NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-18 Team Plays One Final NCAA Tune-Up Prior to 2007 Five Nations Tournament

Published on January 30, 2007 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team travels to Detroit, Mich., in its second-shortest road trip of the season (49 miles) to take on College Hockey America's Wayne State University on Friday (Feb. 2). Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. EST at the Hockeytown State Fair Coliseum.

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 104-49-11-6 (w-l-t-otl). 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: "Friday will be another good chance to challenge our guys against an NCAA opponent. With last weekend off, I expect our guys will come into the game re-energized and re-focused. We only play three more college contests, so we need to use the remaining games as tools to continue to get better as a team."

GAME NOTES - Wayne State Warriors: The U.S. National Under-18 Team is 1-1-0 in two contests against the Warriors. Wayne State won the last match-up during the 2002-03 season by a 6-3 count. The U.S. won during the 2000-01 season, 4-3 ... This weekend will mark the first time the U.S. National Under-18 Team has played at the Hockeytown State Fair Coliseum ... Nick Shrader (Blissfield, Mich.) is the lone NTDP alumnus to skate for the Warriors. He recorded 31 points (11-20) in three seasons (2000-03) at Wayne State.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM NOTES: Defenseman Ryan McKiernan (White Plains, N.Y.), who is currently skating with the New Jersey Hitmen of the Eastern Junior Hockey League, is expected to be in the line-up this weekend. McKiernan has played with the U.S. National Under-18 Team during its last three NCAA contests, dating back to the start of the new year ... Defenseman Joe Lavin (Schrewsbury, Mass.) will see his first action of the new year with the U.S. National Under-18 Team on Friday. Lavin was out of the line-up for two weeks in early January due to injury and spent the past week with the U.S. National Under-17 Team. In four games with the Under-17 Team, Lavin recorded two assists.

LAST WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team had the weekend off following a weekend series with the Traverse City North Stars (Jan. 12-13) of the North American Hockey League.

UP NEXT: The U.S. National Under-18 Team travels to Most, Czech Republic, on Sunday, February 4, to compete in the 2007 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament. Team USA will face Russia, Finland, Sweden and the Czech Republic in the weeklong event. This tournament is Team USA's final international tune-up prior to the 2007 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Rauma and Tampere, Finland, from April 11-22. The U.S. National Under-18 Team has won back-to-back gold medals at this event.

NTDP ALUMNI UPDATE: London Knights forward Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y./2004-06) recorded eight goals in three contests this weekend, including back-to-back hat tricks on Friday and Saturday nights ... University of Michigan sophomore defenseman Jack Johnson (Ann Arbor, Mich./2003-05) recorded eight points (5-3) in a weekend sweep of Ferris State University. Johnson posted a +5-rating in conjunction with his first career hat trick on Friday night.

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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North American Hockey League Stories from January 30, 2007


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