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NAHL U.S. National Team

US National Development Team report

March 23, 2004 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


UNITED STATES NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM
The U.S. Under-18 Team swept a two game series against the Springfield Jr. Blues in Springfield, IL this past Friday, March 19 and Saturday, March 20, 2004.

NEXT ACTION
The US National Development Team Program Under-18 squad will next see action at the 2004 IIHF World Under 18 Championship in Minsk Belarus, April 8-18, 2004.

PREVIOUS WEEK RECAP
Friday, March 19 – USA-18 5, Springfield 3
Jack Skille (Madison, WI) capped off a US-18 comeback with an even strength game winning goal at the 7:48 mark of the third period as the US team battled back from a three goal deficit to defeat the Springfield Jr. Blues, 5-3.

Trailing 3-0 in the second period Jarod Palmer (Fridley, MN) scored two consecutive goals to get the US team to within one. Early in the third Brandon Scero (Canton, MI) tied the game leading to the Skille game-winning score. Kevin Swallow added an insurance goal late in the third period.

Cory Schneider (Marblehead, MA) recorded 19 saves to earn his fourth straight win in goal since joining the US team.

FRIDAY – US-18@ SPRINGFIELD JR. BLUES
TEAM SCORING PIM PP SHOT Goalie
U-18 0-2-3 15 0-2 31 Schneider (19-22)
Jr. Blues 0-3-0 13 1-3 22 Harper (21-24)Russell (5-7)

Scoring:
USA: Palmer (2G), Skille (GWG), Scero (G), Swallow (G), Kolarik (2A), Bevis (A), Hagemo (A), Davis (A), Kessel (A), Paukovich (A)
Jr. Blues: Lee (G,A), Hernandez (G), Carisio (G), Montes (A)

Saturday, March 20 – USA-18 4, Springfield 3
Bryan Lerg (Livonia, MI) notched his second goal of the game his sixth power-play score of the season and his third game-winning tally of the year at the 4:43 mark of the third stanza giving the U-18 team defeated the Springfield Jr. Blues 4-3.

The US team jumped out to a 3-0 lead as Mike Brennan (Smithtown, NY), Phil Kessel (Madison, WI) and Lerg scored. Kessel's goal tied him with former USNTDP player and current Nashville Predator Adam Hall for the single season goal scoring record with 43. He (Kessel) will have the opportunity to hold the record solo with one more goal during the World U-18 Championships.



Cory Schneider (Marblehead, MA) recorded his fifth win for the US team as he turned aside 28 of 31 shots.

SATURDAY – US-18 @ SPRINGFIELD JR. BLUES
TEAM SCORING PIM PP SHOT Goalie
U-18 2-1-1 38 1-2 29 Schneider (28-31)
Jr. Blues 0-1-2 42 2-4 31 Russell (25-29)

Scoring:
USA: Lerg (PPGWG, G), Brennan (G), Kessel (G), Jones (A), Johnson (A), Porter (A), Davis (A), Skille (A)
Jr. Blues: Montes (G,A), Solberg (G,A), Cankar (G), Lee (A), Carisio (A), Hernadez (A)

UNITED STATES NATIONAL UNDER-17 TEAM
The U.S. Under-17 Team earned a crucial 4-3 shootout win over the Cleveland Barons, as they drive for the National Teams first appearance in the NAHL playoffs since the 1999-00 season.

THIS WEEK'S ACTION
The drive towards the playoffs continues as the U-17 team hosts the Toledo IceDiggers in the final NAHL regular season Wednesday, March 23, 2004 at 7:05 pm.

NAHL North Standings as of 3/21/04
TEAM GP W L RT PTS PCT.
*Soo 54 43 5 6 92 .852
*Jr.Blues 53 32 17 4 68 .642
*Cleveland 54 30 19 5 65 .602
Youngstown 54 27 20 7 61 .565
USA 55 27 21 7 61 .555
Toledo 54 13 36 5 31 .287
*qualified for playoffs

Top four teams in the division qualify for the NAHL Playoffs.

PREVIOUS WEEK RECAP
Sunday, March 22 – Cleveland 3, US-17 4 SO
Joe Charlebois (Potsdam, NY) scored on the eleventh shoot out shot for the US National Team Development Program Under-17 squad giving them a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Barons. The win moved the U-17 team into a deadlock (61 points apiece) with the Youngstown PHANTOMS for the fourth and final NAHL North Division playoff spot.

Dan Fardig (Ann Arbor, MI) kicked off the scoring for the ramped up US team with an even strength tally at the 4:07 mark of the opening session. After a Barons power-play tally evened the game the US and captain Jimmy Fraser (Port Huron, MI) recorded a power play score with 2:10 left in the first period.

At the 12:08 mark of the middle session Scott Birnstill (Commack, NY) gave the US a 2-goal cushion with an unassisted lamplighter. The Barons once gain fought back to within one as Mike Ruberto recorded his 35th goal (18th on the power play) of the season.



The Barons tied the score in the third period at 11:06, just :13 seconds after Ryan Stoa (Bloomington, MN) was unsuccessful on a penalty shot (called when a Baron player covered the puck in his own crease). Baron forward Brian Bicek was able to get a shot past US netminder Billy Blase (Santa Monica, Calif.) to tie the game at three.

The overtime session, which is played with the wide-open style of 4 against 4, turned even wider as multiple penalties reduced the two clubs to 3 on 3. Neither team would tally with the extra playing room thus setting up the heroics of Charlebois and the stonewall imitation of goaltender Blase, who stopped 10 of 11 shoot out attempts. Blase turned aside 41 shots in regulation and OT to earn his ninth U-17 win of the season.

A win on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 in the final US game of the NAHL regular season would move the team into sole possession of the fourth and final playoff spot. The PHANTOMS play a weekend series (March 26-27) against the Barons would need to garner three of four points against Cleveland to claim a spot in the playoffs if the US tam wins on Wednesday.

PREVIOUS WEEK RECAP
SUNDAY – CLEVELAND @ US-17
TEAM SCORING PIM PP SHOT W/L Goalie
Cleveland 1-0-2-0-0 32 2-10 41 Cherry (44-47)
US-17 2-1-0-0-1 34 1-9 47 Blase (41-44)

Scoring:
Cleveland: Helminen (PPG), Ruberto, Mike (PP, A), Bicek, Brian (G), Weeks (A)
USA: Fardig (G), Fraser (PPG), Birnstill (G), Lawrence (A), Mitera (A), Stoa (A)

Shootout:
Cleveland: Wolff, Ruberto, Mike, Kivisto (G), Biondo, Strang, Jalaba, Shouneyia, Weeks, Bicek, Barger
USA: Lawrence, Mueller, Foligno (G), Birnstill, MacVoy, Kemp, Cahill, Fraser, Mitera, Fardig, Charlebois (G)
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North American Hockey League Stories from March 23, 2004


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