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U.S. National Team

National Team Development Program Weekly Update

October 28, 2009 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: Both National Team Development Program squads will be in action on home ice this week. The U.S. National Under-17 Team will meet United States Hockey League West Division-leader Omaha Lancers Thursday at 7:05 p.m. EDT at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. On Friday, the U.S. National Under-18 Team will take on the Lancers at 7:05 p.m. EDT. Then Saturday, the Under-18s will welcome NCAA Division III opponent Adrian (Mich.) College.

UNDER-18 HEAD COACH KURT KLEINENDORST: Kurt Kleinendorst is in his first season at the NTDP. Prior to coming to Ann Arbor, Kleinendorst spent three seasons (2006-09) as the first-ever head coach for the American Hockey League's Lowell Devils, top minor-league affiliate of the New Jersey Devils. Kleinendorst also spent one season as an assistant coach with the NHL's Devils in 2000-01. He has led the U.S. National Under-18 Team to a 6-5-0-1 (W-L-T-OTL) record this season.

UNDER-17 HEAD COACH RON ROLSTON: Ron Rolston is in his sixth season as a head coach at the NTDP. Rolston has compiled a career record of 195-118-7-17 (W-L-T-OTL).

U.S. NAT'L U18 TEAM NOTES: Team USA improved to 4-3-0 after winning three games over the weekend ... Defenseman Justin Faulk (South St. Paul, Minn.) has been scoring goals at an alarming rate, especially on the power play. Faulk has a team-high seven goals, six of which have come on the power play. He is currently tied for third on the team with nine points ... Jon Merrill (Brighton, Mich.) has already surpassed his point total from last season. The big defenseman is second on the U.S. National Under-18 Team with 10 points, including a team-best eight assists. Merrill had eight points (3-5) in 43 games last season while splitting time between the U.S. National Under-18 and Under-17 Teams ... Brandon Saad (Gibsonia, Pa.) has continued his consistent point production with a three-point weekend in which he had three assists. Saad has paced the U.S. with 12 points (5-7) in the team's 12 games ... While the team has put up a whopping 46 goals in 12 games, they have only allowed 26, thanks in part to its stellar goaltending tandem of Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich.) and Andy Iles (Ithaca, N.Y.). Campbell leads the way with a 2.01 goals-against average and .929 save percentage, while Iles isn't far behind with a 2.21 GAA and .909 save percentage.

U.S. NAT'L U17 TEAM NOTES: The U.S. National Under-17 Team earned its first point in the USHL with an overtime loss in Sioux City ... Ryan Haggerty (Stamford, Conn.) continues to produce points for the U17s. He leads the squad with eight points (5-3) in 12 games. He has scored two power-play goals, the team's lone shorthanded goal and a game-winning goal ... Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif.) scored his first two NTDP goals over the weekend. He is second on the squad with six points (2-4) ... Matt Van Voorhis (Edina, Minn.) leads Team USA's defensive corps with five points (2-3) ... Matt McNeely (Burnsville, Minn.) has provided steady play in goal for the U.S. National Under-17 Team. In 567:00 of action, McNeely has made 337 saves.

NTDP ALUMNI UPDATE: Philadelphia Flyer James van Riemsdyk (2005-07), who made his National Hockey League debut this year, scored his first career goal on Oct. 24 against the Florida Panthers. van Riemsdyk has eight points (1-7) through his first eight games ... Colin Wilson (2005-07), of the Nashville Predators, also made his NHL debut earlier this month. Wilson tallied his first career NHL goal on Oct. 21 against the Boston Bruins. The following day, Wilson was on hand to receive his 2009 NCAA national championship ring at Boston University's Agganis Arena ... Philadelphia defenseman Matt Carle (2000-02) is averaging nearly a point per game this season with nine points (1-8) in 10 games ... Ryan Whitney (2000-01) is averaging 26:03 on the ice per game for the Anaheim Ducks, seventh highest in the NHL ... Washington Capital David Steckel (1998-2000) is one of the NHL's best faceoff men, winning 60.4% of the draws he's taken ... Billy Sweatt (2004-06), of Colorado College, is tied for second in the nation with 10 points (3-7) ... Rhett Rakhshani (2004-06), of the University of Denver, is tied for eighth in the nation with eight points (4-4).

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