Sports stats



NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-17 Team Weekly

March 26, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-17 Team travels to Boardman, Ohio, this Friday (March 28) and Saturday (March 29), where it will close the regular-season portion of its North American Hockey League schedule against the Mahoning Valley Phantoms. Both games are set to kick off at 7 p.m. EDT at the Boardman Ice Zone.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-17 TEAM HEAD COACH RON ROLSTON: Ron Rolston is in his fourth season with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program. He has compiled a career record of 149-84-11-7 (W-L-T-OTL).

SEASON SERIES AGAINST THE PHANTOMS: The U.S. National Under-17 Team is 4-4 against Mahoning Valley in the 2007-08 slate. Both squads are 2-2 at their home venues this season. The two teams split their last series in Boardman on Jan. 11-12.

ABOUT MAHONING VALLEY: The Phantoms own a 34-18-4 overall record, and rank second in the NAHL standings with 72 points. Derek Graham is the top offensive producer for Mahoning Valley with 69 points (30-39). Eric Ringel is the top point getter from the blue line with 26 (6-20). Garrett Bartus (22-9-3, 2.78, .912) has seen the majority of the playing time (2114:23) for the Phantoms this year. Jordan Tibbett (10-9-1, 3.27, .899) has appeared in 1154:59 of game action.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-17 TEAM NOTES: Team USA has won 18 games when it tallies at least four goals in 2007-08 ... Thirteen of the U.S. National Under-17 Team's 30 wins this year have come in games it scored five or more goals ... Team USA has received game-winning goals from 17 different players this year ... The U.S. National Under-17 Team is 2-2 in shootouts during the 2007-08 slate ... Goaltender Nick Maricic (Alta Loma, Calif.) turned aside a season-high 39 shots in the team's 4-1 victory at St. Louis (March 14) ... Chris Brown (Flower Mound, Texas) recorded a season-high three points, including two goals and an assist vs. the Bandits (March 14). He also picked up his fourth game-winning marker of the 2007-08 campaign ... Jerry D'Amigo (Binghamton, N.Y.) registered a season-best three assists in the game, while Kevin Lynch (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) netted a goal and an assist ... Tyler Amburgey (Rowlett, Texas) tallied his second goal of the year at St. Louis (March 15).

TEAM USA IN THE NAHL ROBERTSON CUP PLAYOFFS: The U.S. National Under-18 and Under-17 Teams have combined to field a 28-24-4 record in the NAHL North Division standings, good for fourth place with 60 points. Team USA is one four teams in the division that has qualified for the NAHL Robertson Cup Playoffs. The U.S. National Under-17 Team will represent the National Team Development Program in the postseason.

UP NEXT: The U.S. National Under-17 Team will carry a No. 4 seed into the NAHL Robertson Cup Playoffs and it begins a best-of-five series against No. 1 seed St. Louis on Friday, April 4. The location and start times of the first-round playoff games will be announced shortly.

FOLLOWING THE U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-17 TAM: 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.

GOLEMBIEWSKI LETHAL ON THE POWER PLAY: Zach Golembiewski (St. Clair, Mich.) has tallied six goals with a man advantage in the 2007-08 slate, good for second on the squad. Jeremy Morin (Auburn, N.Y.) leads the club with seven power-play markers. Golembiewski also doled out an assist in a 4-1 win at St.Louis (March 14). He is fourth among Team USA point getters with 30 (13-17).

LYNCH PROVIDING TIMELY GOALS: Kevin Lynch (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) leads Team USA with five game-winning goals after he netted the go-ahead marker at Alpena (March 7). He has totaled 23 points (17-6) this year, including one power-play goal and one shorthanded tally.

D'AMIGO A CONSTANT IN THE LINEUP: Jerry D'Amigo has skated in each of the U.S. National Under-17 Team's 59 games this year, a feat only he has achieved. The forward has recorded 21 points (9-12) this season.

TREAIS STEPPING UP: A.J. Treais (Bloomfield Hills., Mich.) has amassed eight points (4-4) in his last 14 games, including an assist at St. Louis (March 14). The forward ranks sixth on the U.S. National Under-17 Team with 27 points (11-16), and is tied for third on the squad with five power-play goals.

MATTSON OFFENSIVE ON THE BLUE LINE: Nick Mattson (Chanhassen, Minn.) has compiled a team-best 20 points (1-19) this season. Born on Oct. 25, 1991, Mattson is the the second-youngest player on the the U.S. National Under-17 Team. Only Cam Fowler (Farmington Hills, Mich.), who was born on Dec. 5, 1991, is younger.

CLEMENTE PERFORMING WELL IN NET: Goaltender Michael Clemente (Great Falls, Va.) owns a 5-4 record in his last nine appearances with the U.S. National Under-17 Team. During that span, he has compiled a 2.30 goal-against average and a .909 save percentage.

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.

- A total of 14 players from the 2007-08 U.S. National Under-17 Team have verbally committed to play NCAA Division I college 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.

Check out the U.S. National Team Statistics

• Discuss this story on the North American Hockey League message board...

North American Hockey League Stories from March 26, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central