USHL U.S. National Team

National Team Development Program Weekly Update

Published on November 25, 2009 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-17 Team hits the road for a pair of tough USHL contests starting Friday night, when it meets USHL East Division rival Chicago Steel in Bensenville, Ill., at 7:30 p.m. CST. The U17s then travel for a date with the Des Moines Buccaneers Saturday at 7:05 p.m. CST... The U.S. National Under-18 Team will return to its NCAA schedule with a pair of Division III tilts at the 2009 Colby-Bowdoin Classic. The U18s will meet Colby College Saturday at Alfond Rink at 3:30 p.m. EST before taking on Bowdoin College Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at Sidney J. Watson Arena.

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 13-7-0-2 (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 199-120-7-17 (W-L-T-OTL).

U.S. NAT'L U18 TEAM NOTES: The U.S. National Under-18 Team has won 10 of its last 13 games... Defenseman Justin Faulk (South St. Paul, Minn.) has continued his torrid goal-scoring pace with another two goals last weekend. Faulk leads Team USA with 11 goals including a team-best eight power-play markers. He is now tied with Brandon Saad (Gibsonia, Pa./6-11--17) for the team lead with 17 points as well... Team USA has benefited from a balanced scoring attack, with eight players collecting 14 or more points. There are currently six players tied for third on the team with 14 points each... The U.S. has gotten stellar goaltending out of its tandem this season. Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich.) has posted a 7-4-1 record, 1.98 goals-against average and.926 save percentage. Andy Iles (Ithaca, N.Y.) has amassed a 6-3-1 record, 2.43 GAA and.906 save percentage. Each netminder has also picked up one shutout this season... Defenseman Jon Merrill (Brighton, Mich.) has posted four goals this season, each of which has come on the power play. Additionally, Merrill is second on the team with 10 assists.

U.S. NAT'L U17 TEAM NOTES: The U.S. National Under-17 Team earned its first win in the USHL Friday night with a 3-1 victory over the Tri-City Storm. John Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa.) stole the show with a 58-save effort... Gibson earned his first NTDP victory Friday, additionally he lowered his goals-against average to 4.09 while skyrocketing his save percentage from.861 to.910... Ryan Haggerty (Stamford, Conn.) notched his team-leading seventh goal Saturday. He is currently tied with Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif./4-6--10) for the team point lead with 10. Haggerty's goal came shorthanded, giving him two shorties for the season... Blake Pietila (Brighton, Mich.) is third on the team with nine points (6-3)... Grimaldi is tied with Travis Boyd (Hopkins, Minn.) for the team's assist lead with six.

NTDP ALUMNI UPDATE: So far during the 2009-10 season, 39 NTDP alumni have suited up in at least one NHL game, while there are currently 41 NTDP alumni in the American Hockey League... Philadelphia Flyer Matt Carle (2000-02) has posted a stunning plus-18 rating to lead the entire NHL... James van Riemsdyk (2005-07) has impressed in his rookie season with Philadelphia. The first-year forward is tied for the NHL with four game-winning goals and is second among rookie scorers with 18 points (6-12) in 18 games played this year... Since returning from injury, Toronto Maple Leaf Phil Kessel (2003-05) has been a force with six goals and three assists in just 10 games... David Steckel (1998-2000), of the Washington Capitals, has become one of the premier centermen in the NHL when it comes to faceoffs. He is currently second in the league with a 61.4% success rate on faceoffs... Chicago Blackhawk Patrick Kane (2004-06) is averaging better than a point-per-game this season with 23 (9-14) in just 22 games... Four of the top 10 point-getters among American-born players in the NHL are NTDP alumni (Kane, van Riemsdyk, Ryan Kesler and Erik Johnson)... Johnson (2004-06) has recorded 15 points (2-3) in 21 games for the St. Louis Blues.

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United States Hockey League Stories from November 25, 2009


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