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Jack Hughes (photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey)
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Jack wins Hughes family edition of the NTDP vs. Michigan annual rivalry game

MiHockey Staff

 

By @MichaelCaples –

Jack won the face-off.

It was a sign of things to come.

The 2018 edition of the annual Michigan Wolverines vs. USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program exhibition game featured a particular sibling rivalry, as Team USA star Jack Hughes battled UM star Quinn Hughes. The ‘drama’ started early, as Quinn – a defenseman – took the opening face-off against Jack.

Eight minutes and 52 seconds later, Jack set up Marshall Warren for the game’s first goal. Less than three minutes later, Jack scored himself. It set the tone for a 6-3 NTDP victory – just the third win in 19 tries for the team that used to compete in the same city as the Wolverines (the NTDP moved from the Ann Arbor Ice Cube to USA Hockey Arena in 2015).

“I know they were both excited to play against each other,” said Michigan coach Mel Pearson. “It was interesting, Quinn taking the face-off against Jack – obviously they concocted that on their own, to do that. I don’t know who won it, but… Yeah, they’re a special family, special family. A great hockey family, and they love the game. They’re talented, their parents were talented, and all their kids are talented. Hopefully some day they’ll get a chance to play together. Well I know they will at the World Junior tournament, that should be fun, but I’m sure they’d rather be playing with each other than against each other.”

Jack wasn’t the only NTDP player to have a fun night at Yost; Birmingham native Ryder Rolston, a Notre Dame commit, had a pair of goals, while Michigan commit John Beecher skated in front of his future club.

The NTDP and the Wolverines have made their annual exhibition contest a rivalry game, due to proximity – despite Team USA’s move, they are still only roughly 20 minutes away down M-14 – and program ties. Forty-seven NTDP players have went on to play for the Wolverines, including current Michigan skaters Brendan Warren, Nick Boka, Nick Pastujov, Will Lockwood, Griffin Luce, Luke Martin, Josh Norris, Quinn Hughes and Michael Pastujov.

 

The Children of Yost routinely chanted “We want Jack” throughout the night; the younger Hughes does not have a college commitment. He is regarded as a top contender for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft in Vancouver; Quinn was taken No. 7 overall last summer by the Canucks.

A third Hughes brother, Luke, has verbally committed to Michigan, but he’s a few years away.

Stay tuned for more from Yost…