CRANBERRY TWP., Pa. – The first day at the 2024 DICK’S Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic was memorable to say the least. With the first two games of the event helping kick off the 2024-25 USHL campaign, there was no shortage of drama and impressive performances.

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There was also a somberness as the USHL season opened, as the hockey world continues to mourn Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, who tragically died last month. Both were proud USHL alumni and the league will continue to honor them in various ways throughout the season.

Here is what all you need to know from the first day of action at the Fall Classic.

Gaudreau Brothers Honored

Both games played Wednesday night started with a memorial statement on Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, followed by a moment of silence before the national anthem was played. 

Johnny, who went on to become a perennial NHL All-Star, was a USHL Rookie of the Year and Clark Cup champion with the Dubuque Fighting Saints in 2010-11. Matthew played two seasons with the Omaha Lancers before joining his brother at Boston College in 2013-14.

All teams at the Fall Classic wore black decals on their helmet with JG and MG on them.

Adam Benák Makes Early Impact For Youngstown

The hype and attention of the USHL season was focused largely on the arrival of Czech import Adam Benák. The 17-year-old is fresh off of setting the career scoring record at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup with 21 points over 10 games in the last two years at that tournament.

Benák did little to dissuade the hype train with nine points over three games in the USHL preseason. So expectations were certainly high for him in his first real game in junior hockey in North America. 

After the Youngstown Phantoms fell behind 2-0 to the Tri-City Storm Wednesday, Benák was a big part of the comeback bid, providing the primary assist on the game-tying goal by exciting rookie Jack Hextall. Benák then made a nice play in the dying seconds of overtime to get a puck to teammate Kuzma Voronin, who made no mistake with it, giving the Phantoms a 4-3 overtime win on opening night for a two-point performance in his debut.

Benák’s skill is clear. He was able to extend plays and could get away from defenders. It wasn’t a flawless affair by any means, he had a turnover that led to a goal and got knocked off the puck a few times a little too easily.

There will be scrutiny on the player, no doubt. He’s a 5-foot-7 forward, which means he’ll have more to prove to NHL scouts that are looking at him as a potential pick. That said, his impact on the game is clear. His skill level is a cut above most of his peers and he has remarkable vision and anticipation skills that will allow him to outsmart opponents and find teammates quickly. There’s a lot to look forward to this season.

Samuel Urban Stands Out In Sioux City Opener

Heading into his second full season in the USHL, Slovak netminder Samuel Urban got off to a very strong start. The 19-year-old Arizona State commit turned aside 21 of the 22 shots he faced in the Sioux City Musketeers’ 5-1 win over the Dubuque Fighting Saints.

With Dubuque boasting a high-end offensive attack featuring a number of NHL draft picks, Sioux City jumped on them early and never looked back. Meanwhile, Urban kept the door largely shut.

It was a good time for a good showing, too, as Slovak U20 coach Ivan Fenes was spotted in attendance. Urban played one game at last year’s World Junior Championship and will likely have a spot on this year’s team in Ottawa.

Though the goalie got great goal support in the first game, expectations remain high for Urban. He has a chance to really help the Muskies this season.

Notes And Observations From Day 1

• Tri-City should be very excited about rookie forward Ilya Morozov. The 16-year-old has size, skill and he can skate. The Miami commit also scored in his first USHL game. His ability to make an impact should only grow as he gets a better understanding of how to play in the USHL. The fact that he looked so put together as a player in his first game is a great sign of things to come.
• While Adam Benák got a lot of the attention, it was hard not to notice 16-year-old rookie Jack Hextall for Youngstown. The Michigan State commit scored on a pretty one-timer off a great feed from Benák, but also had a number of other chances. He has good size and strength for a player his age, and the people in Youngstown are very excited about him after signing a tender in the offseason.
• Many NHL teams have sent large contingents of scouts to the Fall Classic this year. Many of the league’s scouting directors, a number of assistant GMs and other key decisionmakers were spotted. On top of that, almost every Division I school in men’s hockey is represented this weekend. Estimates suggest upwards of 400 talent evaluators will come through the doors at the USHL Fall Classic.

Fall Classic Day 2 Schedule

Thursday, Sept. 19

Omaha Lancers vs. Madison Capitols, 12:00 p.m.

Des Moines Buccaneers vs. Green Bay Gamblers, 2:00 p.m.

Youngstown Phantoms vs. Sioux City Musketeers, 3:00 p.m.

Dubuque Fighting Saints vs. Tri-City Storm, 5:00 p.m.

Note: Des Moines vs. Green Bay will stream free across FloHockey's social media platforms Thursday. Details here.

What Is The USHL Fall Classic?

The DICK's Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic is the league's annual kickoff to the season, featuring all 16 teams playing two regular-season games under one roof. For the last several years, the event has been held at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Twp., Pa., just outside of Pittsburgh.

The event is attended by hundreds of scouts from the NHL, NCAA and other junior leagues. 

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