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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-18 Team Prepares for WCHA Swing at Minnesota and St. Cloud State this Weekend

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


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team (5-5-0-1) travels to Minneapolis, Minn., and St. Cloud, Minn., to challenge the University of Minnesota on Saturday (Oct. 26) at 7:05 p.m. CT and St. Cloud State University on Sunday (Oct. 27) at 7:05 p.m. CT.

U.S. 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 132-90-8-8 (W-L-T-OTL).

COACH HYNES ON THE WEEKEND: "It's going to be a very challenging task for us against Minnesota and St. Cloud State. We will be playing in two great environments, and both teams are highly-skilled. These games will test our physical, mental and emotional strength."

SERIES RESULTS AGAINST MINNESOTA: The U.S. National Under-18 Team is 0-2-0 all-time vs. Minnesota.The last time the two teams met was on Feb. 9, 2005, when the Golden Gophers posted a 7-5 victory at Mariucci Arena. Team USA's first clash with Minnesota came back on Jan. 17, 2003, as the Gophers recorded a 6-0 home win.

ABOUT THE GOLDEN GOPHERS: Minnesota (2-2-0) won its first two games of the year over Rensselaer (Oct. 12) and Michigan (Oct. 13), but is coming off a pair of losses at Colorado College last Friday (Oct. 19) and Saturday (Oct. 20). The Golden Gohers are ranked 10th in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey Poll.

Junior Blake Wheeler leads UM with four points (3-1) and former NTDP goaltender Jeff Frazee (2-2-0, 2.72, .913) has been in net in for all of his team's game action.

Minnesota's roster includes six former NTDP players -- Mike Carman (2004-06), Cade Fairchild (2005-07), Ryan Flynn (2004-06), Jeff Frazee (2003-05), Mike Hoeffel (2006-07) and Ryan Stoa (2003-05). A total of 21 NTDP players have committed to Minnesota, including three current NTDP players -- Sam Lofquist (Faribault, Minn.), Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake, Minn.) and Grant Scott (Sewickley, Pa.).

SERIES RESULTS AGAINST ST. CLOUD STATE: The Huskies and the U.S. National Under-18 Team have met one other time -- Jan. 5, 2002. St. Cloud State edged the U.S. National Under-18 Team, 4-2, at the National Hockey Center.

ABOUT THE HUSKIES: St. Cloud State (1-2-1) opened the year with a win and tie vs. Canisius (Oct. 12-13), but was swept by Minnesota Duluth last weekend (Oct. 19-20).

Garrett Roe (2-3), Tony Mosey (2-3) and Ryan Lasch (1-4) lead the Huskies' offensive attack with five points. Jake Weslosky (1-2-0, 1.67, .932) and B.J. O'Brien (0-0-1, 2.78, .769) have shared time between the pipes for St. Cloud State.

Tony Mosey (2005-06) is the lone NTDP product on the Huskies' current roster. Overall, six NTDP players have skated for St. Cloud State.

MORE ON MINNESOTA AND ST. CLOUD STATE: Minnesota and St. Cloud State finished first and second, respectively, in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings a season ago. The Golden Gophers went on to win the WCHA Final Five and later advanced to NCAA West Regional Final, before falling to North Dakota. St. Cloud State garnered a berth in the NCAA Tournament, but fell to Maine in the NCAA East Regional Semifinals.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM NOTES: This weekend will cap a five-game stretch against collegiate teams for the U.S. National Under-18 Team ... The next collegiate opponents for Team USA will be Bowdoin College (Nov. 24) and Colby College (Nov. 25) ... The U.S. National Under-18 Team was 10-9-2 against NCAA competition last season, compared to an 0-3-0 mark so far this year.

BACK IN MINNESOTA: Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Sam Lofquist (Faribault, Minn.), Nick Pryor (Woodbury, Minn.) and Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake, Minn.) each will be heading back to their home state this weekend ... Schroeder helped his St. Thomas Academy (Minn.) squad win the Minnesota Boys' High School Hockey 2006 Class A State championship as a freshman ... Nick Pryor was a ninth-grader on a Hill-Murray (Minn.) team that took fourth in the Minnesota Boys' High School Hockey 2006 Class AA State Tournament .

HELP FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL RANKS: Aaron Ness (Roseau, Minn.) was in uniform for the U.S. National Under-18 Team in its games against Colorado College (Oct. 12) and Air Force (Oct. 13) ... Currently a junior defenseman at Roseau (Minn.) High School, Ness was a member of the Rams' Minnesota Boys' High School Hockey 2007 Class 2A State championship team ... He has verbally committed to the University of Minnesota ... Ness' father, Jay Ness, played defense for the University of North Dakota (1982-85).

UP NEXT: The U.S. National Under-18 Team returns to North American Hockey League competition next Friday (Nov. 2) and Saturday (Nov. 3) when Traverse City comes to the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. Friday's game will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET, while Saturday's tilt is set to start at 7:00 p.m. ET. After its short homecoming, Team USA will head to Switzerland on Nov. 4-9 for the Four Nations Tournament.

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 21 players from the 2007-08 U.S. National Under-18 Team have verbally committed to play NCAA Division I college hockey.

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North American Hockey League Stories from October 23, 2007


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