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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-18 Team Rolls to 8-2 Win Over NAHL South All Stars

February 18, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Aided by a six-goal second period, the U.S. National Under-18 Team skated away with an 8-2 victory against the South Division All Stars in the second day of the North American Hockey League Top Prospects Tournament here tonight. Goaltender Joe Cannata (Wakefield, Mass.) turned aside 24 of the 26 shots he faced for Team USA.

"It was an exciting game for our guys to compete in tonight," said John Hynes, head coach of the U.S. National Under-18 Team. "As a team, we played very well together, and with a lot of energy."

Team USA lit up the scoreboard just 57 seconds into the opening frame when Sean Lorenz (Littleton, Colo.) recorded his third goal of the season, thanks to helpers from Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake, Minn.) and Jeremy Morin (Auburn, N.Y.). Lorenz flipped a wrist shot from the bottom of the right circle up high inside the right post.

Schroeder started Team USA's second-period scoring barrage with a marker just 1:04 into the frame off assists from Morin and David Warsofsky (Marshfield, Mass.). Schroeder released a powerful shot from the slot up high into the net.

Luke Salazar put the visitors on the board with a power-play goal at the 3:10 mark of the middle session.

After that, the U.S. National Under-18 Team erupted with five goals in the next 14 minutes. Vinny Saponari (Powder Springs, Ga.) teamed up with Morin and Schroeder at 4:17, before Nick Pryor (Woodbury, Minn.) fired a well-placed shot from the left point by South Division All Stars' netminder Mike Jarboe at the 8:19 mark. Morin and Ryan Grimshaw (Rochester, Mich.) each provided assists on Pryor's marker. Thirty-three seconds later, Morin netted a goal, with help from Saponari and Schroeder.

Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.) compiled Team USA's first power-play tally of the evening at 16:14 of the stanza when he converted on a wrist shot from the high slot. Pryor and Lorenz each chipped in assists on the play.

The South Division All Stars' Grant Everett tacked on his squad's final score of the game less than a minute later.

Team USA pitched in one more power-play goal with 1:29 left in the period as Sam Lofquist (Faribault, Minn.) unleashed a rocket from the top of the point that beat Jarboe down low.

Jarboe was then pulled from the South Division All Stars' net after making 16 saves in 40 minutes of action. Cody Reichard ended up stopping two shots in one period of playing time.

Justin Florek (Marquette, Mich.) concluded the U.S. Natonal Under-18 Team's offensive exhibition with a marker at the 7:54 mark of the third session. Patrick Gaul (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Colin Moore (Medfield, Mass.) were each credited with helpers.

The NAHL Top Prospects Tournament concludes Tuesday (Feb. 19) when the U.S. National Under-18 Team (1-1) matches up against the North Division All Stars (2-0) at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. EST. The South Division All Stars (0-2) and the Central Division All Stars (1-1) will play in the early game at 12:00 p.m. EST.

Notes: Jeremy Morin (one goal, four assists), Jordan Schroeder (one goal, three assists) and Vinny Saponari (one goal, one assist) combined to notch 11 points for Team USA's No. 1 line ... Nick Pryor (one goal, two assists) posted a season-high three points ... Sean Lorenz (one goal, one assist) tallied his second multi-point game of the year ... The first annual NAHL Top Prospects Tournament is being held at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube from Feb. 17-19 ... The North Division All Stars secured a 5-4 shootout win over the Central Division All Stars in the other game on Monday.

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North American Hockey League Stories from February 18, 2008


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