NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-17 Team Tops Alpena, Sweeps Series

Published on April 12, 2007 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Led by two tallies from forward Robbie Czarnik (Washington, Mich.), the U.S. National Under-17 Team defeated the Alpena IceDiggers by a 5-3 score tonight at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. Team USA's victory completed a three-game series sweep of the IceDiggers in the North American Hockey League's North Division semifinals.

After a scoreless opening frame, Team USA struck quickly to open the second period when Czarnik notched his first tally of the night just 36 seconds into the stanza. David Wohlberg (South Lyon, Mich.) won a faceoff deep in the Alpena zone and sent the puck into the slot. The puck was collected by Czarnik, who fired a wrist shot past Alpena goaltender Mike Jarboe into the top left corner of the net to give Team USA a 1-0 advantage.

Alpena had a solid opportunity to get on the scoreboard when its leading scorer, Todd Rudasill, caught a long breakout pass that led to a shorthanded breakaway. The IceDiggers' forward skated in all alone but could not beat USA netminder Adam Murray (Anchorage, Alaska), who made his second breakaway save of the night.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team doubled its advantage when Justin Florek (Marquette, Mich.) banged home his team-leading 18th goal of the season at the 10:36 mark of the second period. With Team USA on the power play, Colin Reddin (Corona Del Mar, Calif.) sent a shot toward the net that was saved, but not held, by Jarboe. A scrum occurred in front of the Alpena netminder before Florek found the puck and slid it into the net.

Alpena got on the scoreboard with 4:39 to play in the middle period. A blue line blast from defenseman Eric Roman deflected off the skate of a Team USA player and slipped past Murray to make it a 2-1 game.

Team USA struck quickly once again to open the final period. Czarnik notched his league-leading fifth goal of the 2007 NAHL Playoffs when he knocked in the rebound of a Wohlberg shot that came from the left half-boards just 58 seconds into the period.

A goal by Alpena's Justin King at the 5:28 mark of the period cut the National Team's lead to 3-2. King was able to dig the puck out of a pile-up just outside the crease and send a backhander along the ice and into Team USA's net.

Defenseman Nick Pryor (Woodbury, Minn.) provided the response to King's marker to again give his squad a two-goal cushion. Pryor sent a rocket towards the net from the left point that glanced off the right post and into the back of the net just 1:44 after the IceDiggers' second goal.

The IceDiggers would find the back of the net once more at 14:35 of the third period, but a Grant Scott (Sewickley, Pa.) empty-net goal sealed the game for Team USA.

Murray made 28 saves between the pipes for Team USA to earn his third victory of the postseason.

"I'm proud of how our kids competed throughout this series," said U.S. National Under-17 Team Head Coach John Hynes. "Now we have to shift our focus to an extremely talented Mahoning Valley team. We are going to need great preparation as we gear up for the Phantoms."

The U.S. National Under-17 Team will now take on the Mahoning Valley Phantoms in the NAHL North Division Finals. The series schedule will be announced tomorrow (April 13).

NOTES: Czarnik is now the 2007 NAHL Playoff leader in both goals (5) and points (6) ... Wohlberg is tied for second in playoff points (5) and Kevin McCarey (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) is tied for sixth with four points ... The U.S. National Under-17 Team is playing without two of its leading scorers during the playoffs. Jordan Schroeder (Lakeville, Minn.) and Vinny Saponari (Powder Springs, Ga.) are currently skating with the U.S. National Under-18 Team at the 2007 International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-18 Championship in Tampere and Rauma, Finland from April 12 - April 22.

Check out the U.S. National Team Statistics

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North American Hockey League Stories from April 12, 2007


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