USHL U.S. National Team

National Team Development Program Weekly Update

Published on February 24, 2010 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-17 Team will take on the Indiana Ice in a pair of games this weekend. On Friday, the U17s will welcome the Ice to the Ann Arbor Ice Cube at 7:05 p.m. EST. Then on Sunday, Team USA will travel to Indianapolis for an afternoon contest at Conseco Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers, at 3:05 p.m.... The U.S. National Under-18 Team will head west for three USHL contests over the weekend. Team USA will take on the Des Moines Buccaneers Friday at 7:05 p.m. CST, then will travel to Lincoln, Neb., for a 7:05 p.m. Saturday tilt against the Stars. The U18s will wrap up their trip against the Sioux City Musketeers Sunday at 4:05 p.m. CST.

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 29-16-0-2 (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 206-132-7-20 (W-L-T-OTL). In January, he led the U.S. National Under-17 Team to its third gold medal at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

U.S. NAT'L U18 TEAM NOTES: The U.S. National Under-18 Team is coming off of its first and last off-weekend of the season... Brandon Saad (Gibsonia, Pa.) continued his consistent point production at the 2010 Under-18 Six Nations Cup with four goals, where Team USA finished second with 4-0-0-1 record last week. Saad's 21 goals and 41 points are tops for the U.S. squad.... Austin Czarnik (Washington, Mich.) leads the U.S. with 25 assists. He is tied with Nick Shore (Denver, Colo./15-22--37) for second on the squad with 37 points... Matthew Nieto (Long Beach, Calif.), who was named Six Nations MVP, recorded five goals at the tournament and is now second on the squad with 19 for the season. He is fourth on the team with 35 points... Adam Clendening (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) is Team USA's top-scoring defenseman with 28 points (9-19). He was named the best defenseman at the Six Nations Cup... Andy Iles (Ithaca, N.Y.) allowed just two goals at the Six Nations in his two starts. He led the tournament with a 1.01 goals-against average and.960 save percentage... Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich.) also continued his stellar play in international competition in Belarus. Against international opponents, Campbell is 4-0-0-1, with a 1.71 goals-against average and.918 save percentage... Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif.), was promoted to the U18s from the U.S. National Under-17 Team. He led the U17s with 40 points (14-26). He notched two points (1-1) in Belarus.

U.S. NAT'L U17 TEAM NOTES: J.T. Miller (East Palestine, Ohio) is second on the U.S. National Under-17 Team with 27 points (13-14)... Defenseman Robbie Russo (Westmont, Ill.) is third overall on the team with 25 points, including 18 assists, which is second on the team... Netminder John Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa.) logged his fourth 40-plus save game on Friday, while Matt McNeely (Burnsville, Minn.) notched his sixth 40-plus save performance Saturday.

NTDP AT THE OLYMICS: Seven players with ties to the National Team Development Program are suiting up for the U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C.... Ryan Suter (2001-03) is second on the team with four points, including a team-best four assists. He also leads the U.S. in average time-on-ice with 20:41 per-game and is tied for the team high with a plus-5 rating... Ryan Kesler (2000-02) notched the empty-net goal that iced Team USA's 5-3 victory over Canada... Phil Kessel (2003-05) has notched a goal and an assist... Patrick Kane (2004-06) has notched a goal while loging 17:05 minutes-per-game, which is third highest among all forwards... Jack Johnson (2003-05) is third among all players averaging 18:27 minutes-per-game. He also has an assist and a plus-2 rating... Erik Johnson (2004-06) has been a physical presence on the U.S. blue line while logging 17:12 per-game and a plus-1 rating.

Check out the U.S. National Team Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 24, 2010


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