The Green Bay Gamblers will play Team USA in a pair of games on Friday, February 25, and Saturday, February 26 at USA Hockey Arena. These will be the fourth and fifth meetings between the teams, and the Gamblers are currently 2-1 against the National Developmental Team. The teams last played each other on January 14 in Plymouth, Michigan, where the Gamblers beat Team USA with a 6-3 score.
The Gamblers have an 18-20-2-1 record and are currently sixth in the USHL Eastern Division with 39 points. Some players to watch for include Brody Lamb and Alex Servagno.
Lamb has put together a solid month of hockey, scoring points in the four straight weeks of play. However, his production saw a particular uptick this weekend, scoring 3 points on 1 goal and 2 assists against Cedar Rapids. His goal-scoring makes him an asset for the Gamblers, as he currently sits at fourth on the team with 13. The New York Ranger draftee has also seen offensive success against Team USA, bagging 3 assists in their matchups this season.
Servagno is another player that has been a featured part of the offense when Team USA comes to town. His 3 points on 2 goals and 1 assist makes him the top goal-scorer against USA this season. The assistant captain also put in a solid two weeks of hockey, adding 1 goal and assist to his stat sheet, reaching the double-digit mark in goals with 10.
Look for two of the top goal-scorers on the team to give Team USA some troubles offensively.
Team USA has a 14-17-3 record and are currently eighth in the USHL Eastern Division with 31 points. Some players to watch for include Logan Cooley and Frank Nazar.
Cooley is considered a top three prospect for the upcoming NHL Draft. With his play, it’s easy to understand why. In his 29 games total for Team USA, he’s only failed to score points in six contests. This includes a stretch where in his last four games against USHL competition, he’s tallied 1 goal and 6 assists.
Nazar has been the best statistical player for Team USA against USHL competition this year. He currently has 24 points in just 15 games. This includes a six-game streak of points scored, tallying 6 goals and 8 assists. He also ranks as one of the top players in the upcoming NHL Draft.
Expect to hear each player’s name called early in the first round.
Puck drop is at 6:05 PM on both Friday and Saturday at USA Hockey Arena. You can watch the games live at www.hockeytv.com.
