Stephen Dhillon and Griffin Luce have a lot of memories of playing hockey in Western New York at a young age. Both grew up in the area and played on local travel teams on their way to becoming top NHL Draft-eligible prospects.
They had both skated on the ice at First Niagara Center before, but intermission skates during Buffalo Sabres games were nothing compared to what they experienced Thursday night. Playing in the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game, the two were immersed in a showcase featuring some of the top amateur talent in the country.
The game, in its fourth year, has seen 74 of its alumni selected in the NHL Draft, including 15 first-round picks.