BACK FOR MORE: Four of the top eight point-scorers from last year’s 2017 Boys Select 15 Player Development Camp are competing at the Select 16 camp this week. Nicholas Desantis (Collegeville, Pa. – 2G, 4A) and Tanner Dickinson (Perrysburg, OH – 2G, 4A) finished tied atop all skaters with six points in three Select 15 games, while Christian Jimenez (Yorktown Heights, N.Y. - 3G, 2A) and Tanner Kelly (Clarkston, Mich. – 2G, 3A) followed close behind with five apiece. 

Two of the top returning goaltenders from the 2017 Select 15 camp, Connor Bradford (Kingston, Mass. – 2.00 GAA, .935 SV%) and Liam O’Gwen (Basking Ridge, N.J. – 1.33 GAA, .926 SV%), are also back as participants in this week’s action and will look to build on last year’s impressive showings.

BROTHERS TO LOOK UP TO: Two competitors in this week’s Select 16 camp, John Opilka (St. Louis, Mo.) and Gerard Keane (Homer Glen, Ill.), have older siblings whom were recently drafted to NHL clubs.

Luke Opilka heard his name called in the 2015 NHL Draft, when he was chosen in the fifth round (146th overall) by the St. Louis Blues.  On his way to being drafted, Opilka won gold as a member of Team USA at both the 2014 World U17 Challenge and 2015 World U18 Championship.

Joey Keane was selected by the New York Rangers in the third round (88th overall) of last month’s 2018 NHL Draft.  The elder Keane brother participated in all three USA Hockey Player Development Camps (Select 15/16/17) and captured a silver medal representing the United States at the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.

LITTLE DOSE OF EVERYTHING: After falling behind 3-1 early in the second half of its opening bout of the week, Team Red stormed back to bury five unanswered goals for a 6-3 victory over Team Royal on Sunday.  The aforementioned Desantis tallied a third period hat-trick to lead the comeback, with all three goals coming off assists from Frank Carogioiello (Woodbridge, Ont.).

Team Orange tallied camp’s first shutout on Sunday, blanking Team Black by a score of 3-0. Gavin Fitzpatrick (Norwood, Mass.) and Parker Dietz (Tega Cay, S.C.) combined to turn away all 26 shots faced, while Nathaniel Hanley (Rocky Point, N.Y. – 1G, 2A) and Isaac Novak (Sussex, Wis. – 2G, 1A) both had a hand in all three Orange goals.

In a back-and-forth, high-scoring affair, Team Forest edged Team White 7-6 in the camp’s first game to require a shootout.  After combining for 13 goals in regulation, the two clubs also successfully converted on seven of 10 shootout attempts.