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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-18 Team Readies for Home Series Against St. Louis Bandits This Weekend

March 5, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team welcomes the St. Louis Bandits to the Ann Arbor Ice Cube for a two-game set this Friday (March 7) and Saturday (March 8). Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. EST in the series opener and 7 p.m. EST in the rubber match.

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 150-103-9-12 (W-L-T-OTL).

SEASON RESULTS AGAINST ST. LOUIS: The U.S. National Under-18 Team and the Bandits will meet on the ice for the first time of the year this weekend.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: St. Louis (41-8-2) is on top of the North American Hockey League North Division Standings with 84 points. Ben Warda is the Bandits' top point getter with 68 (26-42). Cal Heeter (20-5-1, 2.46, .917) and Mike Johnson (20-3-1, 2.59, .908) have split time in net for St. Louis.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM NOTES: The U.S. National Under-18 and Under-17 Teams have combined to field a 23-21-3 record in the NAHL North Division standings. Team USA is two points behind fifth-place Marquette, but it has played three less games than the Rangers. 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 ... The U.S. National Under-18 Team finished the 2007-08 season with an 8-12-2-2 record vs. NCAA Division I teams ... Team USA was unbeaten in three of it last four contests against NCAA Division I competition ... The U.S. National Under-18 Team recorded one win against four of the six NCAA Division I men's ice hockey conferences this season - one against Yale University and Harvard University (ECAC Hockey -- Dec. 1, Dec. 9), one vs. the University of Minnesota Duluth (Western Collegiate Hockey Association -- Dec. 14), one at Northern Michigan University (Central Collegiate Hockey Association -- Jan. 26) and another at Robert Morris University (College Hockey America -- Feb. 23) ... The U.S. National Under-18 Team has received game-winning goals from 13 different players this season ... Colin Moore (Medfield, Mass.) compiled his first shorthanded marker, and Team USA's third shorty of the 2007-08 slate at the University of Nebraska-Omaha (Feb. 29).

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 hosts the Alpena IceDiggers next Tuesday (March 11). Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST 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. CST.

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 threesome has combined to tally 32 points (15-17) since joining the U.S. National Under-18 Team at Ohio State (Jan. 11) - a span of 13 games. Morin has recorded 18 points (9-9), 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 seven points (4-3), and notched his first hat trick with the U.S. National Under-18 Team in a 5-3 win over Finland (Feb. 10) at the Five Nations Tournament in Varkaus, Finland.

SCHROEDER LEADING THE OFFENSE: Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake, Minn.) continues to lead the U.S. National Under-18 Team with 38 points (14-24) after he handed out an assist at Nebraska-Omaha (Feb. 29).

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 eight games, including two assists at Robert Morris (Feb. 23).

KRISTO AND CZARNIK HAVE SCORING TOUCH: Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and Robbie Czarnik (Washington, Mich.) rank first and second on Team USA's scoring list with 15 and 14 goals, respectively. Czarnik has accumulated 28 points, while Kristo has totaled 25 points.

PRYOR RAMPING UP OFFENSIVE CONTRIBUTIONS: Nick Pryor (Woodbury, Minn.) has notched five points (1-4) in his last six games, including a season-high three-point (1-2) effort against the South All Stars (Feb. 18) at the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament in Ann Arbor, Mich. Pryor ranks second among Team USA defensemen with 14 points (3-11).

GOALIES DOING THEIR PART: Netminder Joe Cannata (Wakefield, Mass.) has posted a 2.29 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage in his last four games. Counterpart Brandon Maxwell (Winter Park, Fla.) has amassed a 2.27 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage in his last four appearances between the pipes.

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. The list of players from the NTDP are highlighted in the rankings above.

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 45 players from the 1992 age group will be in attendance at the camp.

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.

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 second among NHL rookies with 55 points (16-39) ... Peter Mueller (2003-05) of the Phoenix Coyotes is tied for third among NHL newcomers with 43 points (19-24) ... Erik Johnson (2004-06) has compiled 24 points (3-21) for the St. Louis Blues, good for third among the league's rookie defensemen ... Ryan Whitney (2000-01) has compiled 34 points (12-22) for the Pittsburgh Penguins, good for a share of 20th among the league's blueliners.

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: University of Michigan forward Kevin Porter (2002-04) was named the RBC Financial Group Central Collegiate Hockey Association Player of the Month for February. Porter notched 14 points (4-10) in helping the Wolverines secure a 5-1-3 record. He leads all of NCAA Division I with 54 points (27-27) ... Boston College winger Nathan Gerbe (2003-05) ranks second nationally with 46 points (23-23) ... University of Minnesota defenseman Cade Fairchild (2005-07) is the top point getter among freshmen Western Collegiate Hockey Association with 13 (2-11).

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