CALGARY -- Wyatt Cullen, a C-rated skater on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list, had a goal and an assist for USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-18 Team in a 4-2 win against the Canadian Hockey League in Game 1 of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge at Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday.
The win was the first-ever for the NTDP in the event, which began last season. Team CHL swept the two-game series in 2024, 6-1 and 3-2.
Cullen, the son of former NHL forward Matt Cullen, scored a power-play goal on a wrist shot from the high slot at 6:46 of the third period for a 3-1 lead.
"He's an interesting one, because he's grown like nine inches since our Under-17 tryout camp," NTDP coach Nick Fohr said of Cullen. "He was 5-foot-3 or 5-foot-4 at our tryout camp, and he was 120-some pounds, and now he's almost 6-1 and 170 in like 18 months. What a transformation. And he's still just scratching the surface of the type of player he's going to be."
Brady Knowling (B rated), who is committed to Boston University in 2027-28, made 42 saves and was named player of the game.
"I think the team played really well in front of me," Knowling said. "A lot of blocked shots. I can't take all the credit. As soon as they played last year, we talked about it, and we said we didn't want that to happen to us. We were going to come out representing Team USA, and that's what we did tonight."
Dayne Beuker (B rated), Sammy Nelson (2027 NHL Draft eligible) and Jamie Glance (2027 draft eligible) each scored for the NTDP, which had just one A-rated skater on the roster in defenseman Luke Schairer.
Mathis Preston (A rated), a forward from Spokane in the Western Hockey League, had a goal and an assist for Team CHL. Chase Reid (A rated) of Sault Ste. Marie in the Ontario Hockey League scored, and Harrison Boettiger (B rated) of Kelowna (WHL) made 22 saves.
Team CHL had 13 A-rated skaters on the roster.
CHL held a 44-26 shot advantage and was 0-for-5 on the power play. The U.S. was 1-for-2 on the power play.
The Prospects Challenge series will conclude at VisitLethbridge.com Arena in Lethbridge, Alberta, on Wednesday.
"I think we were too casual going into this game," CHL captain Caleb Malhotra (Brantford, OHL) said. "Ultimately, we thought we had it in the bag to start and nobody in there put their best foot forward and we know that. We're going to come better [Wednesday]."
Here are 4 things learned from the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge:
Trading places
CHL goalie Boettiger (6-2, 189) and forward J.P. Hurlbert have each had the unique distinction of representing both sides of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge.
Boettiger, of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, was a member of the NTDP at last year's event, stopping 35 shots in a 3-2 loss against Team CHL in the second game of the two-game CHL sweep. He plays for Kelowna (WHL) this season. He is committed to the University of Denver next season.
"I played with a bunch of them on the U-18 team last year," Boettiger said. "It was just like practice last year, going at each other, chirping."
Hurlbert (6-0, 182) of Allen, Texas, played for the NTDP last year, but served as an alternate captain for Team CHL this season. He had 37 points (19 goals, 18 assists) in 56 games with the NTDP Under-17 Team in 2024-25 and this year leads the WHL with 18 goals and 44 points in 25 games as a rookie with Kamloops. The University of Michigan commit had six shots on goal and was 4-for-14 on face-offs.
"I have a lot of great friends over there and people who I played with and against for a very long time," Hurlbert said. "I was excited to play for the CHL, make new friends and learn the game from other people."
Cullen makes up for lost time
Cullen, who recently returned from injury and has five points (one goal, four assists) in five games with the NTDP this season, really made an impact in his first big test.
"It was a really cool experience for me scoring a goal like that in a big game," Cullen said. "I got put on the power play right away, and that's huge for me. I think I'm a really talented player. It was good to showcase out there what I can do."
Fohr is proud of how far Cullen has come since Under-17 tryout camp. Cullen is committed to the University of Minnesota in 2027-28.
"The [NHL scouts] are going to see him now, and get to experience him," Fohr said. "He's such a crafty hockey player. He's still not 100 percent up to full speed. He's only played five games and he's fighting it a little bit still, digging through the injury that he had at the beginning of the year. But he's coming and he's still getting his legs underneath him."
Belchetz vows to be better
Ethan Belchetz, one of the more highly touted A-rated skaters participating in the game, was upset with his performance and is determined to make amends in Game 2 on Wednesday.
"I didn't think I played very well tonight," said Belchetz, who took seven shots and had a plus-1 rating. "I'll talk to the coach later to find out what he was thinking. But from a personal standpoint, I wasn't very happy with the way I played."
Belchetz leads Windsor (OHL) with 16 goals and is second with 28 points in 23 games this season.
"I just didn't think I was very engaged, and I wasn't moving my feet," he said. "All the things that I usually bring to the table, I wasn't really doing. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better night for me."
