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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-18 Team Hosts Alpena Tuesday; Hits Road for Two-Game Set at Texas This Weekend

March 11, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team continues its home stand this Tuesday (March 11) when it hosts the Alpena IceDiggers. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EDT at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. Team USA then travels to Frisco, Texas, for a two-game series vs. the Texas Tornado at the Dr Pepper StarCenter. Both games will start at 7:30 p.m. CDT.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM HEAD COACH JOHN HYNES: John Hynes is in his fifth season with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program. He has amassed a career record of 150-105-9-12 (W-L-T-OTL).

SEASON RESULTS AGAINST ALPENA: The U.S. National Under-18 Team dropped its lone encounter with the IceDiggers, 4-2, on March 2 at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

ABOUT THE ICEDIGGERS: Alpena (28-20-5) ranks third in the North American Hockey League North Division Standings with 61 points. Erik Peterson is the IceDiggers' top point getter with 70 (24-46). Nate Pellegrino (12-9-1, 2.93, .901) and Nick Graves (14-5-4, 2.57, .909) have split time between the pipes.

SEASON RESULTS AGAINST TEXAS: The U.S. National Under-18 Team and Texas met one other time this season, back on Sept. 19 at the Schwan's Super Rink in Blaine, Minn. Team USA defeated the Tornado by a score of 3-1.

ABOUT THE TORNADO: Texas (20-33-4) is fourth in the NAHL South Division standings with 44 points. Ben Van Lare leads the Tornado with 51 points (23-28). Thomas Callaghan (17-23-3, 3.01, 906) has garnered a team-high 2430:22 of game action in net.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM NOTES: The U.S. National Under-18 and Under-17 Teams have combined to field a 24-23-4 record in the NAHL North Division standings. Team USA is one point behind Marquette and Traverse City. The top four teams in the division will qualify for the NAHL playoffs, and the U.S. National Under-17 Team will represent the National Team Development Program if a playoff berth is solidified ... David Wohlberg (South Lyon, Mich.) compiled two goals and one assist vs. St. Louis (March 7), marking his highest single-game point total of the year ... Ryan Hegarty (Arlington, Mass.) recorded a season-high three assists against the Bandits (March 7) ... Sam Lofquist (Faribault, Minn.) also chipped in a goal and a helper last Friday.

FOLLOWING THE U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-18 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.

UP NEXT: The U.S. National Under-18 Team concludes the NAHL portion of its 2007-08 schedule with a series at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube against the Marquette Rangers on Friday, March 21, and Saturday, March 22 Friday's game will start at 7:30 p.m. EDT, while Saturday's contest will kick off at 7 p.m. EDT.

TRIPLE THREAT UP FRONT: Ryan Bourque (Boxford, Mass.), Jeremy Morin (Auburn, N.Y.) and Kyle Palmieri (Montvale, N.J.) have combined to tally 103 points (63-40) for the U.S. National Under-17 Team this season. The trio has combined to tally 35 points (15-20) since joining the U.S. National Under-18 Team at Ohio State (Jan. 11) - a span of 15 games. Morin has recorded 20 points (9-11), including five power-play goals and one game-winning marker. Bourque has contributed seven points (2-5), including two power-play goals. Palmieri has compiled eight points (4-4), including one tally with a man advantage, and one game-winning goal.

SCHROEDER LEADING THE OFFENSE: Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake, Minn.) continues to lead the U.S. National Under-18 Team with 39 points (14-25) after he handed out an assist vs. St. Louis (March 8).

Not only is Schroeder pacing the U.S. National Under-18 Team in points, he finished second on the U.S. National Junior Team with eight points (1-7), and was tied for first among all players in assists at the 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Pardubice and Liberec, Czech Republic (Dec. 26-Jan. 5). Schroeder was the youngest player on the 2008 U.S. National Junior Team roster.

WARSOFSKY DYNAMIC FROM THE BLUE LINE: In addition to leading Team USA's defensive corps with 29 points (9-20), David Warsofsky (Marshfield, Mass.) ranks second behind Schroeder on the squad's overall points list. The blueliner has filed eight points (1-7) in his last 10 games.

KRISTO AND CZARNIK HAVE SCORING TOUCH: Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and Robbie Czarnik (Washington, Mich.) are tied for first on Team USA's scoring list with 15 goals. Czarnik has accumulated 29 points, while Kristo has totaled 26 points.

NATIONAL TEAM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TRYOUTS: USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Tryout Camp will be held on March 22-25 at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube in Ann Arbor, Mich. A total of 46 players from the 1992 age group will be in attendance at the camp.

NTDP WELL REPRESENTED IN THE NHL: A total of 44 former players from USA Hockey's National Team Development Program have appeared in at least one National Hockey League game this season.

NHL NOTES: Chicago Blackhawk forward Patrick Kane (2004-06) is first among NHL rookies with 59 points (16-43) ... Peter Mueller (2003-05) of the Phoenix Coyotes ranks third among NHL newcomers with 47 points (21-26) ... Erik Johnson (2004-06) has compiled 25 points (4-21) for the St. Louis Blues, good for third among the league's rookie defensemen ... Jack Johnson (2003-05) of the Los Angeles Kings is third among rookie blueliners in ice time per game (21:43).

NCAA DIVISION I TEAMS TAP NTDP PLAYERS: The number of former NTDP players suiting up for NCAA Division I ice hockey programs has grown to 67 in the 2007-08 season. Boston University (7) has the highest number of former NTDP players on its roster. The full list of Division I players with ties to the NTDP can be found on page four.

NCAA NOTES: Ian Cole (2005-07), a freshman defenseman at the University of Notre Dame, has been recognized as a Central Collegiate Hockey Association All-Rookie team honorable mention selection ... Boston College junior forward Nathan Gerbe (2003-05) registered two points (1-1) at Northeastern University (March 8), marking his 13th multiple-point effort this season. Gerbe has scored 60 career goals and is tied for 32nd on BC's all-time list ... University of Vermont rookie winger Chris Atkinson (2005-07) notched a career-high two assists vs. the University of New Hampshire (March 8).

NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING'S MID-TERM RANKINGS: Twelve players with ties to the NTDP were recognized as potential draft picks for the 2008 National Hockey League Entry Draft, according to NHL Central Scouting's mid-term rankings (Jan. 9). NHL Central Scouting will announce its final rankings in April. The 2008 NHL Entry Draft will be held on June 21-22 at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario.

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 22 players from the 2007-08 U.S. National Under-18 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.

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North American Hockey League Stories from March 11, 2008


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