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U.S. National Under-17 Team Travels To NAHL Showcase

October 17, 2005 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-17 Team will travel to Blaine, Minn., on Wednesday (Oct. 19) to play four games during the North American Hockey League Showcase. Team USA will face the Billings (Mont.) Bulls (3-4-1), Fairbanks (Alaska) Ice Dogs (5-3-3), Texas Tornados (6-3-0) and the Southern Minnesota Express (3-3-0).

U.S. HEAD COACH RON ROLSTON: Ron Rolston is in his second season with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program. Rolston has amassed a career record with the NTDP of 47-18-7. 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.

U.S. HEAD COACH RON ROLSTON ON THIS WEEK: "We look forward to playing in the Showcase. This is a great opportunity to play against NAHL teams outside of our division. The Showcase will be a good measuring stick to give our players an idea of where they are at a month into the season."

SERIES RECORDS:

Billings: First meeting

Fairbanks: The U.S. National Under-17 Team faced the Ice Dogs in the 2004 NAHL playoffs in Fairbanks, Alaska. Team USA swept the seriess 3-0 (4-2, 2-1, 5-0). Texas: The U.S. National Under-17 Team opened the 2005-06 season at Texas. The Tornados swept the series (4-1) (4-1). Southern Minnesota: First meeting

ABOUT THE NTDP:

Founded in 1997, 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. Located in Ann Arbor, Mich., the program has been instrumental in helping the United States capture gold medals at the 2002 and 2005 IIHF World Under-18 Championships and the 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship. This past summer, 15 NTDP alumni were selected in the National Hockey League Entry Draft. In the seven years NTDP players have been eligible for the draft, 107 players have been selected.

U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-17 TEAM PLAYER NOTES: Forward Matt Rust (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) verbally committed to play collegiately at the University of Michigan (‘07) of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

LAST WEEKEND: The U.S. National Under-17 Team played host to the Mahoning Valley Phantoms last Friday (Oct. 14).

NATIONAL TEAM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ALUMNI UPDATE: University of Alaska Fairbanks goaltender Wylie Rogers (Fairbanks, Alaska) led the Nanooks to a weekend victory (4-3 ot) over top-ranked University of Minnesota. Rogers stopped 26 of 33 shots faced ... In the University of Michigan's 9-2 victory over Merrimack (Mass.) last Sunday (Oct. 16), at least one NTDP alumni either scored or assisted on all nine goals ... Nashville Predators rookie defenseman Ryan Suter (Madison, Wis.) recorded two assists against St. Louis last Saturday (Oct. 15) ... As of Oct. 17, the top four scorers in NCAA Division I are all NTDP alumni: T.J. Hensick (Michigan), Matt Hunwick (Michigan), Brett Sterling (Colorado College) and Jack Johnson (Michigan).

UP NEXT: After the NAHL Showcase, the U.S. National Under-17 Team will travel to Alpena, Mich., for a weekend series against the Ice Diggers (Oct. 28-29). Team USA swept the Ice Diggers in Ann Arbor by 7-1 and 6-3 counts on Oct. 7-8.


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