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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-18 Team Drops Jr. Blues in Shootout, 5-4

March 23, 2007 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The U.S. National Under-18 Team went a perfect three-for-three and netminder Josh Unice (Toledo, Ohio) turned aside all three shootout attempts he faced to give Team USA a 5-4 victory over the Springfield Jr. Blues tonight in North American Hockey League play at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

Ryan Hayes (Syracuse, N.Y.) got the U.S. on the board first when he buried a two-on-one feed from linemate Colin Wilson (Greenwich, Conn.) to give Team USA the 1-0 lead 12:02 into the opening frame. U.S. forward Jordan Schroeder (Lakeville, Minn.) made it a 2-0 contest 2:52 later when he gathered a loose puck in front of the Jr. Blues net and deposited it behind the sprawled Springfield netminder Adam Roy.

James vanRiemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.) notched his 32nd goal of the season 22 seconds into the second period when Schroeder left him a drop pass at the top of the Springfield zone and he walked in a buried a backhand shot over the left shoulder of Roy. Springfield replied 1:51 later in the middle frame on a power-play goal by Brad Sellers to make it a 3-1 contest.

Team USA regained the three-goal lead 12:09 into the second period when defenseman Cade Fairchild (Duluth, Minn.) beat Roy with a slapshot from the left point on the power play to gain a 4-1 lead. Springfield notched its second power-play goal of the night with 5:10 remaining in the second stanza when Andrew Berecz tapped in a back-door pass to make it a 4-2 game.

Springfield added two goals in the final frame, including Sellers' second power-play tally of the game with five minutes remaining in the contest, to knot the game at 4-4.

In overtime Team USA was assessed a minor penalty with 2:55 remaining in the game, but Unice and the U.S. defensive corps were able to keep the score tied and send the game to a shootout.

vanRiemsdyk, Ryan Hayes and Schroeder all scored on their shootout attempts and Unice turned aside all three shooters he faced to earn the victory for Team USA.

The U.S. National Under-18 Team will close out the regular season when it hosts the Jr. Blues tomorrow night at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

NOTES: The U.S. National Under-18 Team is now 15-0-1 versus NAHL competition this season ... Schroeder (Sept. 19, 1990) is the youngest member of the U.S. National Under-18 Team ... Team USA assistant captain Teddy Ruth (Naperville, Ill.) and forward Mike Hoeffel (North Oaks, Minn.) were out of the lineup tonight due to injury.

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