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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-18 Team Weekly

January 22, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team plays the first of two games this week tonight (Jan. 22) when it hosts 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 (Jan. 26). 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 141-100-9-8 (W-L-T-OTL).

SERIES HISTORY WITH ADRIAN: The U.S. National Under-18 Team and Adrian will be be meeting for the first time Tuesday evening.

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS: Adrian is in its first year of existence as an NCAA Division III hockey program. The Bulldogs compete in the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association. Adrian (14-3-0, 11-1-0 MHCA) leads the MCHA with 22 points, two points ahead of Marian College.

The Bulldogs are led by Shawn Skelly, who has recorded 43 points (18-25), while Eric Miller (42 points) and Adam Krug (41 points) are also potent offensive producers. Brad Fogal (11-2-0, 2.21, .921) is Adrian's most experienced netminder with 706 minutes of game action. Bryan Scott (3-1-0, 4.54, .828) has also earned 291 minutes of playing time between the pipes.

SERIES HISTORY WITH NORTHERN MICHIGAN: The U.S. National Under-18 Team is 0-2-1 all-time against the Wildcats in a series that dates back to the 2003-04 season. NMU defeated Team USA, 8-3, on Oct. 31, 2003, but the two teams skated to a 3-3 overtime tie in the following game on Oct. 8, 2004. The Wildcats recorded a 4-3 victory in the last meeting between the two squads on Oct. 7, 2005. All three of the previous games in the series have taken place at the Berry Events Center in Marquette.

ABOUT THE WILDCATS: Northern Michigan (10-15-1, 7-11-0 CCHA) ranks eighth in the CCHA race with 14 points. The Wildcats split a two-game set at Ferris State (Jan. 18-19) and were swept by Wayne State (Jan. 11-12) before that. Nick Sirota leads NMU's offensive attack with 22 points (12-10). Brian Stewart (6-10-1, 2.83, .902) has earned a team-high 955 minutes of playing time for the Wildcats, while Reid Ellingson (4-4-0, 2.96, .893) has accrued 426 minutes in net.

Three former NTDP players spent time at Northern Michigan - Dusty Collins (2001-03), Patrick Murphy (1999-2000) and Bobby Selden (2001-03).

UP NEXT: The U.S. National Under-18 Team travels to South Bend, Ind., for a game against the University of Notre Dame next Friday (Feb. 1) at the Joyce Center. Opening faceoff is set for 7:35 p.m. ET. Team USA will then head to Varkas, Finland, for the 2008 Five Nations Tournament Feb. 6-10.

?U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM NOTES: Jeremy Morin (Auburn, N.Y.) tallied a goal and an assist in his first game with the U.S. National Under-18 Team at Ohio State University (Jan. 11) ... Ryan Bourque (Boxford, Mass.) netted a power-play goal in his first game with the U.S. National Under-18 Team at OSU ... Kyle Palmieri (Montvale, N.J.) also made his first appearance with the U.S. National Under-18 Team against the Buckeyes ... Team USA is 4-3 in its last seven games against NCAA opponents ... Adrian College will be the fifth NCAA Division III team the U.S. National Under-18 Team has played in the 2007-08 campaign ... Team USA is 3-1 vs. NCAA Division III opponents this season ... Five different players - Sam Lofquist (Faribault, Minn.), Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Vinny Saponari (Powder Springs, Ga.), David Warsofsky (Marshfield, Mass.) and David Wohlberg (South Lyon, Mich.) - have each registered three power-play goals for Team USA this year ... Justin Florek (Marquette, Mich.), who has signed a National Letter of Intent to play for Northern Michigan University, will play in front of his hometown crowd this Saturday (Jan. 26) when Team USA takes on the Wildcats at the Berry Events Center.

SCHROEDER LEADING THE OFFENSE: Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake, Minn.) has compiled a team-best 21 points (7-14), including two assists at Ohio State (Jan. 11). 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).

MORIN TO PARTICIPATE IN AHL ALL-STAR GAME: The Binghamton Senators and the American Hockey League have announced that Jeremy Morin has been selected as an RBC Future All-Star for the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic.

The RBC Future All-Stars will participate alongside the AHL All-Stars in select events during the 2008 AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, January 27. Their scores in those events will count toward the total score for the evening.

Notes: Jerry D'Amigo (Binghamton, N.Y.), a member of the U.S. National Under-17 Team, was also selected to play in the event ... The 2008 AHL All-Star Classic will take place at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, N.Y., on January 27-28, and will be televised live in the United States and Canada ... Tickets for the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic are available now by calling 607.722.7367.

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.

NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING'S MID-TERM RANKINGS: A total of 13 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.

HOCKEY WEEKEND ACROSS AMERICA: USA Hockey will lead the first-ever Hockey Weekend Across America, a three-day nationwide celebration of the sport set for Feb. 15-17, 2008.

Each of the three days associated with Hockey Weekend Across America has a theme, including Friday's Wear Your Jersey to School Day, Saturday's Bring A Friend to the Rink Day and Sunday's Celebrate Local Hockey Heroes Day.

A special website - HockeyWeekendAcrossAmerica.com - has been established to act as the information hub for the event. It features material for download, including the event logo and poster. Additional information will continue to be added, including highlights of activities planned in conjunction with Hockey Weekend Across America from around the country.

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.

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: Mike Carman (2003-05) and Mike Hoeffel (2004-06) teamed up on Minnesota's game-winning goal that secured a three-point weekend at Minnesota Duluth (Jan. 19). Carman picked up his first game-winner of the year, and Hoeffel provided one of the assists on the goal ... Blake Geoffrion (2003-05) notched three power-play points in Wisconsin's 4-4 overtime tie at Alaska Anchorage (Jan. 19). He netted a goal and two assists in helping the Badgers record three points in their two-game series against the Seawolves.

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

NHL NOTES: Patrick Kane (2004-06) leads all NHL rookies with 45 points (12-33). The second-youngest player in the NHL, Kane has tallied six points (3-3) in his last four games with the Chicago Blackhawks ... Peter Mueller (2003-05) ranks fourth among NHL rookies with 30 points (13-17). He has amassed 11 points (4-7) during a career-high seven-game point streak with the Phoenix Coyotes ... T.J. Hensick (2001-03) was recalled from the American Hockey League's Lake Erie for the third time this season on Jan. 17. He has appeared in two games (Jan. 18, 20) with the Colorado Avalanche since being called up ... Hensick has also been named to the PlanetUSA roster for the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic ... Erik Johnson (2004-06) ranks fourth among NHL rookie defensemen with 16 points (3-13), and is second with a +5 rating ... Patrick Eaves (2000-02) has picked up two assists in four games of action for the Ottawa Senators after being sidelined with an injury for 24 games.

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North American Hockey League Stories from January 22, 2008


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