USHL U.S. National Team

National Team Development Program Weekly Update

Published on December 2, 2009 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team will travel to Nebraska for a pair of tough United States Hockey League showdowns. Team USA will meet the league's top team when it takes on the Omaha Lancers Friday at 7:05 p.m. CST at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. On Saturday, the U18s will head to Kearney, Neb., for a date wit the Tri-City Storm at 7:05 p.m. CST... The U.S. National Under-17 Team has the week off.

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 15-7-0-2 (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 199-122-7-17 (W-L-T-OTL).

U.S. NAT'L U18 TEAM NOTES: The U.S. National Under-18 Team picked up two more wins to improve to 15-7-0-2 this season. The U18s have compiled a 7-3-0 record against NCAA competition... Austin Czarnik (Washington, Mich.) notched a seven-assist weekend, moving him into a tie with Jon Merrill (Brighton, Mich.) for the team lead with 12 helpers... Three different players sit atop the U18 points leader board after the weekend. Jason Zucker (Las Vegas, Nev./10-8--18), Nick Shore (Denver, Colo./9-9--18) and Brandon Saad (Gibsonia, Pa./7-11--18) each have 18 points this season... Andy Iles (Ithaca, N.Y.) recorded his second shutout of the season on Saturday... Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich.) earned his team-best eighth victory Sunday while maintaining his sparkling 1.98 goals-against average and.926 save percentage... The U.S. National Under-18 Team has benefited from a very balanced offensive attack. Nine different players have posted 14 or more points so far this season... Matthew Nieto (Long Beach, Calif.) and Bryan Rust (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) lead Team USA with three game-winning markers each... Justin Faulk (South St. Paul, Minn.) has scored a team-best 11 goals, while Zucker is second with 10 goals.

U.S. NAT'L U17 TEAM NOTES: The U.S. National Under-17 Team will head into the weekend off after two tough road losses last weekend... Ryan Haggerty (Stamford, Conn.) notched a goal and an assist over the weekend to reclaim sole possession of the team's point and goal leads. Haggerty has 18 points, including eight goals. Haggerty has scored two power-play goals, two shorthanded markers and a game-winner... Blake Pietila (Brighton, Mich.) notched his seventh goal of the season to move into second on Team USA's goal-scoring list... Travis Boyd (Hopkins, Minn.) had a breakout weekend with two goals and an assist. Boyd is tied with Michael Paliotta (Westport, Conn.) for the team lead with seven helpers this season.

FOUR NTDP PLAYERS NAMED TO PRELIM JUNIOR ROSTER: Four players from the U.S. National Under-18 Team have been named to the 29-player preliminary roster for the U.S. National Junior Team that will compete at the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Regina and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Netminder Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich.); defensemen Jon Merrill (Brighton, Mich.) and Justin Faulk (South St. Paul, Minn.); and forward Jason Zucker (Las Vegas, Nev.) will compete at the Junior Team's preliminary camp Dec. 17-19 in hopes of being one of the 22 players named to the final roster. In addition to the four current players invited, 13 players with ties to the NTDP will participate at the pre-tournament training camp in Grand Forks, N.D. For more info, visit usahockey.com.

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... NHL Columbus Blue Jacket R.J. Umberger (1998-2000) recorded his second career hat trick on Monday. He now has nine goals this season... Ryan Kesler (2000-02), of the Vancouver Canucks, has 19 assists this season to lead all American-born players and is tied for 11th in the NHL... AHL Doug Janik (1997-98), of the Grand Rapids Griffins (DET), is tied for 11th in the "A" with a plus-11 rating... Portland Pirate (BUF) Nathan Gerbe (2003-05) is third in the league with eight assists on the power play... Brett Sterling (2000-02), of the Chicago Wolves (ATL), has posted 17 points (9-8) in 18 games to lead Chicago. NCAA Boston University's David Warsofsky (2007-08) is tied for second in the nation with two shorthanded goals... Blake Geoffrion (2004-06) has five power-play goals for the University of Wisconsin, good for sixth in the nation... Jerry D'Amigo (2007-09), a freshman at RPI, has recorded three game-winning goals this year, tied for tops in college hockey.

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United States Hockey League Stories from December 2, 2009


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