NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Team weekly report

Published on October 18, 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, earned its second win over a Division I opponent with a 5-3 victory against the Robert Morris Colonials at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube, Ann Arbor, Mich. on Saturday, October 17, 2004. The 18's capped the weekend with a 5-2 home win over the Cleveland Barons on Sunday, October 17, keeping their perfect record (6-0) at home.

NEXT ACTION
The U-18 Team takes on Division III power the Manhattanville Valiants on Friday, October 22 and Saturday October 23, 2004. Due to overwhelming demand for tickets the October 22nd game, originally scheduled for the Playland Ice Casino (Manhattanville's home rink), has been moved to Stamford, CT and the Terry Connors Arena. The Saturday, October 23rd game venue remains the Playland Ice Casino.

PREVIOUS WEEK RECAP
Saturday, October 16 – Robert Morris, 3, US-18, 5
U.S. Under-18 Team defeated the Division I, Robert Morris University Colonials, 5-3, using three goals in the final period to overcome a two-goal deficit.

The Colonials opened the scoring as defenseman Jeff Gilbert (Barrie, Ontario) tallied with a two-man advantage at the 1:44 mark of the middle period. U.S. Captain Jimmy Fraser (Port Huron, Mich.) opened the scoring for the home club, at 3:38 of the second period, as he waited until the puck fell below the height of the cross bar (to the left of the Colonials goal) after a strange ricochet and used a deft touch to slap it out of the air past goaltender Christian Boucher (Orleans, Ontario). Gilbert tallied his second of the game at 5:53 of the second followed by a Shawn Bakke (New Hope, Minn.) score at 8:06, giving the Colonials a 3-1 advantage.

Jason Bailey (Nepean, Ontario), stepping out of the penalty box behind the defense, after serving a minor infraction, received a tape to tape bullet pass from Andreas Vlassopolous (Los Angeles, Calif.) who had read the play like a book seeing the Robert Morris defenseman pressing forward past the red line. Bailey collected the puck and walked in uncontested and drove one into the Colonials goal.

Jack Skille (Madison, Wisc.) recorded his fifth and first game-winning goal of the season after he gathered the puck at the left face-off circle moved with ease to his right and with the flick of the wrist roofed one past Robert Morris netminder Boucher.

SATURDAY – Robert Morris at US-18
TEAM SCORING PIM PP SHOT W/L Goalie
RMU 0-3-0 4 1-6 31 Boucher (35-39)
U-18 0-2-3 25 0-2 40 Blase (28-31)

Scoring:
RMU: Gilbert (PPG, G), Bakke (G), Bittle (A), Buzek (A), Olson (A)
USA: Fraser (2G), Mueller (G, A), Skille (GWG, A), Bailey (G), Vlassopoulos (2A), Lawson (2A), Johnson (A).

Sunday, October 17 – Cleveland, 2, US-18, 5
Jack Skille (Madison, Wisc.) led the U.S. National Team Development Program Under–18 club to its eighth win of the season (sixth victory against zero defeats at home) as he recorded two goals and an assist in a 5-2 win over the Cleveland Barons of the North American Hockey League.

Skille opened the game scoring with a lamp lighter midway through the first period. After receiving a pass from Peter Mueller (Bloomington, Minn.) and Jack Johnson (Faribault, Minn.), Skille danced in all alone and shelved a shot past the overmatched Cleveland netminder. Two minutes later Jason Lawrence (Saugus, Mass.) followed the Skille score notching his seventh goal of the year, with a helping hand from Nathan Gerbe (Oxford, Mich.) and Chris Cahill (North Andover, Mass.).

Skille opened the U.S. led to three with his second goal of the contest at 7:04 of the second period. Barons forward John Goebel (Cleveland, Ohio) responded for the visiting team with a goal four minutes after the Skille marker.

Ryan Stoa (Bloomington, Minn.) joined the scoring act, with the first of his two goals, at 13:13 of the middle period. After a late second period goal by Barons forward Kurt Kivisto (Brighton, Mich.) Stoa added a power-play goal to his resume (his second goal of the game) at 17:12 of the final frame giving the U.S. a 5-2 win.

Backstopping the U.S. and picking up his fourth win on the season, Jeff Frazee (Burnsville, Minn.) turned aside 21 shots and held the Barons scoreless on three power play attempts, which included keeping Cleveland at bay during a five-minute Baron extra-man opportunity.

SUNDAY – Cleveland at US-18
TEAM SCORING PIM PP SHOT W/L Goalie
Barons 0-2-0 22 0-3 23 Carlson (24-29)
U-18 2-2-1 45 1-3 29 Frazee (21-23)

Scoring:
Barons: Goebel, J (G), Kivisto (G), Weeks (A)
USA: Stoa (PPG, G), Skille (2G, A), Lawrence (G), Mueller (3A), Johnson (A), Mitera (A), MacVoy (A), Fraser (A), Cahill (A), Gerbe (A)

UNITED STATES NATIONAL UNDER-17 TEAM
The U.S. Under-17 Team last played on October 10, 2004 defeating the Soo Indians, 6-2. In the NAHL-North Division the U17 team has a 4-2-0 record (combined with U18 team the program is 9-2-0 in NAHL play).

THIS WEEK'S ACTION
The U-17 Team travels to Blaine, Minnesota, October 20-23, 2004 for the NAHL Showcase. The 17's will 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.

ALUMNI NEWS
LERG AND MCKENZIE SCORE FIRST COLLEGIATE GOALS FOR MICHIGAN STATE

Bryan Lerg, F, Fr. – Michigan State
On his goal...
"They had a penalty and Dominic (Vicari) came to the bench. I hopped on the ice screaming for the puck, and it came to me. I got around the defense and just wound up and hoped it went in. The building was very loud; it was an awesome feeling to get that goal."

WERNER TALLIES THREE POINTS FOR MICHIGAN

Eric Werner, D, Sr. - Michigan
On his play tonight versus his play last night
"I think I was just mentally prepared. Ever since last game I've been trailing the last couple games, but I am just trying to get into a routine. And I've got to buy into the system. I've got to move my feet more and play with more heart."

PORTER SCORES HIS FIRST GOAL FOR MICHIGAN

Eric Nystrom, F, Sr. - Michigan
On the play of freshman Kevin Porter ... "It's good to see a guy like Porter get a goal and a clutch goal at home. It gives the fans something to cheer about. He gets to taste what it's like to be a Michigan player at home and I hope to see more of those down the road."

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North American Hockey League Stories from October 18, 2004


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