USA Opens World Under-17 Challenge Against Canada Red

The U.S. opens play against Canada Red today, Thursday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. local/ 10 p.m. ET in a exhibition game ahead of the World Under-17 Challenge. 

U.S. vs. Canada Red Series

The U.S. and Canada Red have met two previous times at the World U17 Hockey Challenge. The most recent was on Oct. 27, 2016 where the U.S. fell 3-1, with the lone U.S. coming from current Under-18 Team player, Jonathan Gruden (Rochester, Mich.). The first meeting took place Nov. 4, 2014 and resulted in a 7-3 Team USA victory. Clayton Keller (Swansea, Ill./Phoenix Coyotes) recorded a hat trick and one assist and Joseph Woll (St. Louis, Mo./Boston College) made 30 saves in the win.

WORLD U17 CHALLENGE HISTORY

Team USA has competed at the World U17 Hockey Challenge on 24 previous occasions, including the Quebec Cup in 1990 and the Quebec Esso Cup in 1986. Combined, the U.S. has a 83-7-5-34-7 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T) record, good for first in the all-time event standings. Team USA has finished in the top three 14 times; first place in January 2014, 2010, 2002 and 2001; second place in November 2014, 2012, 2011, 2008, 2006, 1998 and 1996. Last year the U.S. finished in fifth place. 

The U.S. Under-17 Team (2001 birth year) enters the 2017 World Under-17 Challenge with an 8-1-0-0 overall record. In last year’s tournament the 2000s went 2-1-0-3 during its 2016 run in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The U17s finished fifth while earning victories over the Czech Republic, Canada White and Canada Red. Joel Farabee (Cicero, N.Y.) and Bode Wilde (Birmingham, Mich.) led the U17s offensively as Farabee collected four goals, two assists and six points in five games and Wilde recorded two goals, four assists and six points in five games. Keegan Karki (Sartell, Minn./Muskegon Lumberjacks) was between the pipes for all five games for the U17s collecting a 2.28 goals-against-average and a .894 save-percentage with a 3-2-0 record.

The U17s have won the World Under-17 Challenge four times since 2001, last winning victory coming in 2014. During that tournament, the U.S. Under-17 Team went 6-0-0-0 in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The U17s overall record when competing in British Columbia is 8-0-2-1.

COACHING STAFF AT THE CHALLENGE 

John Wroblewski (Neenah, Wis.) wil lead the U.S. in the event for the first time. Joining Wroblewski will be assistant coach Greg Moore (Lisbon, Maine), goaltending coach Thomas Speer (Janesville, Wis.) and intern assistant coach Kevin Lind (Homer Glen, Ill.). Moore was a member of the 2001 U.S. Under-17 World Hockey Challenge team that took first place.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

This will be all 22-members' first international experience. The Under-17 Team will also compete in the Under-17 Four Nations tournament in Velikey Novgorod, Russia and the Under-17 Five Nations Tournament in Finland in February. 

RACKING UP POINTS

Cole Caufield (Stevens Point, Wis.) and Jack Hughes (Orlando, Fla.) both currently sit in the top ten in points in the USHL. Both are members of the Under-17 Team. Caufield currently leads the U17s with 13 goals in nine games this season. Caufield has scored two goals in five of nine games. He is also tied with Hughes for the team-lead in points (16) and shots (31). Hughes is averaging 2.50 points-per-game in four USHL games this season. His ten points have him tied for first overall in the USHL. Hughes has a goal and two assist in the last two games played.

YOUNG GUNS 

The U.S. National Under-17 Team currently has five of the top ten rookies points leaders in the USHL. Hughes leads rookies with his 10 points (3-7-10) followed by Caufield with nine (7-2-9). Also on the list with five points through four games are: Michael Gildon (Plano, Texas) (4-1-5), Alex Turcotte (Island Lake, Ill.) (2-3-5), and Matthew Boldy (Millis, Mass.) (1-4-5). 

LAST WEEKEND REVIEW

The U17s are coming off its first loss of the season. They fell Saturday night in USHL play, 4-3 against the Cedar Rapids Roughriders at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. The U17 s are now 3-1-0 in the USHL and 8-1-0 overall. 

Caufield netted two goals and added an assist in the loss. Hughes netted a goal of his own and added two helpers. Boldy aslo had a three point night with three assists.