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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-18 Team Hosts NAHL's Traverse City

January 9, 2007 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team (20-9-3-0) hosts the Traverse City North Stars of the North American Hockey League on Friday (Jan. 12) and Saturday (Jan. 13) at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. Both games are set for 7 p.m. EST.

U.S. HEAD COACH RON ROLSTON: Ron Rolston is in his third season with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program. He has amassed a career record with the NTDP of 103-48-11-5. Rolston was an assistant coach in the collegiate ranks at Lake Superior State University, Clarkson University, Harvard University and Boston College prior to joining the NTDP. Recently, Rolston served as the head coach of the bronze-medal-winning U.S. National Junior Team that competed in the 2007 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Leksand and Mora, Sweden.

U.S. HEAD COACH RON ROLSTON ON THE WEEKEND AHEAD: "This weekend will be good for our guys to play a series in Ann Arbor, in front of their family and friends. We have the chance to get back to playing as a full unit and give guys the chance to play in different situations."

GAME NOTES - The U.S. National Under-18 Team has not played the North Stars yet this season ... Team USA is 8-0-0 versus NAHL opponents this season and has outscored its opponents 52-13 in the eight contests, including 22 goals scored in the three games against NAHL North Division foes.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM NOTES: Defenseman Joe Lavin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) will miss this weekend's contests due to an upper-body injury ... The U.S. National Under-18 Team has not played as a full 21-man unit since a Dec. 2 overtime loss at the University of North Dakota ... Team USA has not played a home game in Ann Arbor since Nov. 22, a 2-2 tie with Canisius College ... The U.S. National Under-18 Team's leading-scorer, James vanRiemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.), re-joins the team after missing last weekend's series while participating at the 2007 IIHF World Junior Championship in Leksand and Mora, Sweden. vanRiemsdyk recorded one goal and posted a plus-one rating in seven games played during the tournament. In eight NAHL games this season vanRiemsdyk has tallied a team-high 16 points (10-6) ... U.S. forward John Albert (Concord, Ohio) has recorded seven points (2-5) in his last four games (all NCAA contests) dating back to Dec. 15 at Northern Michigan University.

BUSY WEEKEND AT THE CUBE: In conjunction with the U.S. National Under-18 Team's games this weekend, USA Hockey's NTDP is hosting the Second Annual Victory Honda Cup. The tournament features 20 of the top midget major and midget minor teams from across the country. The field includes teams from California to New Jersey. The participants will have the chance to tour the NTDP facility and watch one of the Under-18 Team's contests.

LAST WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team swept an NCAA weekend on the east coast. On Friday night (Jan. 5) Team USA topped Princeton University by a 4-2 count. Ryan Hayes (Syracuse, N.Y.), Colin Wilson (Greenwich, Conn.), Cade Fairchild (Duluth, Minn.) and Mike Hoeffel (North Oaks, Minn.) all scored for the U.S. Josh Unice (Toledo, Ohio) made 43 saves to earn his 11th win of the season in net for Team USA. On Saturday night, (Jan. 6) John Albert recorded four points (2-2) and Jordan Schroeder (Lakeville, Minn.) added three (1-2) in Team USA's 7-3 win over the No. 1 ranked NCAA Division III Manhatttanville Valiants.

UP NEXT: Team USA will travel to Colorado Springs, Colo., to take on Colorado College at World Arena on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 2:00 p.m. MST in the lone contest of the weekend. The U.S. National Under-18 Team will have its first opportunity in two seasons to play in front of USA Hockey's National Office staff, based across the street from the World Arena.

NTDP ALUMNI UPDATE: U.S. defenseman Erik Johnson (Bloomington, Min./2004-06) was named the best defenseman in the World Junior Championship by the IIHF directorate. He is only the second U.S. blue liner in the history of the event to receive the honor, joining Joe Corvo, who was honored in 1997 ... The U.S. had two players on the six-member media all-star team at the World Junior event, including Erik Johnson on defense and forward Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y./2004-06). Kane led the U.S. team with five goals.

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 eight years NTDP players have been eligible for the draft, 124 players have been selected, including the number one overall selection in both 2000 (Rick DiPietro) and 2006 (Erik Johnson).

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