NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-18 Team Weekly

January 7, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team begins this week with a duel against the University of Michigan on Tuesday (Jan. 8) at Yost Arena. The puck will drop at 7:35 p.m. ET. The squad then travels to Columbus, Ohio, where it will challenge the Ohio State Buckeyes on Friday (Jan. 11) at Value City Arena. Opening faceoff is set for 7:05 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 141-98-9-8 (W-L-T-OTL).

SERIES HISTORY WITH MICHIGAN: The U.S. National Under-18 Team is winless in six previous games against the Wolverines. The first meeting between the two teams came back on Dec. 12, 2000, when UM filed a 4-2 win. Team USA lost, 3-2, in overtime, during its last matchup against the Wolverines Oct. 8, 2006. Each of the six prior games in the series have taken place at Yost Arena.

ABOUT THE WOLVERINES: Michigan (18-2-0, 11-1-0 CCHA), a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, is the No. 1 team in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey Poll for the third consecutive week. The Wolverines are tied for first with Miami in the CCHA standings with 22 points. UM is coming off a first-place showing at the Great Lakes Invitational, where it defeated Providence (Dec. 28) and Michigan Tech (Dec. 29).

The Michigan roster is dotted with six former NTDP players, which is tied for the second-highest total among NCAA Division I teams. Boston University (7) and Minnesota (6) are the other two programs with at least six players with ties to the NTDP. Danny Fardig (2003-05), Chad Kolarik (2002-04), Mark Mitera (2003-05), Kevin Porter (2002-04), Matt Rust (2005-07) and Chris Summers (2004-06) each spent two seasons skating with the U.S. National Under-18 and Under-17 Teams. Porter leads the CCHA and is second in the country with 31 points (19-12). Billy Sauer (16-2-0, .930, 1.80) has been a mainstay in the Wolverines' net throughout the 2007-08 season.

SERIES HISTORY WITH OHIO STATE: The U.S. National Under-18 Team is 0-1-0 all-time against the Buckeyes. OSU edged Team USA by a 4-3 count, in overtime, back on Oct. 13, 2001, at Value City Arena.

ABOUT THE BUCKEYES: Ohio State (7-15-2, 3-10-1 CCHA) ranks 10th in the CCHA race with seven points. The Buckeyes went 1-1-0 in the Ohio Hockey Classic, as they beat Harvard (Dec. 29) and lost to Miami (Dec. 30) in the championship game of the tournament. Five former NTDP players - John Albert (2005-07), Jason DeSantis (2002-04), Tom Fritsche (2002-04), Joe Palmer (2004-06) and C.J. Severyn (2005-07) - are on the OSU roster. Tommy Goebel leads the Buckeyes' offensive attack with 19 points (11-8). Palmer (5-12-3, 3.22, .887) has appeared in 19 of Ohio State's 24 games this year.

NTDP IMPACT AT THE IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: John Hynes, head coach of the U.S. National Under-18 Team, served as the head coach of the 2008 U.S. National Junior Team that took fourth at the 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Pardubice and Liberec, Czech Republic. Team USA finished 4-2-0 in the the tournament ... Sixteen members of the 2008 U.S. National Junior Team spent time with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, including Mike Carman (2004-06), Ian Cole (2005-07), Cade Fairchild (2005-07), Ryan Flynn (2004-06), Blake Geoffrion (2004-06), Jamie McBain (2004-06), Kevin Montgomery (2004-05), Joe Palmer, Rhett Rakhshani (2004-06), Matt Rust, Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake, Minn.), Brian Strait (2004-05), Chris Summers, Billy Sweatt (2004-05), James vanRiemsdyk (2005-07) and Colin Wilson (2005-07) ... vanRiemsdyk led all players with 11 points (5-6) at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship ... vanRiemsdyk and McBain paced Team USA with +4 ratings ... Wilson tallied seven points (6-1), and his goal total was tied for first in the tournament ... Schroeder finished with eight points (1-7), and held a share of first among all players in assists.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM NOTES: Tim Taylor, assistant coach of the U.S. National Under-18 Team, was the acting head coach in the absence of John Hynes ... The U.S. National Under-18 Team is 6-3-0 in its last nine games against NCAA competition ... Team USA's 59 shots against Geneseo State (Jan. 5) was the highest total of the 2007-08 slate ... Team USA has received game-winning goals from 10 different players this year ... David Warsofsky (Marshfield, Mass.) amassed a season-high four points (1-3) vs. Geneseo State (Jan. 5). The blueliner leads the Team USA defensive corps with 18 points (7-11) ... Vinny Saponari (Powder Springs, Ga.) chipped in a pair of assists against GSU, and has moved into first on the Team USA points chart with 20 (7g, 13a) ... Colin Reddin (Corona Del Mar, Calif.) notched his first multi-goal effort of the year against GSU (Jan. 5). He tallied his first shorthanded marker of the season, and his first game-winner of the campaign ... David Wohlberg (South Lyon, Mich.) compiled his first two-goal performance of the year vs. Geneseo State (Jan. 5).

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. National Under-17 and Under-18 Teams.

UP NEXT: The U.S. National Under-18 Team is off until Tuesday, January 22, when it will host Adrian College at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. Team USA then travels to Marquette, Mich., for a matchup with Northern Michigan University at the Berry Events Center on Saturday, January 26. Both games are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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.

NCAA NOTES: Nathan Gerbe (2003-05) was recognized as the Hockey East December Player of the Month (Jan. 2) after he tallied 16 points (7-9) in helping Boston College to a 4-0-0 record. He was named the Most Valuable Player at the Dodge Holiday Classic in Minneapolis, Minn., where he totaled seven points (2-5) in wins over Air Force (Dec. 29) and RIT (Dec. 30) ... Mike Ratchuk (2004-06) gained CCHA Defensive Player of the Week accolades after he totaled four points (3-1) in leading Michigan State to a three-point weekend against Lake Superior State (Jan. 4-5).

NTDP WELL REPRESENTED IN THE NHL: Nearly 40 former players from USA Hockey's NTDP have played in the National Hockey League this season.

NHL NOTES: David Booth (2001-02) notched an assist in back-to-back games against the New Jersey Devils (Jan. 2) and New York Islanders (Jan. 3) ... Patrick Kane (2004-06) leads all NHL rookies with 39 points (9-30). The second-youngest player in the NHL, Kane has tallied seven points (one goal, six assists) in his last seven games with the Chicaco Blackhawks ... Ryan Kesler (2000-02), of the Vancouver Canucks, netted his first game-winning goal of the season vs. the New York Rangers (Jan. 3) ... Phil Kessel (2003-05) has compiled four points (two goals, two assists) in his last five games ... Jack Skille (2003-05) made his NHL debut for the Blackhawks against the Los Angeles Kings (Dec. 30) ... Ryan Whitney (2000-01) recorded an assist in consecutive games vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs (Jan. 3) and the Florida Panthers (Jan. 5) ... Barry Tallackson (1999-2001) played in his first contest of the 2007-08 campaign with the New Jersey Devils against the Panthers (Jan. 2).

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.

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North American Hockey League Stories from January 7, 2008


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