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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-17 Team Notches 3-2 Win Over Traverse City

January 29, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Zach Golembiewski's (St. Clair, Mich.) empty-net goal with 40 seconds left in the third period lifted the U.S. National Under-17 Team to a 3-2 victory against the Traverse City North Stars Tuesday night at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

Traverse City had the first prime scoring opportunity of the evening at 4:22 of the first period when Matt Hughes was awarded a penalty shot. His shot whistled wide past the right post, however.

Team USA responded with its first goal of the contest at the 9:56 mark of the opening frame, as A.J. Treais (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) put in a rebound off a shot from Jeremy Morin (Auburn, N.Y.). Jimmy Hayes (Dorchester, Mass.) also picked up an assist for Team USA.

The North Stars knotted the score at 1-1 with a power-play goal from Harrison Niemann at 8:21 of the second stanza. Niemann flipped the puck past Team USA goalie Michael Clemente (Great Falls, Va.) on the glove side. Nate Urbaniak and Jameson Raymond provided helpers on the goal.

Steven West (Milford, Mich.) gave Team USA the lead again at the 15:20 mark of the middle period, while his team held a man advantage. The blueliner sent a shot from the left point through traffic that squirted through the legs of Traverse City netminder Brandon Stephenson. Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and Treais were each credited with helpers on the goal.

After more than a period without any scoring, Traverse City pulled Stephenson with 1:35 left in regulation, but the move allowed Golembiewski to tap an empty-netter from close range for Team USA.

The North Stars wouldn't surrender though, as they were presented with their second penalty shot of the game with 13 ticks remaining. Nate Urbaniak gave his team life by beating Clemente with a wrist shot from the low slot.

Team USA held on in the waning seconds, which paved the way for its fourth win of the year vs. Traverse City.

Clemente finished with 22 saves for Team USA, while Stephenson turned aside 26 shots for the North Stars.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team (24-22-2) now travels to Piestany, Slovakia, where it will compete in the Vlad Dzurilla Four Nations Tournament on Feb. 7-9. Team USA opens the three-game event against Germany on Feb. 7 at Piestany Arena. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. local time and 7 a.m. EST.

Notes: A.J Treais (one goal, one assist) chipped in his eighth multi-point game of the year ... Zach Golembiewski notched his first game-winning marker of the season, and 10th overall goal ... Jeremy Morin (one assist) continues to lead the U.S. National Under-17 Team with 46 points (28-18) ... Steven West recorded his first goal of the season as a member of the U.S. National Under-17 Team ... Jimmy Hayes (one assist) doled out his ninth point of the year ... Danny Kristo (one assist) provided his second point during his two-game stint with the U.S. National Under-17 Team in the 2007-08 slate ... Michael Clemente improved to 3-2 as a member of the U.S. National Under-17 Team this season ... Patrick Gaul (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Justin Florek (Marquette, Mich.) played in their first games of the year with the U.S. National Under-17 Team ... The U.S. National Under-17 Team is 5-1 in its last six games ... The U.S. National Under-17 and Under-18 Teams have combined to field a 21-18-2 record in the North American Hockey League, good for 44 points in the NAHL North Division standings ... Team USA is just one point behind Marquette for fourth place in the division ... The top four teams will secure a berth in the NAHL playoffs.

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North American Hockey League Stories from January 29, 2008


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