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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-17 Team Weekly

December 4, 2007 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-17 Team returns to the road for a contest against the Alpena IceDiggers this Thursday (Dec. 6) at Northern Lights Arena. The puck will drop at 7 p.m. ET.

U.S. HEAD COACH RON ROLSTON: Ron Rolston is in his fourth season with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program. He has amassed a career record of 131-70-11-7 (W-L-T-OTL).

LAST TIME OUT AGAINST THE ICEDIGGERS: The U.S. National Under-17 Team and Alpena have met twice this season. The IceDiggers defeated Team USA, 6-5, in the first meeting between the two teams at Northern Lights Arena back on Nov. 1. Alpena came away with a 7-2 victory over Team USA on Nov. 25 at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

ABOUT ALPENA: The IceDiggers are 12-11-1 overall, and rank fifth in the North American Hockey League North Division standings with 25 points.

Erik Peterson is the top offensive weapon for the IceDiggers up front with 30 points (8-22). Nate Pellegrino (10-5-1, 2.94, .904) has seen the bulk of the playing time (999:00) for Alpena in the 2007-08 campaign.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-17 TEAM NOTES: The U.S. National Under-17 and Under-18 Teams have combined to field a 12-13-2 record, good for fourth in the NAHL North Division standings ... Seven of Team USA's 11 wins this season have come in games it scored five or more goals ... The U.S. National Under-17 Team has received game-winning goals from eight different players this year ... A total of 15 players from the 2007-08 U.S. National Under-17 Team have verbally committed to play NCAA Division I college hockey ... Chris Brown (Flower Mound, Texas) has contributed a team-best two game-winners ... Sam Calabrese (Park Ridge, Ill.) netted his first goal last Saturday (Dec. 1) at Marquette ... Goaltender Brandon Maxwell (Winter Park, Fla.) registered his first assist last Friday (Nov. 30) at Marquette.

MORIN ON TORRID OFFENSIVE PACE: Jeremy Morin (Auburn, N.Y.) leads Team USA with 31 points (20-11) after tallying three points (1-2) in two games last weekend. The winger recorded a goal and an assist in Team USA's 3-2 overtime win at Marquette (Nov. 30). Morin is averaging 1.24 points per game, which is the highest such mark by a member of the U.S. National Under-17 Team since Patrick Kane (2004-06) averaged 0.90 points per game in the 2004-05 campaign. Kane finished with 70 points (32-38) in 63 games that season.

UP NEXT: The U.S. National Under-17 Team heads to the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan for a two-game set against the Traverse City North Stars next Friday (Dec. 14) and Saturday (Dec. 15) at Center Ice Arena. Both contests are slated to begin at 7 p.m. ET.

BOURQUE CONTRIBUTES EVEN WHEN SHORTHANDED: Ryan Bourque (Boxford, Mass.) has a team-best three shorthanded goals to his credit, including two in last weekend's series at Marquette. Bourque is tied for second on the team with 20 points (11-9), after contributing five goals and one assist in his last six games.

FOWLER AND SCHMITZ LEADING DEFENSE IN POINTS: Cam Fowler (Farmington Hills, Mich.) and Beau Schmitz (Howell, Mich.) are on top of Team USA's points list for defensemen with seven points. Fowler has tallied one goal and six assists, while Schmitz owns two goals and seven assists.

PALMIERI PROVIDES IMMEDIATE IMPACT FOR TEAM USA: Kyle Palmieri (Montvale, N.J.), who was out of the Team USA lineup due to an injury for four games, notched the game-winning goal in his first game back in uniform Nov. 30 at Marquette. Palmieri has two game-winners this year, and ranks fourth on the team with 18 points (12-6).

STATES OF HOCKEY: In the 11-year history of the National Team Development Program, players from 27 states have donned the Team USA uniform. This season 15 different states are represented between the U.S. National Under-17 and Under-18 Teams.

PLAYER BIOS: See pages 4-7.

U.S. NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM TO BE ANNOUNCED TONIGHT: The 2008 U.S. National Junior Team will be announced live during Versus' national television broadcast of the Detroit Red Wings - Montreal Canadiens game tonight. Opening faceoff is set for 7:30 p.m. EST.

The forwards on the team will be unveiled during the first intermission, while the team's defensemen and goaltenders will be announced in the second intermission.

ABOUT THE NTDP: Founded in 1996, USA Hockey's National Team Development Program was created to prepare student-athletes under the age of 18 for participation on U.S. National Teams and success in their future hockey careers. Its efforts focus not only on high-caliber participation on the ice, but creating well-rounded individuals off the ice. Located in Ann Arbor, Mich., the 46 players in the program are split into two squads - the U.S. National Under-18 and Under-17 Teams.

- In the nine years NTDP players have been eligible for the draft, 141 players have been selected, including the number one overall selection in 2000 (Rick DiPietro), 2006 (Erik Johnson) and 2007 (Patrick Kane).

- A total of 16 players with connections to the NTDP were selected in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, including five players in the first round.

- Patrick Kane and James vanRiemsdyk became the first two American-born players selected first and second in the 2007 NHL Draft.

- Kane's selection, added with the St. Louis Blues' choice of Erik Johnson in the 2006 NHL Draft, represented the first time American-born players have been chosen first overall in consecutive years.

USA HOCKEY "HOCKEY WEEKEND ACROS AMERICA": The first-ever Hockey Weekend Across America, a three-day nationwide celebration of the sport of hockey, will take place Feb. 15-17, 2008. The announcement came from USA Hockey, the national governing body for the sport of ice hockey in the United States.

Each of the three days associated with Hockey Weekend Across America has a theme, including Friday's Wear Your Jersey to School Day, Saturday's Bring A Friend to the Rink Day and Sunday's Celebrate Local Hockey Heroes Day.

"We're extremely pleased to be leading this effort," said Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey. "While we've set up the structure, the success of Hockey Weekend Across America will be driven by those involved in the game across the country activating programs in conjunction with the celebration."

A special website - HockeyWeekendAcrossAmerica.com - has been established to act as the information hub for the event. It features material for download, including the event logo and poster. Additional information will continue to be added, including highlights of activities planned in conjunction with Hockey Weekend Across America from around the country.

"Our sport has a lot to celebrate at all levels and we're looking forward to being a part of Hockey Weekend Across America," said Gary Bettman, commissioner of the National Hockey League.

"We need to do whatever we can to gain visibility for our sport," said Tom Anastos, commissioner of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and president of the Hockey Commissioner's Association. "All of us involved need to participate in Hockey Weekend Across America in some fashion to both celebrate and help grow the game."

USA Hockey is conducting a contest for best Hockey Weekend Across America programming with the grand-prize winner receiving 25 sets of OneGoal starter equipment ($4,000 value). Additionally, five runner-up prizes of $1,000 cash will be awarded. The entry form can be obtained at HockeyWeekendAcrossAmerica.com.

Details on Hockey Weekend Across America's Great Prize Giveaway will be unveiled in December.

Notes: All rinks in the country will receive two printed copies of the Hockey Weekend Across America poster. Anyone may download the artwork for the poster at HockeyWeekendAcrossAmerica.com and have posters printed for use in conjunction with the event ... All NHL, minor professional, NCAA Division I and III men's and women's, United States Hockey League and North American Hockey League teams playing at home during Hockey Weekend Across America will receive Hockey Weekend Across America pucks to utilize as part of a ceremonial puck drop to help celebrate the event ... Questions regarding Hockey Weekend Across America may be e-mailed to HockeyWeekendAcrossAmerica@usahockey.org.

Check out the U.S. National Team Statistics



North American Hockey League Stories from December 4, 2007


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