Subject: USA U-18 Team

cannot find jerry hale from the hitmen

Some of the players are found on the transfer lists.

Heh completely missed him on Season 15

You are probably right about those managers. I contacted the Salt Lake Karma and Smuggling Grapes just in case.

I used the season 16 standings for the list. I don't want teams to change places in the standings as I scout so that I can keep track more easily.

Can you scout the following players and upload them after the start of next season:

III.2)
1) HC New Britain Stars – John Cook/Eddie Kaul
III.3)
1) Gamblers – Mark O’Connell/Lee Howe/Bert Cunningham
III.4)
1) 퍽개새끼 – Kane Spicola
III.6)
1) War Pigs – Alan Shook
III.7)
1) Brad’s Icebreakers – Jeb Trinklein
2) Warehouse Warriors – Max Peters/Cameron Cornell
III.9)
1) Ferris State U Bull Dogs – Ross Van Ochten
III.12)
1) Big Juicy Tacos – Rich Rossi

The teams are listed by the leagues they were in during season 16.

For anyone that has space left, I will try to start a list of 15 year olds tomorrow.

All added to the queue.

The United States shutout Denmark today 3-0, clinching the playoffs. The United States failed to convert on 3 power plays but didn't give up a goal on one penalty kill. The United States absolutely dominated the faceoff circle, winning 63.3% of the faceoffs. Reif, Knapp, and Ferrara scored for the United States. The first line offense now holds exclusive control of the top three spots for scoring in the tournament. Dupuis and Cliff are top 2 for assists, and Reif is tied for first in scoring. Knapp is tied for first for scoring by defensemen. Lenhart was responsible for today's shutout.

Belgium, who the United States will play tomorrow, also clinched the playoffs, while Canada continued to be unlucky and clinch the relegation playoffs. Portugal has likely advanced while Slovenia will play tournament host Denmark for advancement (though it is possible for both to advance if the game goes into overtime and Portugal loses to Canada by enough goals).

As for the other group, none of the teams look unbeatable for the United States, though goaltending is still a weakness and the teams are close enough that it might still be a coin flip to win against of the teams. Sweden and Brazil have clinched the playoffs in that group.

Good luck to the other United States national hockey teams tomorrow!

The United States lost 5-3 to Belgium today. I decided to play on very low. I also gave the first line a day off and instead played the bench for 45% of the match, the fourth line for 25% of the match, and the other two lines for 15% of the match each, the minimum amount possible. Since the United States already advanced to the next round, this game didn't matter, and I wanted to save energy for the next round. The United States ended up in second place in the group anyway. Belgium decided to play on normal. This game was still useful since it gave me an idea of how effective the substitutes could be. In particular, the backup goaltender is just as good as the starting goaltender, so I will be confident making a substitution in goal if I have to in the playoffs.

The United States will play Sweden tomorrow in the quarterfinals. The winner of that match will play the winner of Brazil and Portugal. It's uncertain how good Sweden will be because they have been resting and using substitutes as well, but I suspect that Sweden and the United States are about evenly matched, though the United States should have better shooting. Sweden looks like it was using only three lines until they clinched the playoffs, so they may be tired despite resting for the last game. Brazil has been a hard to beat for the United States in the exhibitions played earlier this season, though the United States and Brazil also seem to be relatively well matched. The United States has beaten Portugal twice and lost only once in the World Championships, primarily due to taking a ton of penalties; otherwise, the are evenly matched, though Portugal has significantly better goaltending (though the United States has two goaltenders to work with) and the United States has much better shooting.

If the United States somehow made the finals, it would play the winner of the match between the winner of Belgium-Norway and the winner of Denmark Switzerland. I like the United States' chances overall, though the chances of winning each round is still pretty much only 50%.

Good luck to the three national teams in the playoffs and final games of the World Championships. There is about a 7/16 chance that at least one national team will promote to the top division this season, though it will be hard.

In the first round of the playoffs, the United States demolished Sweden 7-3. Sweden was a good team, but very undisciplined today, giving up 3 power play goals on 8 penalties. The United States gave up a power play goal but earned it back with a shorthanded goal over the course of 4 penalties. The United States outshot Sweden 42-29 and dominated the faceoff circle, winning 57.6% of the faceoffs. I decided to play with 3 lines today, and it seems to have paid off.

The first line continued their dominance, back from a day of rest, with 5 out of the 7 goals. Captain Dupuis continued to lead the team to victory with a hattrick.

The United States will play Brazil, who beat Portugal, for promotion tomorrow. In the other match, Switzerland will play Belgium. Belgium and Switzerland are about even. Belgium has the goaltender while Switzerland has the defense. The United States has weaker goaltending than both but better shooting.

The United States lost badly to Brazil in 2 exhibition matches this season, though in both games, the United States was only playing with a partial roster, in particular without stars Dupuis and Knapp. Looking at Brazil, the United States should have a slight advantage in every area and a large advantage in shooting. The United States is the clear favorite in tomorrow's match, though the teams are still close enough that Brazil still has a 40%-50% chance of winning. To be fair, the United States was in almost exactly the same position last season but lost to Romania.

The senior team unfortunately seems to have lost. The U20 team is almost guaranteed promotion to division II unless it loses by a lot, Argentina wins by a lot, and Norway wins (in regulation or overtime). Hopefully the U20 team will pull through and the U18 team will avenge last season's upset with a win tomorrow.

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For the first time in 17 seasons, one of the United States National Hockey Teams, the U18 United States National Hockey Team, has promoted to the top division to compete among the best countries in the world.

The United States played Brazil today for promotion. Brazil had won by a large margin in the last 2 exhibition matches between the two teams this season. Today, the United States won 6-4. The game seems to have played out evenly in terms of shots and faceoffs, until Brazil dominated the faceoff circle in the third period. The United States had a slight advantage in possession throughout the game. Both penalty kills were perfect through 4 United States penalty kills and 3 Brazillian penalty kills.

The United States broke into an early lead off of a goal by on of its start players on the first line, Reif. Brazil quickly tied the game. The United States took back the lead towards the end of the first period on a goal by third liner Alex Campbell. In the second period, Reif scored 2 more goals to take the hatrick, followed by 2 more goals by the third line, giving the United States a seemingly insurmountable 5 goal lead. With less than 10 minutes left, Brazil managed to score three goals, but it was too little too late.

I decided to play Shaw today since he was better rested and seemingly the better goaltender at this point, though Lenhart has been the one winning all the games until today. Shaw did give up 4 goals, but I think I am willing to trust him again tomorrow, though Lenhart will be waiting to take over the second he falters. The second big move I made yesterday was to put Baughman back on the third line. I replaced him with Carrigan yesterday since Carrigan had slightly more energy and is arguably just as good (if built differently). Baughman is geared more towards setting up the offensive attack. It seems to have paid off considering that Baughman had a goal, an assist, and a +3 +/-. The United States benefited from the experience of Dupuis, Knapp, and Reif, all of whom were part of the disappointing loss against Romania in last season's division I semifinals.

The United States and Belgium are both guaranteed to promote to the top division, but they will play each other for the trophy. Although the United States played Belgium in the last game of group stage for first place in the group, the United States was resting and playing its bench in that game. Based on the results from yesterday, Belgium and the United States are pretty much evenly matched. Belgium has slightly better offense and goaltending while the United States has better defense and shooting. It is encouraging that with Shaw's contribution, the United States' goaltending has pretty much caught up to Belgium's goaltending at this point. Nothing is certain, but the United States has at least a 50% of winning the whole tournament now.

Also of interest, Dupuis, Reif, and Cliff no have 12, 11, and 10 points respectively, leading the tournament. The record for the most points by any player in any U18 tournament since the U18 league was established is 13 points. Reif leads in goals with 7 goals (on 28 shots) and Cliff leads in Assists with 9. Knapp, from the same line, leads scoring by defensemen with 6 points. Jacob, the remaining player on the first line is also up there.

Finally, I mentioned an idea in the I.1 thread, focusing on 17 year olds if it seems, after putting together a lineup of 18 year olds, that the United States has no chance of staying in the top division to build chemistry for the following two seasons. Another consideration is to play with 3 lines to build more chemistry. With all of that said, the games are random enough that it might not be so impossible as one would think to keep the United States in the top division. Next year's team is going to be weaker than this year's team (this seems to go in cycles) and maybe last year's team led by generational talent Louie Lance. The team looks extremely promising in two seasons. Even so, next year's team, led by Ty Shorter, could still possibly be competitive. It will be interesting to see.

*applause for a job well done*

Thanks!

The United States won 2-0 against Belgium today to take first place in the world championships, avenging the loss in the group stage. The US won 63.3% of the faceoffs and penalties were a non-factor. Shots were even. Ty Shorter scored the game winning goal and Dupuis added a goal to tie the record for most points ever in an U18 tournament (set by Finnish player in the first division I U18 tournament) despite resting for one game. This season's team was a really good team in all areas except goaltending, and the depth at goaltending made up for even that before the end of the tournament. In the end, the United States promoted and won the tournament.

Now it is time to plan for next year. Thanks again to everyone who is helping with scouting. Please start to upload the players after the new season starts. I will try to put together a list of the 15 year olds I am interested in (soon to be 16 year olds) soon.