NAHL U.S. National Team

Traverse City Downs U.S. National Under-17 Team 2-1

Published on March 30, 2006 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The Traverse City North Stars dropped the U.S. National Under-17 Team, 2-1 tonight at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube to take a 1-0 lead in the opening round of the North American Hockey League playoffs.

The North Stars opened the scoring 16:19 into the first when a shot deflected by Richard Zobak just snuck underneath the crossbar. Traverse City carried the 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

Despite hitting a couple crossbars and a post, Team USA was unable to record a tally in the second stanza. Traverse City took a 2-0 lead at the 8:25 mark of the period as Jonathan Juliano recorded a tally for the North Stars on a wonderful individual effort.

Despite stellar goaltending by Brad Phillips (Farmington Hills, Mich.), who make several key saves to keep the National Team in the contest, Team USA was unable to rally and make up the 2-0 deficit. Brennan Vargas (Coon Rapids, Minn.) cut the Traverse City to one with a power play goal at 9:43 of the final frame. Despite a frantic rally and several blueline blasts, Kevin Shattenkirk (New Rochelle, NY) the National Team was unable to even the score and fell by a final score of 2-1.

Tomorrow night the U.S. National Under-17 Team will try to even this best of five series when they again host Traverse City. Game time is set for 7 p.m. back at the Ice Cube.

NOTES: The U.S. National Under-17 Team will be without its three leading scorers (Ryan Hayes, John Albert, Colin Wilson) and top-scoring defenseman Cade Fairchild. Hayes, Wilson and Fairchild are currently skating with the U.S. National Under-18 Team and Albert is out of the line-up due to injury ... Of the seven match-ups between Traverse City and the U.S. National Under-17 Team, six have resulted in one-goal games.

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North American Hockey League Stories from March 30, 2006


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