PLYMOUTH, Mich. — While there was only one game on Friday at the U.S. National Team Development Program Evaluation Camp, the physicality was much higher than in Thursday's two games combined.
Thirteen goals were scored, too, with Team Larkin taking down Team McAvoy, 7-6. Match the goals with the physicality and the sheer speed and skill everywhere, and this was a very fun game to watch. The Little Caesars kids, particularly, were often starting scrums — sometimes even with each other.
With only one game left on Saturday, the finish line to the U.S. National Team Development Program Evaluation Camp is near.
I'll have my picks for who I think should make the team in the coming days.
But for now, here are some standouts from Friday's game.
Joey Cullen
Moorhead High School, 4/17/2010, F, left shot, 5-11/161
Hometown: Moorhead, Minn.Â
Cullen was dominant on Friday. His ability to change angles on wrist shots was impressive. Eden Prairie High School forward RJ Thompson scored a goal because of Cullen's work down low. Cullen's play-driving abilities made his linemates so much better.
Drew Daley
Shattuck-St. Mary's, 2/16/2010, D, right shot, 5-11/154
Hometown: Lake Valley, N.Y.Â
Daley, who entered camp with some of the most hype of any prospect, was much better on Friday. The Shattuck defenseman was assertive with pucks in the offensive end, on one sequence taking the puck all over the zone until he found the right first pass to make. On another sequence, he found Honeybaked forward Henry Buttweiler for a one-timer. Late in the game, he exited the defensive zone with the puck and passed it. He then joined the offense, got the puck back high in the offensive zone and made a slick pass at the back post to St. Thomas Academy forward Maverick McKinnon for the goal.
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Will LoSauro
North Jersey Avalanche, 7/14/2010, F, left shot, 5-10/154
Hometown: Ridgewood, N.J.Â
LoSauro was a force down the middle on Friday. He consistently drove play and put defenders on their heels with his speed. He scored a beauty, getting the puck in the neutral zone, entering the offensive zone, flipping the puck in between two defenders and ripping a shot low glove that went right in. His physicality and ability to create chaos on the forecheck and while cycling made him a standout.
Carter Morris
Shattuck-St. Mary's, 1/22/2010, F, left shot, 5-10/165
Hometown: Anchorage, AlaskaÂ
That speed, man. In one of his first shifts, Morris hustled back to poke the puck away from an opposing player. He came oh-so-close to scoring one in the first period on a nice forehand to backhand play in front, but made up for it in the second when he scored on a hard, low wrister. His speed and puck protection made him such a force off the rush.
Jack Queally
St. Sebastian's, 7/27/2010, F, left shot, 5-11/181
Hometown: Norwood, Mass.Â
Queally was once again patient with pucks, but his play without the puck made him a standout. His forecheck on one sequence led to a 2-on-1 situation. In other forechecks, Queally took smart angles and guided puck-carriers into more pressure.
READ MORE:Â 13 uncommitted prospects who boosted stock during NEPSAC playoffs
Jack Riehl
Pittsburgh Pens Elite, 1/20/2010, F, right shot, 6-1/157
Hometown: Mars, Penn.Â
Riehl scored twice on Friday. The first goal was a snipe from in tight off a nice, behind-the-back pass from Notre Dame Academy forward Tripp Wroblewski. Riehl scored again in the third period off a nice shot off the rush.
Mason Schemenauer
Minnetonka High School, 6/23/2010, D, right shot, 6-1/170
Hometown: Minnetrista, Minn.Â
Schemenauer made life difficult for opposing forwards with his physicality and reads in front of the net. He knew when to challenge opposing forwards low in the zone and when to shadow them and take away time and space. In the offensive zone, he made a nice pass that looked like a shot to the far post, where a teammate almost put it in.
Ben Slavick
Little Caesars, 2/26/2010, F, right shot, 6-1/157
Hometown: Westland, Mich.Â
Slavick's game began by setting up Wroblewski for a goal off a 2-on-1. Late in the second period, Slavick's hard-nosed play won him some puck battles behind the net, which led to Riehl scoring one of his goals. Slavick was physical all game, getting into it with Little Caesars forward Colin Kennedy for an entire shift, finishing with them going cage to cage.
Brooks Suter
Edina High School, 11/21/2010, D, left shot, 5-10/161
Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.Â
Suter was much more noticeable on Friday. He moved pucks well and was unafraid to jump into the offense, following the play and providing an outlet for forwards. But what I really liked about Suter's game was his edge. He finished hits, slashed bigger players and made sure they knew he was there. He got into it with Little Caesars forward Jack Trupiano around his own net. Suter is the son of longtime NHL defenseman Ryan Suter.
RJ Thompson
Eden Prairie High School, 8/11/2010, F, right shot, 5-11/161
Hometown: Eden Prairie, Minn.Â
Thompson potted two goals on Friday and was one of the more prominent standouts. He scored early on when he tapped in a 2-on-0 chance with Shattuck St. Mary's forward Cameron Evans. His second came on that sharp-angle shot that Cullen dished to him. Thompson was very patient with pucks. If he began skating up ice and his lane was going to get cut off, he used his good skating to turn back and pick a new route up ice. In the second period, he made a smart read to break up a pass in his own zone, beat a defender and create an odd-man rush. He dished the puck to Cullen, who got a scoring chance.
READ MORE: 12 standouts from NTDP Evaluation Camp on Thursday
Tripp Wroblewski
Notre Dame Academy, 1/23/2010, F, left shot, 5-9/146
Hometown: Menasha, Wisc.Â
Wroblewski had a goal in the first period off a nice shot that beat the netminder clean. His behind-the-back pass to Riehl for his goal was impressive, too. Wroblewski showcased quite a bit of speed throughout the game, getting on top of puck carriers quickly.
