorado Thunderbirds U16 team this season, recording six goals and 19 points in 13 games.
No Shortage of Talent:
It's no secret that Team USA boasts one of it's most talented U18 rosters this season. NHL Draft pundits have predicted that as many as eight players could be selected in the first round, with many USA names hovering near the very top of the league's draft board.
Forward Jack Hughes has been viewed by many as the favorite to be taken first overall in Vancouver this summer and is the top-ranked North American skater by Central Scouting. He's entering play on a six-game USHL point streak, having recorded mutli-point efforts in two of his last three contests. Hughes has scored 17 goals and 47 assists, good for 64 points in 33 games played against both USHL and non-USHL opponents.
Defenseman Cameron York is Central Scouting's third-highest ranked North American defender and has been a two-way force. He's recorded 3-16-19 in 20 GP in the USHL this season, and 3-14-17 in 16 games against all other opposition. York had a pair of assists against the Stars last season in two games played.
In net, Spencer Knight holds Central Scouting's top rank among North American goalies. In USHL play, Knights hasn't lost since November 1st, holding a record of 9-1-0-0, a goal's against of 1.87 and a save percentage of .929. His overall numbers round out to a 21-3-0-0 record, a 2.45 GAA and a .916 save percentage. Knight earned his first USHL shutout in last Friday's win against Madison. The Stars beat Knight when he was with the U17's last year, scoring five times.
The Experience Factor
The Stars are aware of the challenge they face in playing USA this weekend, and will press to push the advantage they have in experience gained in additional years they've played in junior hockey.
"They're a great team," said Stars defenseman Jaden Shields. "They're going to have probably seven or eight first-round, NHL Draft picks. But they're young. We're older, we're stronger. If we put the body on them, we can make it tough for them all night. If we give them time and space, they're going to make plays and that's our main focus is to take away their time and space and play the body."
"They're so skilled and so fast," added forward Ryan Doolin. "They obviously don't want to spend a lot of time in their own end. If we can sustain offense in their end for three-four-five shifts at a time, they're going to get frustrated, take a penalty and give up a goal. We just have to make sure we don't give them any free offense because if we give them free transition, it's going to end up in the back of our net."
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