John Beecher scores for the NTDP U17's on Saturday night.
If the effectiveness of a power play unit can be used as a barometer for measuring a team's success, then consider the National Team Development Program's Under-17 team is at barometric capacity.
Powered by three goals with the man-advantage, the red white and blue skated to a 7-4 win over the Minnesota Magicians in the NAHL Showcase in Blaine on Saturday night.
Davis Kirkendall handed the Magicians a 1-0 lead early in the first period, but the momentum was quashed just sixty seconds later as the NTDP’s Alex Turcotte and Danny Weight scored back-to-back goals just 29 seconds apart.
Cole Caufield extended the NTDP’s lead to 3-1 24 seconds after Turcotte’s goal, precluding the Magicians’ first two penalties of the night. Jackson Nauss capped the period with the Magicians’ second goal.
Brendan Skarda and Andrew Kangas tacked on goals for the Magicians in the second frame, with Cam York of the NTDP scoring between the Skarda and Kangas tallies.
The third period came up all NTDP, as Caufield and York recorded their second goals of the game, with York’s icing the win on an empty Magicians’ net. John Beecher also scored in the third for NTDP.
Despite surrendering six goals, Magicians netminder Isaiah Saville stood out between the pipes, recording 38 saves in the loss. The NTDP’s Cameron Rowe stopped all eight shots he faced after taking over for starter Spencer Knight midway through the game.
Isaiah Saville made 38 saves in Saturday's loss to the NTDP U17 team.