NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. Nat'l Under-18 Team Travels to No. 15 Univ. of Vermont and Division III Williams College

Published on December 5, 2006 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team travels to Williamstown, Mass., to take on NCAA Division III Williams College on Friday night (Dec. 8), then heads to Burlington, Vt., to take on No. 15 University of Vermont on Saturday night (Dec. 9). Both games are set for 7 p.m. EST starts.

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 99-46-11-5. 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: "These next four games will be important for us to continue develop as a team. We need to focus at the games this weekend and not look ahead to the much needed time off for the holidays. It will be key for the team to continue to play with the intensity we have had of late in order for us to be successful this weekend."

GAME NOTES -

Williams College Ephs: The U.S. National Under-18 Team topped Williams 6-3 last season (Dec. 9, 2005) at the Lansing Chapman Rink in Williamstown, Mass. ... Team USA is 2-0 all-time versus Williams, with the other victory coming in 2003-04, also by a 6-3 count.

University of Vermont Catamounts: The Catamounts roster boasts two NTDP alumni: Art Femenella (1998-00/Annandale, N.J.) and Chris Atkinson (2004-06/Sparta, N.J.). Femenella recorded ten assists in 125 career games at the NTDP. Atkinson tallied 78 points (28-50) in 109 contests with the NTDP. Through 38 games last season with the U.S. National Under-18 Team, Atkinson was second on the team with 39 points (15-24) before suffering a season-ending injury. Atkinson was able to travel to Angelholm, Sweden, in April to be a part of the gold medal-winning U.S. National Under-18 Team at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-18 Championship ... In a battle that hinged on special teams, the Catamounts topped the U.S. National Under-18 Team last season (Dec. 10, 2005) by a count of 8-4. Vermont tallied six power-play goals and Team USA notched three with the extra attacker in the annual contest.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM NOTES: The U.S. National Under-18 Team is 1-1-2 in four games versus unranked Division I opponents and 3-0-0 in three contests versus Division III competition this season ... U.S. Head Coach Ron Rolston has a chance to win his 100th career game as the bench boss at the NTDP, Rolston enters the weekend with a 99-46-11-5 (w-l-t-otl) mark.

LAST WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team lost a heartbreaker on Friday night, (Dec. 1) to No. 10 University of North Dakota, 5-4 in overtime at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D. Team USA followed the strong performance with a 5-1 victory over the Fargo-Moorhead Jets of the North American Hockey League on Saturday night (Dec. 2) in Fargo, N.D.

UP NEXT: The U.S. National Under-18 Team travels to Michigan's Upper Peninsula to take on the Northern Michigan University Wildcats on Friday, December 15, at 7: 35 EST at the Berry Events Center in Marquette, Mich. The team will then travel to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., to battle the Lake Superior State University Lakers at Taffy Abel Arena on Saturday, December 16, at 7:05 p.m.

NTDP ALUMNI UPDATE: The Ohio State University freshman netminder Joe Palmer (2004-06/Yorkville, N.Y.) received Central Collegiate Hockey Association Goaltender of the Week Honors for backstopping the Buckeyes to a series split at then-No. 12 Michigan State University last weekend (Dec. 1-2), stopping 60-of-64 Spartan attempts. He had a season-high 39 saves Saturday as Ohio State handed the Spartans their first loss at home this season in a 4-1 victory ... Boston University freshman forward Luke Popko (2004-06/Skillman, N.J.) was named the Hockey East Superskills Hockey Rookie of the Week for his performance on the weekend of Nov. 26-27. Popko recorded his first career goal in the Terriers 2-1 defeat of Yale University on Saturday (Nov. 27) night ... London Knights rookie forward Patrick Kane (2004-06/Buffalo, N.Y.) is currently leading the Ontario Hockey League with 60 points (21-39) in 28 games played.

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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