NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Team weekly report

Published on October 13, 2004 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


UNITED STATES NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM
The U.S. Under-18 Team, trailing 3-0, used three third period goals to tie Northern Michigan, 3-3 on Friday, October 8 at the Berry Events Center in Marquette, Mich. On Saturday, October 9 in Houghton, Mich. the U-18 team romped over Michigan Tech, 6-2.

NEXT ACTION
The U-18 Team plays its only home college contest Saturday, October 16 at 7:05pm against Division Once opponent Robert Morris. On Sunday, October 17 the U-18 team hosts the Cleveland Barons at 3:05pm both games played at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube in Ann Arbor, Mich.

PREVIOUS WEEK RECAP
Friday, October 8 – US-18, 3, Northern Michigan, 3 OT
FROM NORTHERN MICHIGAN SPORTS INFORMATION:

MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Wildcats had a 3-0 lead a little over four minutes into the third period. Before the U-18 squad struck for three un-answered goals in the third period to tie the game at three-all after 60 minutes of play. The game went into OT and neither team could score, so the game ended in a tie.

Dusty Collins got the ‘Cats on the board first with a goal at 14:01 of the first period as Matt Ciancio assisted. John Miller scored a power-play goal to make it 2-0 at 19:08 of the opening period with as Jamie Milam and Patrick Murphy assisted on the goal. Ciancio then made it 3-0 with a goal at 4:38 of the third period as Collins and Waugh assisted.

The USNTDP U-18 team scored two short-handed goals at 9:41 (Jason Lawrence) and 11:48 (Phil Kessel) of the third period to make the game 3-2. Peter Mueller tied the game with a power-play goal at 14:16 of the final period.

A total of 29 penalties were called for the game. NMU had 13 for 26 minutes, while the USNTDP U-18 team had 16 for 32 minutes. The ‘Cats were 1-11 on the power play while the U-18 team was 1-9 with the extra attacker.

FRIDAY – US-18 at Northern Michigan
TEAM SCORING PIM PP SHOT W/L Goalie
U-18 0-0-3 32 1-9 24 Blase (19-21)
NMU 2-0-1 26 1-11 21 Zaniboni (21-24)

Scoring:
USA: Kessel (SHG, 2A), Lawrence (SHG), Mueller (PPG), Mitera (A)
NMU: Collins (G, A), Ciancio (G, A), Miller (PPG), Milam (A), Murphy (A), Waugh (A)

Saturday, October 9 – US-18, 6, Michigan Tech, 2
FROM MICHIGAN TECH SPORTS INFORMATION:

HOUGHTON, Mich. - The USA National Development Under 18 Team was billed as the most talented in the history of the program and that showed through Saturday night as the U.S. beat Michigan Tech by a 6-2 count.

"They're a good team and give them credit," said Tech Head Coach Jamie Russell.

The U.S. got out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Peter Mueller and Jack Skille at 1:36 and 7:06, but the Huskies cut the lead in half before the first period's end as Tyler Skworchinski tipped John Scott's shot past goaltender Jeff Frazee at 13:01.

Michigan Tech tied the game when Pekka Saittakari's shot from the slot found the back of the net at 6:10 of the second period. Brandon Schwartz and Chris Conner drew assists on the play. Tech nearly took the lead less than three minutes later but Marek Dora had his shot from the slot cling off two posts. Team USA got a pair of goals in the final 5:00 of the stanza to take the lead for good.

Team USA's Nathan Gerbe scored on the power play at 4:07 and then shorthanded at 9:18 to account for the only goals of the third period and the 6-2 final.

SATURDAY – US-18 at Michigan Tech
TEAM SCORING PIM PP SHOT W/L Goalie
U-18 2-2-2 22 3-8 33 Frazee (34-36)
MTU 1-1-0 34 0-7 36 Ellsworth (27-33)

Scoring:
USA: Gerbe (PPG, SHG), Kessel (PPG, A), Skille (PPG, A), Mueller (G, A), Bailey (G), Johnson (2A), Lawson (2A), Stoa (A), Fraser (A), Mercier (A)
MTU: Skworchinski (G), Saittakari (G), Scott (A), Shelast (A), Schwartz (A), Conner (A)

UNITED STATES NATIONAL UNDER-17 TEAM
The U.S. Under-17 Team defeated the Soo Indians, 6-2, on Sunday, October 10, 2004 to push their record in the NAHL-North Division to 4-2-0.

THIS WEEK'S ACTION
US National Development Team Program Under-17 team will next see action at the NAHL Showcase in Blaine, Minnesota, October 20-23, 2004 as they take on the Santa Fe Roadrunners of the NAHL South Division, Walpole Junior Stars, Junior Bruins and Valley Jr. Warriors of the Eastern Junior Hockey league on four consecutive days. (All games count towards NAHL standings)

PREVIOUS WEEK RECAP
Sunday, October 10, 2004 – Soo, 2, US-17, 6
USA notched the first goal of the game at the 12:36 mark of the opening period. Team USA entered the offensive zone just as the Soo came back to full strength. Bill Sweatt (Elburn, Ill.) patiently coasted along the blue line as Chris Atkinson (Sparta, N.J.) stormed the net. Sweatt sent the puck towards the net, and Atkinson tipped it in to give team U-17 a 1-0 lead.

The U-17 team played six out of the first eight minutes of the second period shorthanded. Ryan Flynn (Lino Lakes, Minn.) took matters into his own hands as he netted shorthanded score beating the Soo goaltender short side on a two on one, with Atkinson crashing the net for a possible rebound at 8:33 of period two. Ten seconds later (at 8:43 of the second period), Bill Sweatt took the puck away from a Soo defender at their blue line, and broke in on the goaltender on a breakaway to notch another shorthanded tally for U-17.

The third period would see one last score for team U-17. Ryan Flynn had the Soo goaltender out of position when he fed the puck to Michael Ratchuk (Buffalo, N.Y.) at the point. Ratchuk wasted no time as he took a quick slap shot, which beat the scrambling goaltender to the net, giving USA a 6-0 lead at 4:47 of period three. The Soo Indians fought till the end with a power-play goal from Plymouth, MI. native Nik Sellers at 8:43 of the third period. At 15:10 of the third period, Ray Kaunisto (Sault Ste. Marie, MI.) also scored putting the Soo on the board. However, this was not enough as the U-17 team displayed they're firepower early, and held off the Soo.


SUNDAY – Soo at U-17
TEAM SCORING PIM PP SHOT W/L Goalie
Indians 0-0-2 24 1-9 29 Redmann (4-7)
U-17 2-3-1 30 2-11 24 Bennett (27-29)

Scoring:
Indians: Kaunisto (G), Sellers (G, A, PPG), Stabile (A), Jones (A), Beaudry (A)
USA: Sweatt (SHG,A), Flynn (GWSHG), Johnson (PPG), Ratchuk (G), Atkinson (G), Kane (PPG), Popko (A), Rakhshani (A), Palm (A)

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North American Hockey League Stories from October 13, 2004


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