NEWS OHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Liam Ruck battles for net front position in the third period of the opening game of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge Tuesday in Calgary between the CHL and the U.S. U18 National team. The U.S. NTDP won the game 4-2 despite the CHL outshooting them 44-26.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com
CALGARY
The Canadian Hockey League swept the inaugural CHL USA Prospects Challenge last year in Ontario. They’ll have to pivot and look to salvage one win this year.
The USA Hockey National Team Development Program won the opening game of the 2025 series, beating the CHL 4-2 Tuesday at Calgary’s Scotiabank Saddledome.
Medicine Hat Tigers/Team CHL head coach Willie Desjardins says the U.S. team was more ready at the start.
“They had a lot to prove from last year, I think they they were ready for it,” Desjardins said. “I think we thought that maybe we could get away with it, just had to show up a little bit and they just outworked us. They had lots of speed, they have really good speed on that team. They got on us hard. We didn’t give up many chances in the second and third. We didn’t give them much but it was too late by then.”
The NTDP finished 1-2 on the power play, the CHL went scoreless on their five man advantages. Desjardins says the special teams weren’t able to get any looks in their lone practice and the morning skate but he doesn’t see that as an excuse for the loss.
“They didn’t have one rep together and those are excuses, but they’re facts and the power play hadn’t played together so that’s a challenge whenever you have that,” Desjardins said. “For us, we just had to be better, we had to outwork them and I thought they outworked us tonight. The only way, if you don’t have your best structure, is you have to rely on your work ethic.”
The NTDP opened the scoring with the lone goal of the first period.
Wyatt Cullen carried the puck into the CHL end and was tripped up in the slot, bringing on a delayed penalty against the CHL. Mikey Berchild was at the side of the net and he tapped the puck in front to Dayne Beuker who backhanded the puck past a sprawling Harrison Boettiger for the 1-0 lead 7:29 into the game.
Beuker was a 14th overall pick by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the 2023 WHL Draft before the Humboldt, Sask. product opted to play for the NTDP. The CHL led the first period in shots 13-5.
The U.S. U18 team struck first in the middle frame as well for a brief two-goal lead. Sammy Nelson was net front in the CHL end and got just enough on a loose puck to push it over the goal line for a 2-0 lead 3:31 into the period.
The CHL had a four-minute power play after a high sticking minor but could not capitalize on the extended man advantage. They found twine later in the frame to make it a 2-1 score after 40 minutes.
CHL captain Caleb Maholtra (Brantford/OHL) carried the puck into the NTDP end, skating to the slot before dishing off to his left to Chase Reid (Sault Ste. Marie/OHL) for a one-time blast. The Spokane Chiefs’ forward Mathis Preston had the second assist on Reid’s goal as the CHL drew within one with 6:07 left in the second. They ended the middle stanza ahead in shots, 30-17.
The NTDP re-gained a two-goal early in the third. Wyatt Cullen scored on a power play for the 3-1 U.S. lead 6:46 into the third.
Team CHL responded alter in the frame with some Western flair bringing them back within one. Preston had the puck along the wall to the left of the U.S. net minder Brady Knowling. He spun and skated to the slot before unleashing a heavy shot that beat the NTDP net minder to make it a 3-2 game with 6:43 left in the third. Defenceman Carson Carels (Prince George/WHL) had the lone assist.
The CHL team had chances late for the tie but couldn’t equal things up before Jamie Glance scored on the empty CHL net for the 4-2 final. Boettiger finished with 22 saves in the CHL net. Across the ice from him, Knowling made 42 stops.
Malhotra was blunt with his assessment of their play in the opening game.
“I think we were too casual going into it, ultimately we thought we had it in the bag to start and nobody put their best foot forward and we know that, so we’re going to come better tomorrow,” Malhotra said.
The second game of the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge goes Wednesday night in Lethbridge, puck drop at 6 p.m.
