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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Team weekly report

February 17, 2005 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


UPCOMING
The US National Under-18 Team goes on the road to face-off against the University of Minnesota Gophers Saturday (Feb. 19). The puck is set to drop at 8:00 pm (EST). The following afternoon, the U-18s travel to Mankato, Minnesota, as they take on the Mavericks of Minnesota State University. Game time is scheduled for 2:05pm (EST).


The US National Under-17 Team is off this week. The U-17s next action is a North American Hockey League game at home in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Toledo Ice Diggers come to town on Tuesday (Feb. 22) and Friday (Feb. 25). Both games are set for a 7:00pm (EST) start.


LAST WEEK
U-18
Thursday, February 10, 2005 – USA 5, Sweden 2
TJÖRN, SWEDEN – The U.S. Under-18 Team won its opening game in the U-18 Five Nations Tournament last Thursday (Feb. 10) by a 5-2 count over Sweden and in the process extended it winning streak in international play to five games. Jason Lawrence (Saugus, Mass.) had a three-point evening (1G, 2A) as did Phil Kessel (Madison, Wis.) (2G, 1A) which aided in the 5-2 victory. U.S. goaltender Jeff Frazee (Burnsville, Minn.) stopped 25 of 27 shots.

Friday, February 11, 2005 –Czech Republic 4, USA 6
TJÖRN, SWEDEN – The U.S. Under-18 Team improved to 2-0 in the U-18 Five National Tournament in Sweden with a 6-4 win over the Czech Republic on Friday (Feb. 11). Phil Kessel (Madison, Wis.) recorded two goals in the win. Jason Lawrence (Saugus, Mass.) had a two-point evening (1PPG, 1A) and Jack Skille (Madison, Wis.) also contributed with two assists. U.S. goaltender Billy Blase (Santa Monica, Calif.) pushed aside 31 of 35 shots.


Saturday, February 12, 2005 –USA 6, Finland 3
TJÖRN, SWEDEN – The U.S. Under-18 Team defeated Finland Saturday (Feb. 12) by a 6-3 count to improve to 3-0 in the U-17 Five National Tournament. Peter Mueller (Bloomington, Minn.) led all scorers with four points (2G, 2A), and Jack Skille (Madison, Wis.) also aided in the win with two points (2G). U.S. goaltender Jeff Frazee (Burnsville, Minn.) stopped 33 of 36 shots.

Sunday, February 13, 2005 –USA 5, Russia 1
TJÖRN, SWEDEN – The U.S. Under-18 Team finished the U-18 Five Nations Tournament with a perfect 4-0 record thanks to a 5-1 victory over Russia Sunday (Feb. 13) afternoon. Jack Skille (Madison, Wis.) led all scorers with three points (2G (1PPG), 1A). Justin Mercier (Erie, Penn.) and Jimmy Fraser (Port Huron, Mich.) each contributed two assists in the victory. U.S. Goaltender Jeff Frazee (Burnsville, Minn.) stopped 35 of 36 shots.


U-17
Thursday, February 10, 2005 – USA 5, at Germany 2
PIEÅ T́ANY, SLOVAKIA – The U.S. Under-17 Team started off play in the Vlado Dzurilla Four Nations Tournament with a 5-2 win over Germany's U-18 squad Thursday (Feb. 10). Sean Dolan (Chesterfield, Mo./Indiana Ice) and Nigel Williams (Montgomery, Ill./Team Illinois Midget), who were newcomers to the U.S. squad, led all scorers with a combined five points on the evening. Williams had three points (2G, 1A) while Dolan contributed two points (2G). U.S. goaltender Joe Palmer (Yorkville, N.Y.) stopped 18 of 20 shots.

Friday, February 11, 2005 – Slovakia 7, at USA 1
PIEÅ T́ANY, SLOVAKIA – Despite each team having 23 shots on goal, the Slovakia U-18s gained a 7-1 victory over the U.S. Under-17 squad last Friday (Feb. 11) in game two of the Vlado Dzurilla Four Nations Tournament. Sean Dolan (Chesterfield, Mo./Indiana Ice) put in a power-play goal at 4:51 of the second period as Erik Johnson (Bloomington, Minn.) earned an assist. Slovakia got the go-ahead goal just 46 seconds later which was the first of six unanswered goals for the Slovaks. U.S. goaltender Brett Bennett (Williamsville, N.Y.) stopped 16 of 23 shots in the loss.

Saturday, February 12, 2005 – Switzerland 6, at USA 6
PIEÅ T́ANY, SLOVAKIA – The U.S. Under-17 Team rebounded from a three-goal deficit to tie the Switzerland U-18s, 6-6, in the final game of the Vlado Dzurilla Four Nations Tournament in PieÅ¡t́any, Slovakia, this past Saturday (Feb. 12). The tie gave the U.S. Under-17s a 1-1-1 record in tournament play. Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y.), Jamie McBain (Faribault, Minn.) and Bill Sweatt (Elburn, Ill.) contributed two points apiece in the tie. U.S. goaltender Joe Palmer (Yorkville, N.Y.) faced 42 shots, stopping 36.


NOTES

The U.S. National Under-17 Team competed in the Vlado Dzurilla Tournament last week to mark its third international tournament of the 2004-2005 season. The U.S. National Under-17s competed against Under-18 teams from Germany (W, 5-2), Slovakia (L, 7-1) and Switzerland (T, 6-6). In international play, the U-17s are now 9-2-2. Game results from tournament play in PieÅ¡ťany, Slovakia, can be found on the Internet:
http://www.szlh.sk/liga_114/stats.php?action=rounds

The U.S. National Under-18 Team participated in last week's U-18 Five Nations Tournament in Tjörn, Sweden, to mark its second international competition of 2004-05. The Under-18s are now 8-0 in international. Game results from tournament play in Tjörn, Sweden, can be found on the Internet:
http://stats.swehockey.se/

· This is the second time in NTDP history that the U.S. has won the Five Nations Tournament. They last won during the 1998-99 season.

· The U.S. National Under 18 Team brings a 14-game winning streak with it to Minnesota Saturday (Feb. 19).

Jack Skille (Madison, Wis.) led all scorers at the U-18 Five Nations Tournament in Tjörn, Sweden. Skille had eight points (5G, 3A) in four games. He was tied for first in goals and second in assists. Skille also led the tournament in plus/minus with a +7 rating. Skille was named best player of the game during the U.S. Under-18s victory over Finland, 6-3 (Feb. 12).

Nathan Gerbe (Oxford, Mich.) led all scorers in power-play goals in the U-18 Five Nations Tournament in Tjörn, Sweden, with two.

Kyle Lawson (New Hudson, Mich.) led all defense in scoring at the U-18 Five Nations Tournament in Tjörn, Sweden, with three points (3A).

Phil Kessel (Madison, Wis.) has 141 points in his NTDP career, just 12 short of tying the all-time NTDP record of 153 held by Andy Hilbert (1997-99). Kessel jumped from 135 career NTDP points to 141 after adding six points (5G, 1A) in the Five Nations Tournament in Tjörn, Sweden this past week (Feb. 6-14).

Kessel has extended his all-time goal lead by ten. He has 83 NTDP career goals for the number one spot, while Andy Hilbert ('97-'99) is second with 73.

USA Hockey Alumni Andy Hilbert (NTDP '97-'99), Keith Ballard (NTDP '99-'01), and Ryan Kesler (NTDP '00-'02) participated in the American Hockey League all-star game this past Monday night (Feb. 14) in Manchester, N.H.

Andy Hilbert (Providence Bruins) enjoyed two goals as part of PlanetUSA's All-Stars taking on the Canadian All-Stars. His first goal came at the 6:38 mark of the second period, with an assist going to Ryan Kesler (Manitoba Moose). In a deciding shootout, Hilbert delivered again, netting the only goal, giving PlanetUSA's All-Stars the 5-4 win. During the skills competition the evening before, Hilbert (three-time all-star) enjoyed a perfect score in the accuracy-shooting contest to mark the first perfect performance in the 10-year history of the event.

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