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Mitten Hockey story card: USA Hockey National Team Development Program
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NTDP U17 Game Preview: vs. Czechia (Nov. 7) — World U17 Hockey Challenge gold on the line in Oakville

The Plymouth-based U.S. National Under-17 Team plays Czechia for the World U17 Hockey Challenge title Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET in Oakville, Ontario.

Shaun
1–2 minutes

The U.S. National Under-17 Team plays for a championship Saturday night. The Plymouth-based National Team Development Program squad meets Czechia in the gold medal game of the World U17 Hockey Challenge at 7:30 p.m. ET in Oakville, Ontario, chasing the program’s first Challenge title since 2022.

The Americans earned their spot with a 5-2 semifinal win over Canada White on Friday. It is the fourth time in the last six Challenge events that the U.S. has reached the final, according to USA Hockey.

Michigan connections in the spotlight

Two Michigan natives were central to Friday’s win. Goaltender Mason Martin of Byron Center made a season-high 44 saves, including 16 in the first period, as the Americans weathered an early push before taking over in the second. Forward Ryan Teuscher of Petoskey scored the go-ahead goal with a slap shot.

Joey Cullen, who has scored in all three of the team’s Challenge games, Drew Daley, RJ Thompson, and Carter Morris also scored. Cullen, Morris, and Henry Buttweiler each had multi-point nights. Full details are in our semifinal recap.

The opponent

Czechia reached the final by edging Canada Red 4-3 in the other semifinal, with the winning goal coming early in the third period. Canada Red handed the U.S. its lone loss of the tournament, 6-4 in the preliminary round on Nov. 2, before the Americans responded with a 13-1 rout of Finland on Nov. 3 that earned a bye into the semifinals.

Schedule

Canada Red and Canada White play for bronze at 3:30 p.m. ET, followed by the U.S.-Czechia final at 7:30 p.m. ET. After the tournament, the U17s return to their USHL schedule Nov. 21, hosting Youngstown at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth. The NTDP’s U18 team, meanwhile, wraps up the U18 Five Nations Tournament in Kloten, Switzerland, on Sunday against the host Swiss.

Sources

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