2025 NHL Draft

Team CHL Gets Late Goal, Wins Inaugural CHL USA Prospects Challenge

Team CHL Gets Late Goal, Wins Inaugural CHL USA Prospects Challenge

Cole Reschny scored with 1:12 to play in regulation to give Team CHL a 3-2 win in Game 2 to complete the sweep of the inaugural USA CHL Prospects Challenge.

Nov 28, 2024 by Chris Peters
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OSHAWA, Ontario – Team CHL scored in the opening minute and final minute of regulation to earn a 3-2 win and the sweep of Team USA in the inaugural CHL USA Prospects Challenge. Cole Reschny scored with 1:12 to play in regulation to seal the victory and the sweep, sending the partisan crowd home happy.

Team CHL’s first line featuring three potential top-10 draft picks Porter Martone, Michael Misa and Caleb Desnoyers go the scoring going very early in the game as Martone’s shot was deflected in by Desnoyers after just 16 seconds had come off the clock in regulation.

Though the shots were lopsided in the period, Team USA pounced on a Team CHL mistake as Drew Schock intercepted a Blake Fiddler pass and hit a streaking Cole McKinney for a short breakaway. McKinney tucked the puck through Jack Ivancovic to even the score before the end of the first period.

In the second, tempers flared and Team CHL took advantage on the power play. Desnoyers found Michael Misa on the back door with a perfect pass and a solid redirection to regain the advantage.

The third period was the most evenly played of the entire event, with Team USA getting some of their best looks. Jack Murtagh scored his second of the event with a one-timer on the power play to even the score halfway through the final frame.

The game went back and forth the rest of the period, with USA getting a few Grade A chances. CHL also had a four-minute power play, but wasn’t able to find the go-ahead goal. 

In a key shift late in the game, Team CHL got some sustained pressure in the offensive zone before Reschny ripped his shot bar-down with 1:12 to play in regulation, ending a quiet event for him on the highest possible note.

Notable Performances From Game 2

Caleb Desnoyers, C/W, Team CHL

Desnoyers was named the Player of the Game after scoring a goal and adding an assist. He also was the one that drew the four-minute high-stick late in the game. Desnoyers was the most noticeable CHLer in the game, playing with pace and some energy on top of his higher-level skill. He got the scoring going just 16 seconds into regulation with a net-front tip and then had a perfect pass to Michael Misa for a power-play goal in the second period.

Harrison Boettiger, G, Team USA

There’s a strong case to be made that Boettiger was the best player on the ice. He made 35 saves and kept his team in the game despite the onslaught of shots he faced. Getting beaten by a deflection, a power-play goal early were the only blemishes before Reschny got the goal that ended the game through some traffic in front. The 6-foot-2 netminder showed a lot of toughness. He’s not even draft eligible until 2026.

Cameron Schmidt, RW, Team CHL

Schmidt lacks size, but he plays with such tremendous pace and was getting a lot of pucks to the net. He, like many goal scorers, probably over-shoots the puck, but he also has elite shooting ability. I liked the pace he played with most of all, pressuring USA’s defense and getting some separation to create more. He also showed that he’s not going to get pushed around. 

Drew Schock, D, Team USA

With two assists in the game, Schock was able to get pucks up ice and help his team hit the score sheet, but he also had a lot of physical plays, blocked shots and was generally an impact player in his own end. He’s not an overly big player, but he has good strength and was forceful with his physical play to make things tougher in the defensive zone. 

Thoughts On The First Ever CHL USA Prospects Challenge

While the CHL got the sweep in this event, the first ever CHL USA Prospects Challenge showed its potential for the future. There was a much more competitive vibe to these games than the Top Prospects Games of years past. 

This was even better than the old Canada-Russia Series that included players that were gearing up for inclusion in the World Junior Championship. Having draft-eligible players that are trying to show scouts what they can do added a great evaluation element.

There may be some improvements to come down the road. One thing that was noticeable in the second game was that both teams really wore out. Some of the CHL players had played a full weekend slate before traveling Sunday or Monday to play Tuesday and Wednesday back-to-back. If there was a bigger break in the schedule, it may afford players to be better prepared for a tough back-to-back series.

But really, that's a nitpicking gripe.

Overall, we got what was advertised. The U.S. Under-18 Team is a bit on the weaker side this year, which makes it tough to fully evaluate what this can become. But that group showed in Game 2 that if they can get some goaltending to keep it close, they can make a game of it.

There was passion in the game and you could sense the stakes of the games as well. Both sides wanted to win and prove something. That's what made this an awful lot of fun for the first go-around. As the competitiveness evens out a little bit, it should be a great showcase for international hockey, junior hockey and the NHL Draft.

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