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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Team weekly report

December 19, 2004 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


UNITED STATES NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM
The U.S. Under-18 Team went 1-1 against Division III power RIT. The RIT Tigers, the seventh-ranked team in Division III, defeated the U.S, 7-4, on Friday, December 17. On Saturday, December 18, the U.S. earned redemption with a 5-2 win.

NEXT ACTION
The Under-18 team heads east once again this time for the Middlebury Holiday Classic in Middlebury, Vt. The tournament features the U.S. Under-18 Team, Skidmore College, Trinity College and host Middlebury College. The U.S. will play Trinity, currently ranked No. 12 in Division III on Saturday, January 1, 2005 and Middlebury, the No. 1 ranked team in D-III on Sunday, January 2, 2005.

PREVIOUS WEEK RECAP
Friday, December17 – USA 4, RIT 7

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The U.S. Under-18 Team squad fell to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Tigers, the seventh-ranked team in Division III, 7-4 at the Frank Ritter Memorial Arena in Rochester, N.Y.

The U.S. opened the scoring as Peter Mueller (Bloomington, Minn.) tallied his 13th of the season (fourth on the power play). The Tigers struck back with two goals in the first period as Brad Harris (Portage La Prairie, Manitoba) scored the first of three RIT power play tallies followed by a Brian Payant (Antioch, Ill.) shorthanded goal.

With twenty-eight ticks gone in the second period Andreas Vlassopolous (Los Angeles, Calif.), who also had two assists on the night, tied the game at two with his fourth goal of the season. Kyle Lawson (New Hudson, Mich.) put the U.S. on top 3-2 with his first marker of the season at the 4:19 mark of the second period.

RIT went on to score the next three as Rob Taratino (Oakville, Ontario) and Matt Smith (Toronto, Ontario) scored in the second period while Darren Doherty (Duroro, Ontario) tallied the game winner 2:29 into the final session.

U.S. defenseman Chad Morin (Auburn, N.Y.) closed to the gap to one with his second goal of the season :19 after the Doherty score.

"You have to respect their speed, stick strength and how strong they are on the puck," stated RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson. "One through 20 they all can skate, it should be an interesting rematch tomorrow."

TEAM SCORING PIM PP SHOT W/L Goalie
USA 1-2-1 34 1-10 31 L-Blase (16-20), Frazee (10-12)
RIT 2-2-3 40 3-13 33 W-Eliopoulos (27-31)

Scoring:
USA: Vlassopolous (G, 2A), Mueller (PPG) Lawson (G), Morin (G), Mitera (A), Skille (A), Bailey (A), Fraser (A), MacVoy (A)
RIT: Harris (PPG, G) Payant (G, A), Taratino (G), Doherty (GWG, A), Mulholland (G), Patry (A), Macovi (3A), Holmes (A), Tucciarone (A), Hyman (A), Fairbarn (A), Walton (A), Burns (A)

Saturday, December 18 – USA 5, RIT 2

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The U.S. National Under-18 Team defeated RIT, the seventh-ranked team in NCAA Division III, 5-2, as Peter Mueller (Bloomington, Minn.) recorded two power-play goals and an assist and Andreas Vlassopolous (Los Angeles, Calif.) picked up assists on four of the five U.S. goals.

Mueller capitalized on the first of 13 U.S. power play opportunities when he connected on a Vlassopolous pass at the 3:12 mark of the first period for the only score of the opening session.

Jack Skille (Madison, Wisc.) recorded his team best 31st point when he scored at 6:15 of the middle stanza. RIT tallied their only two goals of the night as Steve Farrer (Belle River, Ont.) scored on a power play at 11:13 of the second period followed by a Simon Lambert (Ste.-Therese, Quebec) goal at 15:46.

The U.S. game winning score would come on a power play as defenseman Jack Johnson (Faribault, Minn.) recorded his third extra-man goal (sixth overall) less then a minute after RIT had tied the game.

Nathan Gerbe (Oxford, Mich.) and Mueller added the final two U.S. goals in the third period. Gerbe scored an unassisted marker at 12:09 while Mueller, who earned first star honors for the game, tallied his 15th goal (sixth on the power play) of the season at 18:36.

TEAM SCORING PIM PP SHOT W/L Goalie
USA 1-2-2 44 3-12 23 W-Frazee (28-30)
RIT 0-2-0 58 1-10 30 L-Wrisley (18-23)

Scoring:
USA: Muller (2 PPG, A), Johnson (GWPPG), Skille (G), Gerbe (G), Vlassopolous (4A)
RIT: Farrer (G), Lambert (G), Macovi (A), Draper (A), Brent Payant (A), Brian Payant (A)

UNITED STATES NATIONAL UNDER-17 TEAM
The U.S. Under-17 Team prepared for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Lethbridge, Alberta, December 29, 2004-January 4, 2005.

NEXT ACTION
The U-17 team heads to Lethbridge, Alberta, for the World Under-17 World Hockey Challenge. The U-17 begin the competition on December 29, 2004 against Slovakia, with a December 30 game against Germany, a January 1 tilt against Team Ontario and January 2 against Team West. Medal rounds will follow preliminary play beginning January 3, 2005. Prior to the game on the 30th the U-17 play an exhibition contest against Team Quebec.

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North American Hockey League Stories from December 19, 2004


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