The NTDP U18team picked up a big win, while the USHL-leading Lincoln Stars crept closer to clinching a playoff berth. Here are three top performances from Friday night’s action in the USHL.
Cole McKinney: USA Hockey NTDP U18s
The NTDP U18 squad came up with a big victory over the USHL’s second-best team at home, thanks to three points from Cole McKinney.
The Lake Forest, Ill. Native tallied a pair of goals and added an assist in a 4-3 nail-biter over the Dubuque Fighting Saints.
With the game knotted up 1-1, McKinney got his stick on a Lincoln Kuehne beam for a deflection that put the U18s on top 2-1.
McKinney’s second goal of the evening came 12:35 into the second period after picking up his own rebound off a Richard Gallant chance for a 3-1 lead.
With 15 seconds remaining in the second, Drew Schock increased NTDP’s advantage to 4-2 after McKinney, protecting the puck, centered it to Jack Murtagh, who then found Schock for the score.
Yan Shostak: Lincoln Stars
Another nail-biting affair took place in Sioux Falls, and it was the Lincoln Stars who came away with a hard-fought 2-1 victory.
Goaltending dominated play on this night, as Yan Shostak stopped 36 of 37 shots in his first game back from an upper-body injury.
Shostak saved all 15 shots in the first period and all 13 in the second to keep the Stampede off the scoreboard while Lincoln clung to a 1-0 lead heading into the third.
It was a pair of defensemen who accounted for the Stars’ two goals. Etienne Lessard and Caeden Herrington gave Shostak the support he needed.
The St. Cloud State commit did the rest, dropping his team’s magic number for clinching a playoff spot to two. They could become the first team in the USHL to clinch a spot in the post-season with a win of any fashion Saturday and a Des Moines Buccaneers loss in regulation.
Teddy Townsend: Waterloo Black Hawks
Townsend tallied three points in Waterloo’s 4-1 victory over the Chicago Steel Friday. The win snapped Chicago’s seven-game point streak.
Townsend’s first point came on an assist just 17 seconds into the game after setting up Dylan Compton off a two-on-one.
At 2:28 of the opening frame, Townsend centered to Ty Mason from the end wall, and Mason flipped in a shot from the top of the crease.
Townsend tallied his own goal on a power play at 15:35 of the second off an Alex Misiak shot, giving Waterloo a 3-1 lead.
The three-point night gives Townsend 33 points for the season, tying him with Kaeden Hawkins for the team lead.