The Terriers have struggled to find an answer to their goaltending woes throughout the first half of the season, with senior Karson Gillespie (0-5-0) and sophomore Brett Bennett (4-4-2) sharing the time.

But this weekend, freshman Adam Kraus got his first (and second) shot in the net as a Terrier.

Despite a 4-3 loss to UML on Friday, Parker had high praise for the young netminder, and Kraus came back on Saturday to help the Terriers hold on for a 3-2 exhibition win over the United States National Under-18 team.

“It was good to get some action and kind of get a feel for the college game,” said Kraus, who came to the Terriers from the Alaska Avalanche of the North American Hockey League. “I definitely learned a lot this weekend, so I think overall it was a good step for me.”

It is unknown whether Kraus will get a chance to earn himself a starting nod between the pipes, but helping the Terriers withstand a charge from the U-18 team in the final minute of Saturday’s win was impressive.

Suspension Update

Six days after four Boston University men’s hockey players were suspended indefinitely and after the team split a pair of games this weekend, coach Jack Parker said he has still not set a timetable for the players’ return.

With Brian McGuirk, Dan McGoff, Bryan Ewing and Brandon Yip all out of the lineup for violating a team rule and Jason Lawrence and Colby Cohen lost to injury, the Terriers had 18 skaters — just enough for a full lineup — in a loss to the University of Massachusetts-Lowell on Friday and an exhibition win against the U.S. U-18 team on Saturday.

Although he did not define the length of the suspension, Parker said he made it indefinite because he wants to “find out more about how much was actually going on as far as breaking the rule was concerned.”

“I’m pretty satisfied that I know what’s gone on so I’ll make my decision early next week and I’ll tell them before I tell anyone else,” he said.

Brotherly Love

The opening faceoff of Saturday night’s game featured a sibling rivalry between BU freshman Victor Saponari and future Terrier, Vinny Saponari, when the brothers lined up across the ice from each other.

“I usually don’t start that line in the game but I noticed they were starting Vinny so I thought it’d be nice to have Victor start out,” Parker said.

The elder Saponari struck first, netting the game’s first goal, 6:59 into the first period, but Vinny wouldn’t let his brother claim all the bragging rights. The 17-year-old forward tallied the first goal of the night for the U.S. team in the second period.

“I was actually wishing he would play left wing because then I could whack him off the face off,” Victor said off the opening face-off. “I looked over at him and I gave him a wink and he winked back so it was good. It was fun.

“I wish that he was out there for [my goal],” he added. “Then, when I was on the bench and he scored, I kind of smiled again because I knew he was going to do it.”

Recruiting Gold Mine

The U.S. National Team Development Program has become a recruiting hot spot for college hockey teams across the country. With two current U-18 players already committed to BU (Saponari and defenseman David Warsofsky) for next season, just two of the team’s players remain uncommitted for next season.

Seven current Terriers have gone through the program, including freshmen Cohen, Kevin Shattenkirk and Colin Wilson, sophomores Bennett, Luke Popko and Brian Strait and Lawrence.

The current U-18 team has six players committed to Hockey East schools for next season.

“It doesn’t hurt that what they’re playing next year is what they’re playing right now,” said BU senior Kevin Kielt. “They have a big time advantage over any other kid that’s coming in from prep school, juniors, wherever they’re coming from.”

Because the U-18 team is scheduled to play almost every team a player has committed to next season, it gives the soon-to-be freshmen a glimpse of what they’ll be part of next year.

“I think every time the guys get to play against the school that they’re going to go to, most of the guys perform pretty well,” said USA coach and former Terrier John Hynes. “I thought [Saponari and Warsofsky] did a good job. I think [Saturday was] really indicative of how they play every night.”