Like the exhibition at the beginning of the season, MSU can dress everyone for this game. That means the only players who won't be in uniform will be Mike Louwerse (upper body), Brett Stern (upper body), Danny Heath (upper body) and Chase Grant (hip surgery).
Coach Troy Jutting said each of the team's three goalies will play one period. But that's just to give them all some playing time. Austin Lee remains the No. 1 goaltender right now and should be the starter next Friday at St. Lawrence.
The U.S. team is loaded with Division I prospects but is missing defenseman Jacob Trouba, who is playing in the World Junior Championships. Against other college teams this year, the Under-18s are 1-4-0 against D-I schools, losing to Michigan (3-1), Colorado College (5-0), Denver (3-0) and Maine (6-4) and beating Vermont (2-1). They are also 3-2-0 against D-III schools.
The last time MSU played the national team was in 2005, and that game ended in a 5-5 tie. That year, the Under-18s featured Phil Kessel and Jack Johnson.
The U.S. team is loaded with Division I prospects but is missing defenseman Jacob Trouba, who is playing in the World Junior Championships. Against other college teams this year, the Under-18s are 1-4-0 against D-I schools, losing to Michigan (3-1), Colorado College (5-0), Denver (3-0) and Maine (6-4) and beating Vermont (2-1). They are also 3-2-0 against D-III schools.
The last time MSU played the national team was in 2005, and that game ended in a 5-5 tie. That year, the Under-18s featured Phil Kessel and Jack Johnson.
Several WCHA teams are in action this weekend ...
Minnesota will host the Mariucci Classic and will play Niagara then Northeastern or Princeton. Gophers goalie Michael Shibrowski is ready to play — even if it's not until next year.
Michigan Tech is in the Great Lakes Invitational. After losing to Michigan State on Thursday, the Huskies will play Boston College today.
St. Cloud State upset Western Michigan on Thursday, and those teams will play the second game of the series today.
Bemidji State hosts Bowling Green in a nonconference series. For the Beavers, it marks the second time this season they're playing a future WCHA team.
North Dakota hosts Harvard, and the Sioux are hoping to help the WCHA improve its not-so-dominant nonconference record. That mark could limit the number of league teams that make the national tournament. Currently, just two — maybe three — teams would be in.
Nebraska Omaha hosts Quinnipiac and has the same designs on the weekend as North Dakota. Like a few other teams in the WCHA, Omaha is without a player who is skating in the World Junior Championships. However, the red Mavericks are also without their coach, Dean Blais, who is coaching the U.S. team.
Colorado College hosts Air Force and Union, and Denver will play the same two teams this weekend. The Colorado Springs Gazette takes a look at Air Force and its lack of success against CC and DU. Perhaps the Falcons will be aided by those teams losing Jaden Schwartz and Jason Zucker to the Junior tournament.
Wisconsin will play the Under-18s on Saturday night, and Madison will get a peek at recruit Nic Kerdiles, who leads the U.S. team in goals.
USCHO takes a look at the second half of the WCHA season here.
No comments:
Post a Comment