NATIONAL TEAM NEWS
FROM USA HOCKEY MEDIA RELEASES
U.S. National Under-18 Team to Begin
NCAA Competition at the University of Maine
OCT 2, 2007 -- THIS WEEK: The U.S. National Under-18 Team travels to take on the University of Maine on Saturday (Oct. 6) at 7 p.m. ET.
U.S. HEAD COACH JOHN HYNES: John Hynes is in his fifth season with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. He has amassed a career record of 132-87-8-8 (W-L-T-OTL).
U.S. HEAD COACH JOHN HYNES ON THE WEEK AHEAD: “The team is extremely focused heading into this game. Maine has always been a top college program and we expect them to play us very tough. They made it all the way to the Frozen Four last year, so this will be a real challenge for our team.”
U.S. NATIONAL UNDER-18 TEAM NOTES: In his last three starts, goaltender Nick Maricic (Alta Loma, Calif.) is 2-1 with a 0.67 goals-against average and a .975 save percentage. He stopped 18 of 19 shots in a 1-0 loss to Mahoning Valley (Sept. 29) … Defenseman David Warsofsky (Marshfield, Mass.) currently leads Team USA with six points (3-3), including a goal and an assist in a 7-2 win over Mahoning Valley (Sept. 28). Warsofsky has notched at least one point in four of Team USA’s seven games to date … Forward Vinny Saponari (Powder Springs, Ga.) notched a goal and an assist vs. Mahoning Valley (Sept. 28) for his first points of the season. Last year, Saponari finished with 31 points (16-15) in 52 games … Netminder Michael Clemente (Great Falls, Va.) started his first game of the season for the U.S. National Under-18 Team and stopped 19 of 21 shots en route to a 7-2 victory over Mahoning Valley (Sept. 28) ... Team USA’s seven-goal effort against Mahoning Valley (Sept. 28) was the team’s best offensive output this season … Team USA has converted on 16.7 % (8-48) of its power-play chances this season.
GAME NOTES: This will be the U.S. National Under-18 Team’s first of 22 games against NCAA competition this year … Team USA was 10-9-2 vs. NCAA competition last season … The University of Maine appeared in the 2007 Frozen Four in St. Louis, Mo., losing to eventual national champion Michigan State University, 4-2, in the semifinals … The Black Bears are ranked No. 13 on the preseason USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men’s College Hockey Poll ... Team USA forward Kelen Corkum (Newbury, Mass.) has committed to play hockey at Maine next fall.
UP NEXT: The U.S. National Under-18 Team will travel to Colorado Springs, Colo., to take on Colorado College next Friday (Oct. 12) at 7:37 p.m. MT and the U.S. Air Force Academy on Saturday (Oct. 13) at 7:05 p.m. MT.
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 nine years NTDP players have been eligible for the draft, 141 players have been selected, including the number one overall selection in 2000 (Rick DiPietro), 2006 (Erik Johnson) and 2007 (Patrick Kane).
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