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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. Nat'l Under-18 Team Travels to Michigan's Upper Peninsula for Division I Battles

December 12, 2006 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team travels to Michigan's Upper Peninsula to take on the Northern Michigan Wildcats on Friday (Dec. 15) at the Berry Events Center in Marquette, Mich., before traveling to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., to take on the Lake Superior State University Lakers on Saturday (Dec. 16) at Taffy Abel Arena.

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 100-47-11-5. 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: "This is an important weekend to finish the first half of the season strong. It has really been a grind on the players with the schedule and travel, but we need to stay focused on the games this weekend before enjoying some well-deserved time off."

GAME NOTES -

Northern Michigan University Wildcats: The U.S. National Under-18 Team has never defeated the Wildcats. Northern Michigan currently holds a 2-0-1 edge in the all-time series. The U.S. National Under-18 Team lost 4-3 to the Wildcats last season ... U.S. National Under-17 Team forward Justin Florek (Marquette, Mich.) has verbally committed to play for the Wildcats in the 2008-09 season. Florek has compiled eight points (6-2) in 25 games with the U.S. National Under-17 Team this season.

Lake Superior State University Lakers: The U.S. National Under-18 Team has never lost to the Lakers, as Team USA holds a 1-0-3 advantage in the all-time series. The U.S. National Under-18 Team topped the Lakers 4-3 last season ... U.S. Head Coach Ron Rolston won two NCAA National Championships (1992, 1994) as an assistant coach at LSSU during his five-year tenure with the Lakers.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM NOTES: Team USA assistant captain Teddy Ruth (Naperville, Ill.) will miss his second-consecutive weekend of action due to injury. Ruth is expected to return to the U.S. lineup following the holiday break. Replacing Ruth on the blue line will be Ryan Grimshaw (Rochester, N.Y.) from the U.S. National Under-17 Team. Grimshaw is the first player from the Under-17 Team to appear for the U.S. National Under-18 Team this season ... U.S. forward James vanRiemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.) was named to the 2007 U.S. National Junior Team which will compete in the 2007 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior (Under-20) Championship in Leksand and Mora, Sweden, Dec. 26, 2006 - Jan. 5, 2007 ... The U.S. National Under-18 Team is 1-1-2 in four games versus unranked Division I opponents this season.

NTDP FLIP-FLOP: While the U.S. National Under-18 Team visits Marquette, Mich., on Friday night, the Marquette Rangers of the North American Hockey League travel to the home of the NTDP (Ann Arbor, Mich.) to take on the U.S. National Under-17 Team in a weekend series.

LAST WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team topped the Williams College Ephs on Friday night (Dec. 8) by a 4-0 score. vanRiemsdyk led Team USA with two goals and Josh Unice (Toledo, Ohio) earned his second shutout of the season in goal for Team USA. Saturday (Dec. 9) was a much different story as No. 13 University of Vermont defeated Team USA by a 7-1 count. C.J. Severyn (Beaver, Pa.) scored the lone goal for Team USA.

UP NEXT: The U.S. National Under-18 Team will return to action on Friday, January 5 against NCAA Division I Princeton University in Princeton, N.J. Team USA will then take on Division III Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y., on Saturday, January 6.

NTDP ALUMNI UPDATE: Fifteen members of the 2007 U.S. National Junior Team, which was announced by USA Hockey on Tuesday (Dec. 5), have spent time with the NTDP, including Mike Carman (Apple Valley, Minn./2004-06), Jim Fraser (Port Huron, Mich./2003-05), Jeff Frazee (Burnsville, Minn./2003-05), Blake Geoffrion (Brentwood, Tenn./2004-06), Nate Gerbe (Oxford Mich./2003-05), Erik Johnson (Bloomington, Minn./2004-06), Jack Johnson (Ann Arbor, Mich./2003-05), Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y./2004-06), Kyle Lawson (New Hudson, Mich./2004-05), Jamie McBain (Faribault, Minn./2004-06), Peter Mueller (Bloomington, Minn./2003-05), Jack Skille (Madison, Wis./2003-05), Ryan Stoa (Bloomington, Minn./2003-05), Bill Sweatt (Elburn, Ill./2004-05) and James vanRiemsdyk (2005-present) ... NTDP alumnus Kevin Montgomery (2004-06/Rochester, N.Y.) has left The Ohio State University to play for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League. Montgomery recorded five points (1-4) in 17 games during his freshman campaign with the Buckeyes. In London Montgomery will join NTDP alumni Patrick Kane and Philip McRae (Chesterfield, Mo./2005-06).

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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North American Hockey League Stories from December 12, 2006


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