Medicine Hat Tigers forward Liam Ruck watches a puck trickle through U.S. U18 net minder Brady Knowling in the second period of the opening game of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge on Tuesday at Calgary's Scotiabank Saddledome. The U.S. National Development Team Program won the game 4-2.--NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Canadian Hockey League swept the inaugural CHL USA Prospects Challenge last year in Ontario. Any CHL-branded brooms will be kept in the closet for the 2025 tournament.
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. It’s their first ever win in the series, in just its second rendition.
Medicine Hat Tigers/Team CHL head coach Willie Desjardins said post game the U.S. team was more ready at the start than they were.
“They had a lot to prove from last year, I think 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 not 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. The only way, if you don’t have your best structure, is you have to rely on your work ethic.”
Tigers forward Liam Ruck finished with two shots on the night, working on the CHL’s top power play unit and slotting alongside Kamloops Blazers’ JP Hurlbert and Peterborough Petes’ Adam Novotny.
Spokane Chiefs forward Mathis Preston recorded a goal and an assist in the loss, scoring in the third period to make it a one-goal game before the U.S. scored on the empty net for the 4-2 final. He assisted on Soo Greyhounds forward Chase Reid’s goal. CHL captain/Brantford Bulldogs’ forward Caleb Maholtra’s had the primary assist on the goal.
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 two-game series was Wednesday in Lethbridge. See medicinehatnews.com/sports for a full game story and Friday’s News for full coverage of the final game and the Tigers’ participation.
Desjardins shares thoughts on McKenna’s season
Despite no longer playing in the CHL, former Tigers’ forward Gavin McKenna has been a common conversation at the CHL USA Prospects Challenge. The reining CHL and WHL player of the year has four goals and 18 points in 16 games with the Penn State Nittany Lions.
When asked Tuesday morning pre-game if he’s watched or followed the 17-year-old this season, Desjardins says he’s watched a little and follows him when he can.
“Gavin was such a big part of our team last year, I have so much respect for him and his family, so for sure I follow him to see how he’s doing and I want him to do great,” Desjardins said. “He deserves to do great. There’s lots of things, he’s a really gifted playmaker. I think right now, the team’s not scoring, so sometimes that reflects that maybe he’s not doing the things he should when really he is. But I have tons of confidence in him as a player, he’s too good not to come through. So any the other thing, he has such high standards, he won’t accept just being average. He’ll find a way to be great.”
The Whitehorse, Yuk. product entered the season as the No. 1 projected pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft and is still considered by a majority of prospect experts to have his name called first overall in Los Angeles come the end of June. There have been calls from other prospect writers asking for more from McKenna.
Desjardins cautions those questions and says people have to be careful how early they judge anything.
“In the end he’s going to come out and be a very special player, regardless of what happens this year,” Desjardins said. “He just sees the ice too well, he has incredible vision. I don’t know what happens this year, but I know in the end, he’s going to be a very good player.”
