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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. Nat'l Under-18 Team Battles Top-Ranked Boston College and No. 13 New Hampshire

October 10, 2006 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team will face the top-ranked Boston College Eagles on Friday night (Oct. 13) at the Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Team USA will then travel north on Saturday (Oct. 14) to take on No.13 University of New Hampshire at the Whittemore Center in Durham, N.H. Both games are set for 7 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 90-41-8-5. 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.

COACH ROLSTON ON THE WEEKEND AHEAD: "We are looking forward to taking on two of the NCAA's top hockey programs. We feel we made some positive strides as a team last weekend against the University of Michigan and we look forward to continuing our development as a team in the weeks ahead."

WEEKEND MATCH-UP: Boston College: This will be the first-ever meeting between the U.S. National Under-18 Team and the Eagles.

University of New Hampshire: The U.S. National Under-18 Team is 0-3-0 versus the Wildcats. In 2004-05, New Hampshire scored with 1:51 remaining to beat Rolston's Under-18 Team, 3-2.

GAME NOTES - BC: Team USA forwards Ryan Hayes (Syracuse, N.Y.) and Jimmy Hayes (Dorchester, Mass.) are not blood relatives, however, both have verbally committed to play collegiately at Boston College. Ryan will be an Eagle next season, while Jimmy (only a junior in high school) will join the Eagles in 2008 ... The Boston College roster features two NTDP alumni: defenseman Mike Brennan (Smithtown, N.Y./2002-04) and forward Nathan Gerbe (Oxford, Mich./2002-05). Gerbe played one season (2004-05) under Rolston, as Team USA earned the gold medal at the 2005 International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-18 Championship in Plzen, Czech Republic. Eagles forward Benn Ferriero, who did not participate in the NTDP, recorded 10 points (2-8) in 11 tournament games with the U.S. National Under-18 Team during the 2005-06 season, including being part of Rolston's gold-medal-winning Under-18 Team at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship ... Brennan recorded 21 points (7-14) in 116 career games with the NTDP ... Gerbe compiled 96 points (51-45) in 121 career games with the NTDP. Gerbe is tied with Chad Kolarik of the University of Michigan for 10th in career goals (51) at the NTDP. Gerbe also is tied for second in games played at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship (12) and tied for eighth in points at the tournament (10) ... Ron Rolston served as an assistant coach at Boston College from 2002-04 ... For the past two summers Gerbe has served as a camp counselor at the NTDP Summer Hockey School in Ann Arbor, Mich. ... The U.S. National Under-18 Team has never defeated a No.1 ranked NCAA opponent. However, last season Team USA was defeated by the University of Wisconsin Badgers, 6-5, when Joe Pavelski scored a power-play goal with less than one minute remaining in the game.

GAME NOTES - UNH: Team USA forward James vanRiemsdyk (Middletown, NJ.) has verbally committed to play for the Wildcats next season ... Former New Hampshire forward Patrick Foley, who captained the Wilcats from 2004-04, currently serves as an assistant coach at the NTDP, where his is working with the U.S. National Under-17 Team this season.

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 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 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.

LAST WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team lost a heartbreaker to cross-town foe University of Michigan, 3-2, in overtime on Sunday (Oct. 8). NTDP alumnus T. J. Hensick (Howell, Mich./2001-03) scored with less than one second remaining in the extra session on a breakaway to seal Team USA's fate. Colin Wilson and Ryan Hayes scored for the U.S. National Under-18 Team and Brad Phillips (Farmington Hills, Mich.) was very strong in net, stopping 36-of-39 Wolverine attempts.

UP NEXT: The U.S. National Under-18 Team will face the No. 3 Michigan State Spartans on Thursday, October 19, at 7 p.m. EDT at Munn Arena. Team USA will then host the Mahoning Valley Phantoms of the North American Hockey League on Saturday night, October 21, at 7 p.m. EDT.

ALUMNI UPDATE: A record 30 NTDP alumni are on National Hockey League rosters as of the opening day of the season (Oct. 4) ... Matthew Carle (Anchorage, Alaska/2000-02) of the San Jose Sharks leads all NHL rookie defenseman in scoring with three points (2-1) ... University of Minnesota freshman forward Michael Carman (Apple Valley, Minn./2004-06) recorded two goals against the University of Lethbridge on Sunday night (Oct. 8) in the Gophers' 6-2 victory.

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 eight years NTDP players have been eligible for the draft, 124 players have been selected, including the number one overall selection in both 2000 (Rick DiPietro) and 2006 (Erik Johnson).

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