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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-18 Team Travels To Alaska To Commence NCAA Portion of 2006-07 Schedule

September 26, 2006 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team travels to Alaska to battle its first NCAA competition of the season. On Friday (Sept. 30), Team USA takes on the University of Alaska at 7 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time (11 p.m. EDT) at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage. On Saturday night (Sept. 31), the Seawolves of the University of Alaska Anchorage play host to Team USA at 7:07 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time (11:07 p.m. EDT).

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 89-39-8-5. 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. This December, Rolston will serve as the head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the 2007 World Junior Championship in Mora and Leksand, Sweden.

U.S. HEAD COACH RON ROLSTON ON THE WEEKEND AHEAD: "We are really looking forward to this weekend. Not only is it our first shot at (NCAA) Division I competition, but it will also be a great opportunity for our guys to continue to bond and become a cohesive group. The distance of travel will be good experience for the palyers in our preparation for the World Championship in April."

GAME NOTES: The U.S. National Under-18 Team has never faced the University of Alaska nor the University of Alaska Anchorage ... Defenseman Cade Fairchild (Duluth, Minn.) will make the trip to Alaska, but is not expected to play this weekend, as he is recovering from off-season surgery. Fairchild is projected to return next Sunday (Oct. 8) versus the University of Michigan.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM TIDBITS: The U.S. National Under-18 Team is comprised of 21 players who competed last season on the U.S. National Under-17 Team within the National Team Development Program, plus the additions of Jimmy Hayes (Dorchester, Mass.) and Mike Hoeffel (North Oaks, Minn.). Hayes, who attended the Noble and Greenough School (Mass.) last year, participated with Rolston's U.S. National Under-17 Team at the 2005 Under-17 Four Nations Tournament in Piestany, Slovakia, and recorded three points (2-1) in five games. Hoeffel played at Hill-Murray High School (Minn.) last year and earned all-state honorable mention laurels ... Among those highlighting the list of NTDP returnees are Ryan Hayes (Syracuse, N.Y.), Colin Wilson (Greenwich, Conn.), James vanRiemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.) and Cade Fairchild (Duluth, Minn.), all of whom earned gold medals with the U.S. National Under-18 Team at the 2005 International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-18 Championship in Angelholm, Sweden ... John Lilley (Wakefield, Mass.), who served as an assistant coach at the NTDP for four seasons, has left the program to pursue an opportunity at the National Hockey League level. The replacement for Lilley has yet to be named. NTDP Director of Player Personnel Ryan Rezmierski will be assisting Rolston behind the bench this weekend.

LAST WEEK: On Friday (Sept. 22), the U.S. National Under-18 Team dropped the Mahoning Valley Phantoms of the North American Hockey Legaue, 5-2, in the home opener for the Team USA. Colin Wilson and James vanRiemsdyk led the way with three points (2-1) apiece. The following night Team USA traveled to Indianapolis, Ind., and defeated the Indiana Ice of the United States Hockey League, 2-1, on a last-second full-ice shot from defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. The weekend victories moved the U.S. National Under-18 Team to 6-0-0 on the season.

UP NEXT: The U.S. National Under-18 Team will travel across town to take on the University of Michigan on Sunday (Oct. 8) at 5 p.m. EDT in the lone game of the weekend. Team USA has not yet defeated the Wolverines, but have played to one-goal games in each of the past two seasons.

ALUMNI UPDATE: Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y./2004-06), the NTDP's all-time single-season point leader (102), recorded two points (1-1) in his first game with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League ... The Vancouver Canucks matched Ryan Kesler's (Livonia, Mich./2000-02) offer sheet and re-signed him, two days after the Philadelphia Flyers extended a $1.9 million offer.

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. Located in Ann Arbor, Mich., the program has been instrumental in helping the United States capture gold medals at the 2002, 2005 and 2006 International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-18 Championships and the 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship. This past summer, 17 NTDP alumni were selected in the National Hockey League Entry Draft, including the first-overall selection of Erik Johnson (2004-06) by the St. Louis Blues. In the eight years NTDP players have been eligible for the draft, 124 players have been selected.

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