Its too early to say exactly how Team USA will fare at the 2015 World Junior Championship, but based on the 30 players invited today by USA Hockey to try out, this much is certain: the Americans will be the favourite team of NHL scouts. Team USA is going to be young, and young can often mean trouble at the WJC, but a number of these young Americans have been designated as special talents who have the wherewithal to rise above their inexperience. Six of their 30 invitees have not been through an NHL draft yet and at least four of those six – Boston University centre Jack Eichel, U.S. Under-18 star centre Auston Matthews as well as college freshmen defencemen Noah Hanifin of Boston College and Zach Werenski of the University of Michigan -- are expected to play prominent roles on Team USA. Eichel, Hanifin and Werenski are in this years NHL draft class; Matthews is 2016 eligible, although he only missed the cut-off for this years draft by two days. Were Matthews available this year, its highly likely the Americans would have three (Eichel, Matthews and Hanifin) of the top four prospects in this years draft. Heres a position-by-position look at the 30 players going to the final U.S. evaluation camp: CENTRE: Eichel, who is Connor McDavids No. 1 challenger to be first overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, and Matthews, the Arizona-born product who is touted at No. 1 for 2016, will be Team USAs one-two punch up the middle. Toss in Detroit first-rounder Dylan Larkin of the University of Michigan and his Wolverine teammate J.T. Compher, a Buffalo Sabre prospect, and Team USAs four centres could be set. Larkin and/or Compher could be shifted to the wing if necessary. That could be a possibility if diminutive Chase DeLeo, a Winnipeg Jet prospect who plays for the Portland Winterhawks, challenges for a spot in the middle. RIGHT WING: There are two wild cards on the right side – 1997-born, 2015-draft eligible Jeremy Bracco, who is knocking down U.S. U-18 scoring records of Pat Kane and Phil Kessel, and 19-year-old Noble and Greenough Prep Schools Miles Wood, the New Jersey Devil fourth-round pick (2013) who is the son of former NHLer Randy Wood – challenging five bona fide NHL prospects, four of whom are 19. Minnesota first-rounder Alex Tuch of Boston College and University of Minnesota returnee Hudson Fasching, the Los Angeles King draftee whose NHL rights now belong to Buffalo, appear to be locks. Yale Universitys John Hayden, a Chicago Blackhawk prospect, and Vancouver Canuck prospect Cole Cassels of the Oshawa Generals, are strong contenders for spots. Cassels was recently suspended by the OHL for 10 games, which would make him ineligible to play in Team USAs first two games, but there has been talk of the OHL reducing his suspension to permit him to start the tourney, assuming he makes the team. Michael McCarron, the Montreal Canadien behemoth prospect who plays for the London Knights, is also in the mix on the right side, though he could also contend for a position at centre, depending on what head coach Mark Osiecki decides to do with Larkin and/or Compher. LEFT WING: The top contenders for the four spots on the left side include: returnee Adam Erne, the Tampa prospect who plays for the Quebec Remparts; Sonny Milano, the Columbus prospect who plays for the Plymouth Whalers; Tyler Motte, the Chicago prospect who plays at the University of Michigan; and Chicago prospect Nick Schmaltz, who plays at the University of North Dakota. Miami Universitys Anthony Louis, yet another Blackhawk prospect, will try to break up that group. If you want to draw any conclusions from Team USAs summer camp forward lines, Eichel played between Motte and Tuch; Matthews played between Schmaltz and Hayden; and Larkin played between Milano and Fasching. Erne didnt play at the summer camp because of injury and neither did Cassels, who was sidelined by mononucleosis. DEFENCE: Many question marks on the Team USA blueline; much potential or upside. But the most important question mark is the health of returnee blueliner Steve Santini of Boston College. The 1995-born New Jersey Devil prospect is still rehabbing from wrist surgery on Oct. 28 and hasnt played since then. Theres some question as to whether hell be ready to go by the Dec. 26 opener. If hes healthy enough to play, Santini could be Team USAs captain and the steadying influence on what will almost certainly be a highly-skilled, mobile but young defence. Will Butcher, a University of Denver player drafted by the Colorado Avalanche, and Ian McCoshen, a Florida Panther prospect who plays for Boston College, are returnees on the left side blueline from last years WJC team. But theyre going to get pushed, and pushed hard, by the 2015 draft eligibles Hanifin and Werenski. Both are outstanding skaters with high-end offensive ability. Michael Downing, a University of Michigan player and Florida Panther prospect, is a steady defensive defenceman wholl also contend for a spot on the left side. On the right side, if Santini cant go, it creates an enormous hole. Tampa first-rounder Anthony DeAngelo, the so-called Sarnia Sting bad boy who has world-class skating and offensive ability, is a strong right-side contender so long as he doesnt lapse into taking bad penalties or losing his cool. Jack Dougherty, the University of Wisconsin freshman drafted by Nashville, and Ryan Collins, a University of Minnesota freshman and Columbus Blue Jacket prospect, are both known as reliable, steady defenders. Brandon Carlo, the Tri City American defender who is draft eligible this year, rounds out the right-side competition. Getting Santini into the lineup and finding the right mix of offensive and defensive talents will be key for the Americans. GOAL: Returnee Thatcher Demko of Boston College, a Vancouver Canuck prospect, is expected to be no worse than one of Team USAs two goalies and could be the starter. Hell be challenged by a pair of OHL netminders – Carolina prospect Alex Nedeljkovic of the Plymouth Whalers and New York Ranger prospect Brandon Halverson of the Soo Greyhounds. Team USA is in the same group as Team Canada this year, so that means the two rivals will re-establish their New Years Eve tradition, going head-to-head in a preliminary round game at the Bell Centre in Montreal at 4pm et on Dec. 31. Custom Pittsburgh Pirates Jerseys . Granada goalkeeper Roberto Fernandez saved Morenos first two headers from corner kicks taken by Sergio Garcia, but the defender beat him on his third try after Garcia found Moreno unmarked at the near post in the 78th minute. Stitched Pirates Jerseys . 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You catch all of the action live on TSN at 7pm et./4pm pt. Syracuse was cruising right along with wins in each of its first 25 games, but after a shocking home loss to Boston College last Wednesday (62-59), it ventured to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday and battled wire-to-wire with Duke before losing 66-60 following a controversial ending that resulted in head coach Jim Boeheims ejection. At 12-2 in the ACC, the Orange have slid out of the drivers seat in the league standings, as they are a game and a half behind Virginia for first place (14-1). Maryland sports a 15-12 overall record this season with a decisive split between its success at home (10-3) compared to on the road (2-7). The Terps snapped a two-game skid last Tuesday when they took care of business versus Wake Forest, 71-60, their third straight home win, improving to 7-7 in the ACC. Maryland leads the all-time series with Syracuse, 5-2, although the sides havent met since 2008. With the Orange trailing by two points with 11 seconds remaining, C.J. Fair was called for a charge on what appeared to be a borderline call. It caused Boeheim to lose his temper, receive two technical fouls and get ejected from the game. Duke converted 3-of-4 at the line following the technicals to effectively put the game away. The squad struggled shooting in the hostile road environment, making less than 39 percent of it field goal tries, including just 2-of-9 from 3-point range. Jerami Grant posted team highs in points (17) and rebounds (eight), Fair finished with 12 points and Tyler Ennis was dreadful from the floor (2-of-13) but still had nine points, six assists and four steals. Syrracuses offense has been far from spectacular this season, as it shoots a modest 44.dddddddddddd6 percent from the field for 69.2 ppg, but it has risen to elite status thanks to its excellent defense, which ranks seventh nationally in allowing only 58.6 ppg. It also lives comfortably in terms of its rebounding (+4.0) and turnover (+4.9) margins, with the latter ranking eighth-best in the country. Fair pours in a team-high 16.4 ppg and grabs 6.0 rpg. Trevor Cooney (13.0 ppg) does the majority of his damage from 3-point range, knocking down 77 long-range buckets at a 41.4 percent clip. Grant (12.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg) is another staple in the frontcourt, and Ennis (11.7 ppg, 5.7 apg) has made a name for himself as a clutch playmaker as a freshman. The Terps carried a five-point lead into intermission of their most recent game and extended their advantage to as many as 16 down the stretch en route to the easy victory over Wake Forest. Although they were outshot from the field on the evening, 47.1 percent to 42.6 percent, they outscored the Deacons from 3-point range, 24-9, and scored 18 points off of 18 Wake turnovers. Nick Faust was the spark plug off the bench with 20 points, while Charles Mitchell and Jake Layman scored 12 and 11 points, respectively, and Seth Allen and Evan Smotrycz netted 10 points apiece. Maryland has been able to successfully outpace its opponents this season, as it shoots 43.9 percent from the field for 71.8 ppg, while allowing 68.5 ppg on just 42.4 percent shooting. One of its biggest strengths comes on the glass with a +3.9 rebounding margin, but it is oftentimes held back by a lackluster free-throw percentage (.663). Dez Wells is the go-to scoring option with 14.8 ppg on greater than 48 percent field-goal shooting. Layman (12.1 ppg), Allen (12.0 ppg), Smotrycz (11.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and Faust (10.1 ppg) round out the balanced attack and all four player have drained at least 33 3-pointers. ' ' '