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Laviolette, 25 Former ECHL Players On 2006 Olympic Winter Games Rosters

December 22, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL is represented by 25 players and former Wheeling coach Peter Laviolette at the Olympic Winter Games scheduled Feb. 10-26 in Turin, Italy.

Laviolette is making his first appearance as head coach of the United States team after coaching Team USA in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships each of the past two years, capturing a bronze medal in 2004. Laviolette began his coaching career in the ECHL in 1997-98 when he led Wheeling to the conference finals in the Kelly Cup Playoffs after finishing 37-24-9 in the regular season.

Nine of the 11 teams whose rosters have been announced have an ECHL player. Latvia has the most ECHL representatives with nine while host Italy has five and the Czech Republic, Germany, Kazakhstan and Switzerland each have two players. Finland, Slovakia, and the United States all have one ECHL player on their rosters.

Scott Gomez, who played for the Alaska Aces in 2004-05 during the National Hockey League lockout, is on Team USA. The native of Anchorage was named the ECHL Most Valuable Player after he led the league with 73 assists and 86 points in 61 games.

Stockton forward Maris Ziedins, who has seven points (2g-5a) in 15 games with the Thunder, is on the Latvia roster. In 2004-05, he had 33 points (16g-17a) in 55 games with Toledo before being traded to Greenville where he had 15 points (9g-6a) in 12 games.

Czech Republic (2) - Milan Hnilicka (Richmond, 1993-94) and Tomas Vokoun (Wheeling, 1995-96).

Finland (1) - Antti Laaksonen (Charlotte, 1997-98).

Germany (2) - Jan Benda (Richmond, 1994-95) and Olaf Kolzig (Hampton Roads, 1990-92).

Italy (5) - Jason Cirone (Birmingham, 1993-94), Anthony Iob (Erie, 1992-93), John Parco (Hampton Roads, 1994-95 and 1999-2000), Andre Signoretti (Charlotte, 2000-02) and Anthony Tuzzolini (Huntington, 1999-2000 and Louisiana, 2002-03).

Kazakhstan (2) - Vitali Yeremeyev (Charlotte, 2000-02) and Oleg Kovalenko (Erie, 1993-94).

Latvia (9) - Arturs Irbe (Johnstown, 2002-03), Sergei Naumov (Greensboro, 2000-01), Rodrigo Lavinsh (Raleigh, 1994-95 and Tallahassee, 1994-97), Arvid Rekis (Peoria, 2000-03), Agris Saviels (Reading, 2002-03), Armands Berzins (Louisiana, 2003-04 and Wheeling, 2004-05), Aigars Cipruss (Nashville, 1994-96), Herbert Vasiljevs (Knoxville, 1996-97) and Maris Ziedins (Toledo and Greenville, 2004-05 and Stockton, 2005-06).

Slovakia (1) - Jan Lasak (Hampton Roads, 1999-2000).

Switzerland (2) - David Aebischer (Chesapeake and Wheeling, 1997-98) and Mark Streit (Tallahassee, 1999-2000).

United States (2) - Head Coach Peter Laviolette (Wheeling, 1997-98) and Scott Gomez (Alaska, 2004-05).

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