NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-17 Team Beats Traverse City 1-0, Advances To Division Finals

Published on April 9, 2006 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- In a series that the U.S. National Under-17 Team dominated on the offensive end, out shooting Traverse City 180-112 in the five games, it was team defense and outstanding goaltending from Josh Unice (Toledo, Ohio) that proved to be the difference. The National Team, backstopped by Unice's second shutout in as many days, defeated the Traverse City North Stars 1-0 tonight at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube to win its first round series and advance to play the Cleveland Barons in the North American Hockey League north division finals.

After a tightly contested and scoreless first period, U.S. National Team forward C.J. Severyn (Beaver, PA) banged home the rebound off a Ryan Schnell (Cary, Ill.) shot to put the National Team on the board at 3:19 of the second frame. The tally, which is Severyn's fifth on the season and first game-winning goal, would turn out to be the only goal in the contest.

Unice stopped all 26 shots he faced to lead the National Team to the 1-0 series clinching victory. Last evening, in game four, Unice stopped all 24 shots he faced to earn his first shutout of the season.

The win puts the U.S. National Under-17 Team into the NAHL north division finals where it will face the Cleveland Barons in a best-of-seven series. The winner will advance to the Robertson Cup National Championships. The National Team will host game one on Friday, April 14 at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube (Ann Arbor, Mich.).

NOTES: Josh Unice had all three victories for Team USA in this series. Unice stopped 63 of the 65 shots that he faced... The U.S. National Under-17 Team was again without its top three leading scorers (Ryan Hayes, John Albert, and Colin Wilson) and top-scoring defenseman Cade Fairchild. Hayes, Wilson and Fairchild are currently with the U.S. National Under-18 Team at the 2006 International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-18 Championships and Albert is out of the line-up due to injury ... USA defensemen David Kolomatis and forward Justin Vaive are also out of the line-up due to injury and are not expected to play in the first-round ... NTDP alum Matt Carle (Anchorage, Alaska) of Denver University won the 26th Hobey Baker Memorial Award on Friday. Carle becomes the second NTDP alum to win college hockey's highest individual honor, joining 2002 Hobey winner Jordan Leopold (Golden Valley, Minn.)... Seven NTDP alums participated in Saturday's NCAA Division I Hockey Championship Game (Boston College-3, Wisconsin-4). Included on the 2006 National Champion Wisconsin Badgers roster is alums Jake Dowell (Eau Claire, WI), Robbie Earl (Los Angeles, CA), Jeff Likens (Barrington, IL), Jack Skille (Madison, WI), and Head Coach Mike Eaves, who served as NTDP Head Coach from 2000-2002.

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North American Hockey League Stories from April 9, 2006


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