BUFFALO, NY-The U.S. U20 National Team will be led by eight returning veterans from the 2010 World Championship squad as they open Sunday night here in Buffalo in the 2011 edition of the International Ice Hockey Federation’s U20 Championship tournament. The event runs from December 26 through January 5, 2011. The series is more commonly known as the World Junior Championships. Preliminary round games will be held both in Buffalo and in Niagara, NY.
The USA will open play at 8 PM Sunday evening against Finland. Team Canada whom the USA beat in a thrilling 6-5 overtime game last year to win the 2010 U20 Gold Medal Game will face Russia earlier in the day. Both games will be telecast in the US on the NHL network. All U.S National Team games as well as other selected games and the Playoff Rounds will be shown on the NHL Network on the broadcasters US schedule. The NHL network will also carry tournament highlights and results on its nightly NHL On the Fly recap program.
Ten countries will compete in two groups in the initial round of games. The United States will also play Switzerland, Slovakia and Germany in Group A Preliminary Round action. Group B consists of the U20 teams from Canada, Sweden, Russia, Czech Republic and Norway. The top three teams in each group will move on to the Playoff Round while the bottom two teams in each group will play in the Relegation Round.
The eight returning players to Team USA from last year’s gold medal team include goaltender Jack Campbell; defenseman John Ramage; and forwards Ryan Bourque, Jerry D’Amigo, Chris Kreider, Jeremy Moran, Kyle, Palmieri and Jason Zucker.
The complete U.S. National Team roster with their current team affiliation is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Jack Campbell, Windsor Spitfires (OHL) Andy Iles, Cornell Univ. (ECACH) Defensemen: Brian Dumoulin, Boston College (HEA) Justin Faulk, Univ. of Minnesota Duluth (WCHA) Derek Forbort, Univ. of North Dakota (WCHA) Nick Leddy, Rockford IceHogs (AHL) Jon Merrill, Univ. of Michigan (CCHA) John Ramage, Univ. of Wisconsin (WCHA) Patrick Wey, Boston College (HEA) Forwards: Nick Bjugstad, Univ. of Minnesota (WCHA) Ryan Bourque, Quebec Ramparts (QMJHL) Chris Brown, Univ. of Michigan (CCHA) Mitch Callahan, Kelowna Rockets (WHL) Charlie Coyle, Boston Univ. (HEA) Jerry D’Amigo, Toronto Marlies (AHL) Emerson Etem, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) Chris Kreider, Boston College (HEA) Jeremy Morin, Rockford IceHogs (AHL) Brock Nelson, Univ. of North Dakota (WCHA) Kyle Palmieri, Syracuse Crunch (AHL) Drew Shore, Univ. of Denver (WCHA) Jason Zucker, Univ. of Denver (WCHA)
US National Team Captain John Ramage-photo courtesy USA Hockey
Yale University graduate and current varsity hockey coach Keith Allain will coach the US National Team. In four years as head coach at Yale he has compiled a 72-49-12 record. Allain was named the national college coach of the year by College Hockey News for the 2008-09 season. He is a former NHL and Olympics Hockey assistant. This will be his third tournament at the helm of the U.S. National U20 Team.
Lastly, USA Hockey and the IIHF previously announced that three Americans have been assigned as on-ice officials for the 2011 tournament. They include referee, Keith Kaval – Erie, Pennsylvania skating in his 2nd U20 Championship (4th IIHF assignment overall) and
Linesmen David Brown – Wall Township, New Jersey 2nd U20 Championship (5th assignment overall) and Johnathan Morrison– Mason City, Iowa 1st U20 Championship (4th assignment overall).
Contact the author at Phil.Brand@prohockeynews.com
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