Series Preview: vs. U.S. National Under-18 Team

The Chargers take a break from WCHA play with a two-game exhibition set with the U.S. National Under-18 Development Team. The puck drops at 2:07 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

All-time series: UAH has played the U-18 team six times, with Team USA is 5-0-1 all-time. Two seasons ago, the Chargers lost 6-2 and tied 1-1 in Huntsville. At the time, the U-18 squad was coached by former UAH head coach Danton Cole.

Chargers recap: UAH (7-16-3 overall, 6-12-0 WCHA) extended its home win streak to four games after a sweep of Northern Michigan last weekend.

The Chargers won 2-1 Friday night on goals by Jack Prince and Frank Misuraca. UAH was outshot 33-15 for the game and 14-2 in the third period to hold off the Wildcats. Carmine Guerriero made 32 saves.

UAH won another one-goal game Saturday night by a score of 3-2. Misuraca netted another goal in the first to give the Chargers the early lead, Chad Brears broke a 1-1 tie in the second, and Richard Buri got the game-winner at the 5:35 mark of the third. Guerriero stopped 25 of 27 shots.

Max McHugh’s team-leading 17 points is second among WCHA freshman, just one behind Minnesota State’s C.J. Franklin. He also leads the Chargers in goals with seven, and tied for the team lead with Brandon Parker in assists with 10.

Misuraca’s two goals for the weekend gives him six, one behind McHugh. Jeff Vanderlugt (5-6-11), Prince (4-7-11), and Brears (3-8-11) are tied for second in points.

About the U.S. National Under-18 Team: The Under-18 Team is 25-10-2 playing a schedule comprised of international teams, junior teams from the USHL, and NCAA Division I and III clubs, including Miami, Michigan, Providence College, Boston University, Cornell, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado College, North Dakota, and Michigan State.

Team USA has won three in a row, coming off a two-game sweep of the Dubuque Fighting Saints at their home in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Auston Matthews of Scottdale, Arizona, is the team’s leading scorer with 27 goals and 28 assists for 55 points. Jeremy Bracco (Boston College commit) has 51 points, leading the team in assists with 36. Matthew Tkachuk, son of former NHL star Keith Tkachuk, also has 20 goals.

Goaltending duties are split between Luke Opilka (Wisconsin commit), who has a 3.07 goals against average and an .883 save percentage with two shutouts, and Michael Lackey (Harvard), who has a 2.91 GAA and .891 save percentage.

Around the WCHA: Only two conference series this weekend, and a very interesting non-conference tournament up in Minnesota.

Sixth-ranked Bowling Green, coming off a split at Michigan Tech and looking to keep hot, hosts Lake Superior, which surprised Bemidji State with a sweep in the Soo last week. Tech, now at No. 10, entertains Alaska, which suffered a sweep in Fairbanks at the hands of their hated rivals from Anchorage.

The North Star Cup features four of the five Division I programs in Minnesota, and this year Bemidji State joins Minnesota State in the tournament. The Beavers play No. 7 Minnesota-Duluth on Friday afternoon, while No. 1 Minnesota State battles No. 17 Minnesota in the nightcap. The third place and championship games are Saturday.

Here’s the schedule for league teams the next two weeks. All times are Central. Games involving WCHA teams at home can be seen online on WCHA TV.

Friday, January 23

* Lake Superior State at #6 Bowling Green, 6:07 p.m.
* Alaska at #10 Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
Bemidji State vs. #7 Minnesota-Duluth at St. Paul, Minn. (North Star Cup), 4 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Penn State, 6 p.m.
#1 Minnesota State vs. #17 Minnesota at St. Paul, Minn. (North Star Cup), 7 p.m.

Saturday, January 24

U.S. National Under-18 Team at UAH (exhibition), 2:07 p.m.
* Lake Superior State at #6 Bowling Green, 6:07 p.m.
* Alaska at #10 Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Penn State, 3:30 p.m.
North Star Cup third place game, 4 p.m.
North Star Cup championship game, 7 p.m.

Sunday, January 25

U.S. National Under-18 Team at UAH (exhibition), 2:07 p.m.

* WCHA game.