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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-18 Team Weekly

November 27, 2007 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team will make its second of three consecutive trips to the East Coast this weekend, where it will take on Yale University Saturday (Dec. 1), and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Sunday (Dec. 2). Both games are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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 136-95-9-8 (W-L-T-OTL).

COACH HYNES ON THE WEEKEND: "We have another challenging weekend ahead of us. It will be important for us to get out to a strong start in both games."

SERIES HISTORY WITH UMASS: The U.S. National Under-18 Team has played the Minutemen one other time. The two teams met back on Feb. 15, 2002, as Team USA recorded a 4-1 win at the William D. Mullins Center.

?ABOUT THE MINUTEMEN: UMass (6-3-4, 3-2-2 HE) is a member of the Hockey East Association, and is coming off an appearance in the NCAA Tournament a season ago. The Minutemen are in second place in the Hockey East standings with 10 points.

James Marcou leads the offensive attack for the Minutemen up front with 11 points (3-8). Paul Dainton (4-3-4, 2.30, .920) has seen the bulk of the playing time between the pipes for UMass.

SERIES HISTORY WITH YALE: The U.S. National Under-18 Team owns a 2-0-1 record all-time vs. Yale, in a series that begin in the 2001-02 campaign. Team USA posted a 5-4 win in the last meeting between the two squads on Jan. 24, 2004, at Ingalls Rink.

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS: Yale (3-3-2, 2-2-2 ECACH) is sixth in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Hockey standings with six points.

Mark Arcobello has compiled a team-best seven points (3-4) for the Bulldogs. Former NTDP product, Billy Blase (Santa Monica, Calif./2003-04), owns a 3-2-2 record, and boasts a 1.60 goals against average and a .942 save percentage.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM NOTES: Seven different players contributed at least two points in Team USA's 8-3 victory at Colby College last Sunday (Nov. 25). The eight goals scored by the U.S. National Under-18 Team was a season high.

PLAYER BIOS: See pages 5-10 of the attached PDF.

UP NEXT: The U.S. National Under-18 Team will travel to the Boston area next weekend for games against Boston University Saturday (Dec. 8) and Harvard University Sunday (Dec. 9). Saturday's game will be played at Agannis Arena, while Sunday's contest will take place at the Bright Hockey Center. Both games are scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. ET.

SCHROEDER ON TOP OF POINTS LIST: In wake of his two-point game at Colby (Nov. 25), Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake, Minn.) continues to lead Team USA with 16 points (7-9). The forward chipped in a goal and an assist in helping his squad record an 8-3 victory over the Mules.

GRIMSHAW PROVIDES FIRST SHORTY OF YEAR: Ryan Grimshaw (Rochester, Minn.) recorded his first multi-point effort of the year with a shorthanded goal, and an assist last Sunday. His shorty was the first scored by the U.S. National Under-18 Team this season.

KRISTO A CONSISTENT SCORING FORCE: Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.) owns a team-best 10 goals, including two markers last Sunday. Kristo also doled out an assist on Ryan Grimshaw's game-winning goal to secure his first three-point outing of the year. He contributed a goal last Saturday against Bowdoin to give him four points on the weekend.

WARSOFSKY PROVIDING OFFENSE FROM THE BLUE LINE: Team USA's top scoring defensemen throughout the 2007-08 season, David Warskofsky (Marshfield, Mass.) notched a goal and an assist last Sunday. The blueliner has amassed 12 points (5-7), which ranks fifth overall on his squad points list.

SHARING THE WEALTH: The U.S. National Under-18 Team has received game-winning goals from seven different players in the 2007-07 campaign. Jordan Schroeder has contributed a team-best two game-winners.

STATES OF 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. Natonal Under-17 and Under-18 Teams.

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.

NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING'S FALL RANKINGS: A total of 22 players from the U.S. National Under-18 Team were recognized as "Players to Watch" for the 2008 National Hockey League Entry Draft, according to NHL Central Scouting's fall rankings (Oct. 24). NHL Central Scouting will announce its midseason rankings in January before releasing 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 U.S. National Under-18 Team highlighted in the rankings in the attached PDF.

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 68 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 of the attached PDF.

ATLANTIC HOCKEY ASSOCIATION UPDATE: Tom Dickhudt (Woodbury, Minn./2001-03) tallied an assist in his 60th collegiate game last Saturday (Nov. 24).

COLLEGE HOCKEY AMERICA UPDATE: John Vadnais (Stillwater, Minn./2002-03) ranks second among Bemidji State defensemen with three points (1-2).

CENTRAL COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION UPDATE: Kevin Porter (Northville, Mich./2002-04) leads the nation with 24 points (16-8). He has been named the CCHA Offensive Player of the Week twice (Nov. 19, Nov. 26) in the 2007-08 campaign ... Chad Kolarik (Abington, Pa./2002-04) ranks eighth nationally with 20 points (9-11), and is tied for second in the country with two shorthanded goals ... Tom Fritsche (Parma, Ohio/2002-04) has also recorded two shorthanded goals ... Kyle Lawson (New Hudson, Mich./2004-05) was named CCHA Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 19 ... Mark Mitera (Livonia, Mich./2003-05) was named the CCHA Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 29 ... Justin Mercier (Erie, Pa./2004-05) garnered CCHA Offensive Player of the Week laurels on Oct. 22 ... Jordan Pearce (Anchorage, Alaska) has the ninth-best winning percentage (.714) nationally, and ranks 19th in goals against average (2.01) ... Ian Cole (Ann Arbor, Mich./2005-2007) picked up his first goal as a collegian last Friday (Nov. 23).

EASTERN COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE HOCKEY NOTES: Billy Blase (Santa Monica, Calif./2003-05) ranks fourth in the country with a 1.60 goals against average, and is fifth nationally with a .942 save percentage.

HOCKEY EAST ASSOCIATION NOTES: James vanRiemsdyk (Middletown, N.J./2005-07) is tied for fifth among all rookies nationally with 14 points (5-9), and is tied for ninth among all players ... Colin Wilson (Greenwich, Conn./2005-07) owns a share of fifth among Hockey East rookies with eight points (4-4) ... Kevin Shattenkirk (New Rochelle, N.Y.) has tallied five points (1-4), good for a share of 11th in points by Hockey East freshmen.

WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION NOTES: Cade Fairchild (Duluth, Minn./2005-07) is tied for 25th nationally among defensemen with nine points (2-7). He owns a share of fourth in points by WCHA rookies, and is tied for fourth among all WCHA blueliners in points ... Tony Mosey (Apple Valley, Minn./2005-06) was honored as the WCHA Rookie of the Week on Oct. 16 ... Jamie McBain (Faribault, Minn./2004-06) is tied for 12th among WCHA defensemen with seven points (1-6) ... Mike Hoeffel (North Oaks, Minn./2006-07) netted his first collegiate goal, shorthanded, last Friday (Nov. 23).

NTDP WELL REPRESENTED IN THE NHL: Over 30 former players from USA Hockey's National Team Development Program have played in the National Hockey League this season.

KANE LEADS NHL ROOKIES IN POINTS: Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y./2004-06) leads all NHL rookies with 22 points (7-15). The second-youngest player in the NHL, Kane finished with 16 points (5-11) last month, and was named the NHL Rookie of the Month for October. His point total was the most by an NHL rookie in October since 1992-93 when Teemu Selanne recorded 20 points. He is the first NTDP player to be recognized as the rookie of the month by the NHL.

OTHER NHL NOTES: Peter Mueller (Bloomington, Minn./2003-05) ranks eighth among NHL rookies with 10 points (6-4) ... Rick DiPietro (Winthrop, Mass./1997-99) recorded his 100th career victory against the New York Rangers (Nov. 19). He ranks 12th in the NHL with a 2.31 goals against average ... Ron Hainsey (Bolton, Conn./1997-99) has tallied 15 points (3-12), good for 10th among NHL defensemen. Phil Kessel (Madison, Wis./2003-05) has amassed two multi-point games this season, and he netted his first game-winner in the NHL Oct. 25 ... Filed his first career hat trick Oct. 12 ... R.J. Umberger (Pittsburgh, Pa./1998-2000) has compiled four multi-point games this year, including two points last Saturday (Nov. 24) ... Erik Johnson (Bloomington, Minn./2004-06) provided the second game-winning goal of his NHL career last Friday (Nov. 23) .... Matt Carle (Anchorage, Alaska/2000-02) signed a four-year contract extension with San Jose last Wednesday (Nov. 21) ... Jake Dowell (Eau Claire, Wis./2001-03) scored his first career NHL goal, shorthanded, during his NHL debut last Thursday (Nov. 22) ... Greg Moore (Lisbon, Maine/2000-02) played in his first NHL game last Wednesday (Nov. 21) ... Matt Hunwick (Roseville, Mich./2001-03) made his NHL debut Nov. 10.

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