Eric Young, CHL
A one-goal game looked like anything but that on Day 2 of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge, featuring top-level NHL draft talent.
The night went much like Game 1, with Team CHL dominating possession. That said, the score was much closer than Tuesday’s 6-1 game.
Team CHL won 3-2 on a late third-period goal after the Americans tied it at 2-2 late. The shots were incredibly lopsided, with the CHL group basically tripling the output of Team USA, but they managed to stay it in until the very end.
Despite the two-game sweep, this was an excellent start to an event that should become a fixture on the hockey calendar. Adding in the hatred of the rivalry between Canada and USA makes this series well worth continuing moving forward.
No specific player truly dominated the others on Wednesday, but plenty of performances stood out on Night 2 of the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge.
First Star: Caleb Desnoyers, C, Team CHL (Moncton, QMJHL)
Caleb Desnoyers was an offensive force in this game.
He scored for the CHL squad 16 seconds into the game with a wicked deflection. He then threaded the needle to Michael Misa for a power-play goal. Desnoyers looked like the perfect complement to Misa and Porter Martone, allowing them to be puck-dominant and filling in wherever they needed him.
If Misa and Martone were working the puck up ice and pressure arrived, Desnoyers was there for the outlet pass. In the offensive zone, Desnoyers consistently worked the cycle and recovered the puck down low or made the right pass to advance play.
Desnoyers showed off some skill and grit through both games, but this was certainly the better effort of the two.
In 20 games for the Wildcats, Desnoyers has 14 goals and 17 assists for 31 points.
Related: NHL Draft: Three Stars Of Game 1 Of CHL USA Prospects Challenge
Second Star: Cole Reschny, C, Team CHL (Victoria, WHL)
After a fairly quiet five periods, Reschny made his presence known when it mattered most.
With the game on the line in the final moments of a tie game, Reschny found the puck in chaos and fired home the game-winning goal with a perfectly placed shot over the goalie’s shoulder.
Reschny wasn’t at his best for much of this two-game series, but sometimes, all it takes is one good moment to put people on notice.
His skill and offensive ability were always there, and he showed flashes of it throughout the two-game event, but his biggest moment couldn’t have come at a better time.
Reschny has nine goals and 18 assists for 27 points in 22 games for the Royals.
Third Star: Harrison Boettiger, G, Team USA
The fact this game was close all night was truly a miracle.
Harrison Boettiger – who isn’t even eligible for the draft until 2026 – is the reason this game isn’t 8-1 for the CHL.
— Ryan Kennedy (@THNRyanKennedy) November 28, 2024
Harrison Boettiger hasn’t been spoken about much in NHL draft talks, but on the second night of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge, he was a big reason the Americans stayed in this game.
He is the youngest netminder on the NTDP squad and is eligible for the 2026 NHL draft, so it was really interesting to see him get the start over Joey Slavick in Game 2. The Americans should be ecstatic that they did, though.
There wasn’t one big save or a defining moment in this game for Boettiger. Still, he consistently handled the wave of attacks the CHL squad delivered until the end of the game when Reschny delivered the definitive blow. Boettiger made a couple of saves right before the goal, but the U.S. defense was in full scramble mode and couldn’t handle the speed of the CHLers, which was a factor all night.
Boettiger deserves praise for how well he was as a 16-year-old and the youngest player in the game.
Related: 2025 NHL Draft Rankings: Will There Be A Race For First Overall?
Honorable Mentions
Alongside Desnoyers, Porter Martone and Michael Misa were both excellent in the game. The trio was dominating possession.
Cameron Schmidt constantly applied pressure once again, using his speed and shooting ability to put the defense group of Team USA in a tizzy.
Kashawn Aitcheson was his typical physical self, destroying opposing players and drawing the attention of the old-school scouts in the building.
On the American side, Jack Murtagh was once again showing off his power game and heavy shot. He scored for a second night in a row, this time to tie the game in the third period and give Team USA some life.
William Moore had a few moments when he displayed some nice playmaking.
Drew Schock had two primary assists on the night and should get some love, as he looked much better tonight after a rough Game 1.
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