NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-17 Team Weekly

Published on January 9, 2008 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-17 Team travels to Boardman, Ohio, for two games against the Mahoning Valley Phantoms Jan. 11-12 at the Boardman Ice Zone. Both contests are scheduled to begin at 7:15 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 138-75-11-7 (W-L-T-OTL).

LAST TIME OUT AGAINST THE PHANTOMS: The U.S. National Under-17 Team split a two-game series against Mahoning Valley (Dec. 21-22) at the Boardman Ice Zone. Team USA received multi-point performances from four different players, including a three-point effort from Jeremy Morin (Auburn, N.Y.), to pave the way for a 7-4 win in the series opener. The Phantoms responded with a 6-1 victory in the finale of the weekend. For the year, the series is tied at 3-3-0 between the two teams.

ABOUT MAHONING VALLEY: The Phantoms own an 19-9-3 overall record, and rank third in the North American Hockey League North Division standings with 41 points.

Derek Graham is the top offensive weapon for Mahoning Valley with 47 points (23-24). Garrett Bartus (12-3-2, 2.52, .917) has seen the majority of the playing time (1070:38) for the Phantoms in the 2007-08 campaign. Jordan Tibbett (5-6-1, 3.58, .890) has appeared in 687:48 of game action.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-17 TEAM NOTES: Team USA compiled a 4-2-0 mark at the 2008 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge ... Team USA has finished second at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge four times (1994, 1998, 2006, 2008) ... The U.S. National Under-17 Team is 7-4-0 in international competition during the 2007-08 season ... Cam Fowler (Farmington Hills, Mich.) was selected to the 2008 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge All-Star Team ... Jeremy Morin led the United States with eight points (6-2) at the 2008 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge ... Team USA finished with a season-high four power-play goals in a 6-2 win over Russia (Dec. 30) ... The two shorthanded markers scored by Team USA vs. Russia also represented a season high ... The U.S. National Under-17 Team has received game-winning goals from 11 different players in the 2007-08 campaign ... Team USA has won 15 games when it tallies at least four goals ... Eleven of Team USA's 18 wins this year have come in games it scored five or more goals ... 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.

UP NEXT: The U.S. National Under-17 Team will compete in the Phantoms Hockey Showcase, which will be held January 18-21 at the Boardman Ice Zone in Boardman, Ohio. Besides Team USA, the Showcase will feature the other five teams from the NAHL's North Division - Alpena, Mahoning Valley, Marquette, St. Louis and Traverse City. Each squad will play four games over the four-day event. The U.S. National Under-17 Team challenges Alpena at 12 p.m. ET on Jan. 18 and 20, and plays Marquette on Jan. 19 and 21 at 4 p.m. ET and 1:30 p.m. ET, respectively.

?MORIN AND D'AMIGO TO PARTICIPATE IN AHL ALL-STAR GAME: The Binghamton Senators and the American Hockey League have announced that Jerry D'Amigo (Binghamton, N.Y.) and Jeremy Morin have been selected as RBC Future All-Stars for the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic.

The RBC Future All-Stars will participate alongside the AHL All-Stars in select events during the 2008 AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, January 27. Their scores in those events will count toward the total score for the evening.

Notes: The 2008 AHL All-Star Classic will take place at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, N.Y., on January 27-28, and will be televised live in the United States and Canada ... Tickets for the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic are available now by calling 607.722.7367.

MATTSON RAMPING UP OFFENSIVE OUTPUT: Nick Mattson (Chanhassen, Minn.) has compiled 14 points (1-13) this season, good for first place among Team USA defensemen. Mattson registered five assists at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, including a career-high three helpers in a 6-2 win against Russia (Dec. 30). His five-point total at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge was good for a share of third among Team USA players.

SHORE AMONG LEADERS AT WORLD UNDER-17 HOCKEY CHALLENGE: Drew Shore (Denver, Colo.) was second among Team USA players with seven points (3-4) in six games at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Two of Shore's goals came shorthanded, which represented his first two shorthanded tallies of the 2007-08 campaign. The center ranks second on Team USA's overall scoring chart with 31 points (11-20) in 37 games.

WHITNEY ADDED TO ROSTER FOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: Steven Whitney (Reading, Mass.) joined the U.S. National Under-17 Team at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge Dec. 29-Jan. 4 in London, Ontario. Counting one exhibition (Dec. 28), Whitney tallied four points (2-2) in seven international games played for Team USA. The winger currently skates for Lawrence (Mass.) Academy. His brother, Joe, is a freshman at Boston College (HEA). Steven has verbally committed to BC.

MORIN ON TORRID OFFENSIVE PACE: Jeremy Morin leads Team USA with 45 points (28-17). Morin is averaging 1.25 points per game overall, 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 year.

FOLLOWING THE U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-17 TEAM: Log on to www.nahl.com/b2.cfm to access B2 Networks, which provides live video broadcasts for each of Team USA's games against NAHL opponents.

MAXWELL STRONG BETWEEN THE PIPES: Brandon Maxwell (Winter Park, Fla.) ranked second among goaltenders at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in goals-against average (2.20) and save percentage (.914). He finished with a 4-1-0 record in 300 minutes of game action during the tournament.

D'AMIGO DOING HIS PART: Jerry D'Amigo chipped in five points (2-3) at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, good for a share of third among Team USA players at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

BOURQUE CONTRIBUTES EVEN WHEN SHORTHANDED: Ryan Bourque (Boxford, Mass.) has compiled a team-high four shorthanded goals, including one in a 6-2 win over Russia (Dec. 30) during the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He has chipped in 25 points (14-11) this season, which ranks fourth among Team USA players.

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.

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.

HOCKEY WEEKEND ACROSS AMERICA: USA Hockey will lead the first-ever Hockey Weekend Across America, a three-day nationwide celebration of the sport set for Feb. 15-17, 2008.

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.

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.

Check out the U.S. National Team Statistics

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North American Hockey League Stories from January 9, 2008


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