Saad Helps Team USA Capture Bronze at World Under-17 Challenge
January 6, 2009 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Mahoning Valley Phantoms News Release
ALBERNI VALLEY, BC, CANADA (Tuesday, January 6th, 2009) - Mahoning Valley Phantoms forward Brandon Saad is back in the Valley after helping to lead Team USA to a bronze medal at the World Under-17 Challenge in Vancouver.
Saad says his first foray into international competition was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"It was a great experience to get up there and play against competition from all around the world," says Saad. "The fans were crazy because we were up in Canada, which made it even better to be able to go in there, make the medal round and take home a bronze medal."
The 16-year-old native of Gibsonia, PA, led all scorers in the four-game preliminary round with four goals and five assists.
His efforts led him to be named as first-team all-tournament forward. He says the honor caught him by surprise.
"I actually didn't find out about it until after the tournament," Saad says. "I had a good tournament because I played with such a talented group of guys and I feel lucky to get the nomination. It's a great honor."
Saad's selection to the American side was the Phantoms' fourth straight year sending a player to play for Team USA in an international competition. In 2006, defenseman Doug Leaverton played for the Americans while blueliner Eric Ringel represented the United States in 2007 and 2008.
The Phantoms are the only team in the country to have that distinction for so many consecutive years.
Mahoning Valley Head Coach and General Manager Bob Mainhardt says the streak is a great feather in the cap for the Phantoms.
"It's a special honor," says the sixth-year head coach. "They seem to come to us every year to borrow one of our guys. It just shows that we're developing great players here for international play and to have success at the next level as well.
The Americans went undefeated in the preliminaries, defeating Team Finland 12-1, Team Canada-Quebec 4-3, Team Slovakia 6-1 and Team Canada-West 7-0.
USA was ultimately tripped up, however, in the tournament semifinals when they lost an overtime heartbreaker to Team Canada-Pacific 6-5. In pre-tournament exhibition play, the Americans had trounced the Pacific side 11-0.
Team USA was able rebound in the bronze medal game, holding off a rally from Canada-West to capture their third consecutive medal at the World Under-17 Challenge with a 4-2 win.
Saad returns to the Phantoms' lineup this Friday when the Phantoms take on Motor City at the Chevrolet Centre at 7:15 PM.
The game will be broadcast locally on ESPN Radio 1240, WBBW, and worldwide at MVPPhantoms.com via B2 Networks. The pregame show will begin at 7:00 PM.
Phantoms season tickets and individual game tickets are now on sale at the Phantom Box Office at the Ice Zone in Boardman. Call (330) 965-7500 for more information.
North American Hockey League Stories from January 6, 2009
- Saad Helps Team USA Capture Bronze at World Under-17 Challenge - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- Jr. Blues Looking Forward to Second-Half of Schedule - Springfield Jr. Blues
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