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U.S. National Team

National Team Development Program Weekly Update

September 30, 2009 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-17 Team will kick off the 2009-10 United States Hockey League regular season against East Division foe Chicago Steel Friday (Oct. 2) at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube at 7:05 p.m. EDT. The U17s will then travel to Chicago Saturday for the second game of the home-and-home series against the Steel at 7:35 p.m. CDT ... The U.S. National Under-18 Team will meet Ann Arbor neighbor University of Michigan Saturday (Oct. 3) at Yost Ice Arena at 7:30 p.m. EDT to open its 2009-10 NCAA schedule.

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 2-1-0-1 (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 195-111-7-16 (W-L-T-OTL).

U.S. NAT'L U-18 TEAM NOTES: The U.S. National Under-18 Team is coming off a 1-1-1 finish at the 2009 USHL Showcase ... Chase Balisy (Fullerton, Calif./1-1--2) and Derek Forbort (Duluth, Minn./0-2--2) led Team USA at the Fall Classic with two points apiece ... Brandon Saad (Gibsonia, Pa.) leads Team USA with four points (2-2) in four games played ... Goaltender Andy Iles (Ithaca, N.Y.) has allowed just one goal in 120 minutes played this season ... The U18s currently hold a 1.51 team goals-against average in four games ... For complete U18 stats, see attachment.

U.S. NAT'L U-17 TEAM NOTES: The U.S. National Under-17 Team will face off against USHL competition for the first time Friday against Chicago. It will be Team USA's first of 34 regular-season match-ups in the USHL ... Each of the U.S. National Under-17 Team's 21 players made their Junior hockey debuts at the 2009 North American Hockey League Showcase in Blaine, Minn., on Sept. 16 ... Team USA went 1-3-0 against some of the top teams in the NAHL, earning a win against the defending NAHL Central Division champion Bismarck ... Ryan Haggerty (Stamford, Conn./2-1--3), Matt Van Voorhis (Edina, Minn./1-2--3) and Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif./0-3--3) paced Team USA with three points each at the Showcase ... Haggerty and Cole Bardreau (Fairport, N.Y.) led Team USA with two goals apiece, while Grimaldi's three assists were a team high ... For complete U17 stats, see attachment.

U18 vs. MICHIGAN: The U.S. National Under-18 Team will meet the University of Michigan for the 10th time in NTDP history ... The Wolverines have won all nine previous meetings. For all-time results, see attachment ... Eight Michigan players including Chris Brown (2007-09), Robbie Czarnik (2006-08), Kevin Lynch (2007-09), Matt Rust (2005-07), Chris Summers (2005-07), Patrick Summers (2009), A.J. Treais (2007-09) and David Wohlberg (2006-08) are alumni of the NTDP ... The Wolverines received the No. 4 ranking in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey Preseason Poll.

U17 vs. CHICAGO: The U.S. National Under-17 Team will open USHL East Division play against the Chicago Steel ... The Steel finished 2008-09 with a 37-27-2 record, narrowly missing out on the USHL Playoffs ... NTDP alum Jon Waibel (1998-2000) is an assistant coach with the Steel.

UP NEXT: The U.S. National Under-17 Team will welcome defending USHL regular-season champion Green Bay Gamblers to the Ann Arbor Ice Cube for a weekend series. Game time is at 7:05 p.m. EDT on both Friday (Oct. 9) and Saturday ... The U.S. National Under-18 Team will meet 2008 NCAA Division I national champion Boston College Friday (Oct. 9) at Conte Forum at 7 p.m. EDT. Team USA will then take on defending NCAA Division I national champion Boston University at Agganis Arena Saturday at 7 p.m.

ABOUT THE NTDP: Founded in 1996, USA Hockey's National Team Development Program was created to prepare student-athletes under the age of 18 for participation on U.S. National Teams and success in their future hockey careers. Its efforts focus not only on high-caliber participation on the ice, but creating well-rounded individuals off the ice. Located in Ann Arbor, Mich., the 46 players in the program are split into two squads - the U.S. National Under-18 and Under-17 Teams.

- In the 11 years NTDP players have been eligible for the draft, 166 players have been selected, including the number one overall selection in 2000 (Rick DiPietro), 2006 (Erik Johnson) and 2007 (Patrick Kane).

- In 2008-09, 46 NTDP alumni appeared in at least one game in the National Hockey League.

- Patrick Kane (2004-06) became the first NTDP alumus to earn the National Hockey League's Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's top rookie in 2007-08.

- Kevin Porter (2002-04), of the University of Michigan, joined Jordan Leopold (1997-98) and Matt Carle (2000-02) as the third NTDP alumnus to win the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey's top player in 2007-08.

- In the 13-year history of the National Team Development Program, players from 28 states have donned the Team USA uniform. This season 16 different states are represented between the U.S. National Under-17 and Under-18 Teams

Check out the U.S. National Team Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from September 30, 2009


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