Contact: Team USa Game NoTeS Jake Wesolek 2011 IIHF World Under-18 Championship • Crimmitschau & Dresden, Germany Manager of Communications USA Hockey Team USA (0-0-0-0) vs. Switzerland (0-0-0-0) [email protected] April 14, 2011 • 7:30 p.m. • Preliminary Game 1 TONIGHT’S CONTEST -- The U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team will open up the 2011 International Federation World Men’s Under-18 Team USA Schedule Championship against Switzerland tonight. Saturday, April 9 -- Dresden, Germany USA vs. Canada (exhibition) L, 1-2 MATCH-UP HISTORY -- Team USA will meet Switzerland for the sixth time in tournament history tonight. The U.S. holds a 5-0-0 advantage over Monday, April 10 -- Dresden, Germany Switzerland in the all-time series. In the most recent meeting between the Finland vs. USA (exhibition) W, 4-2 two clubs, back on April 14, 2010, Team USA defeated Switzerland 5-1 in its second preliminary game at the 2010 IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Thursday, April 14 -- Crimmitschau, Germany Championship. The U.S. has outscored Switzerland by a 27-6 margin in the Switzerland vs. USA 7:30 p.m. all-time series. Friday, April 15 -- Crimmitschau, Germany 2010 5-1 W Slovakia vs. USA 3:30 p.m. 2008 7-2 W 2005 7-1 W Sunday, April 17 -- Crimmitschau, Germany 2002 5-1 W USA vs. Russia 7:30 p.m. 2001 3-1 W Tuesday, April 19 -- Crimmitschau, Germany USA vs. Germany 7:30 p.m. GOLDEN BOYS -- Highlighting the roster are two returnees from the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team that captured the gold medal at the 2010 IIHF Thursday, April 21 -- Crimmitschau, Germany World Men’s U18 Championship - forwards Tyler Biggs (Cincinnati, Ohio) Quarterfinal Round TBD and Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif.). Saturday, April 23 -- Crimmitschau, Germany COACHING SUCCESS -- The U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team will be Semifinal Round TBD led by Ron Rolston , who is serving as at his fourth IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship. He previously led the U.S. to two gold Sunday, April 24 -- Crimmitschau medals (2005, 2009) and one silver medal (2007). Rolston is currently in his Bronze-Medal Game 2:30 p.m. seventh season as head coach at USA Hockey's National Team Gold-Medal Game 6:30 p.m. Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich. ... Chadd Cassidy , Tim Taylor , Joe Exter and Matt Curley , all coaches with USA Hockey's NTDP, will serve as assistant coaches for Team USA Team USA Medals at the QUEST FOR UNPRECEDENTED THIRD STRAIGHT GOLD -- The U.S. World Under-18 Championship enters the tournament having captured a record seven consecutive medals, Year Medal Head Coach including back-to-back gold medals in 2005-06 and 2009-10, two silver 2010 Gold Kurt Kleinendorst medals (2004, 2007) and one bronze medal (2008). Team USA’s five gold 2009 Gold Ron Rolston medals are the most of any country in IIHF World Men’s Under-18 2008 Bronze John Hynes Championship history since the inception of the tournament in 1999. Team 2007 Silver Ron Rolston USA earned its first gold medal in 2002. 2006 Gold John Hynes 2005 Gold Ron Rolston GROUPINGS -- The U.S. will be competing in Group A against Germany, 2004 Silver John Hynes Russia, Switzerland and Slovakia. Group B consists of Canada, the Czech 2002 Gold Mike Eaves Republic, Finland, Norway and Sweden

THE NTDP -- USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program was TOURNAMENT TIDBITS -- The media guide for the 2011 founded in 1996 in order to better prepare American players for their future U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team can be downloaded hockey careers. Based in Ann Arbor, Mich., the NTDP consists of two on USAHockey.com ... USAHockey.com will also post squads, the U.S. National Under-18 Team, which plays against U.S. college game recaps, feature stories, notes and photos from the opponents, domestic junior teams and in three international competitions, tournament ... For live scoring updates each game, follow and U.S. National Under-17 Team, which plays against domestic junior @USAHockeyScores and #U18MWC on Twitter ... All competition and participates in three international tournaments. In the last 14 Team USA games will be streamed live online at years, 181 players have been selected in the Entry FASTHockey.com ... For additional coverage, visit USA Draft, including 38 in the first round and three with the first overall selection Hockey's National Team Development Program Facebook (Rick DiPietro, 2000; Erik Johnson, 2006; Patrick Kane, 2007). All 22 players page. There you will find photos from the tournament, polls, on the U.S. roster come from USA Hockey’s NTDP. scoring updates and pre and post game video interviews. USA vs. Switzerland • Thurs., April 14, 2011 • 2011 IIHF World U18 Championship • Page Two

EXHIBITION PERFORMERS -- The 2011 NHL TIES -- Three players on the U.S. roster U.S. Men’s National Team played in two pre- have fathers that played in the National Home State of Team USA Players tournament games last Saturday (April 9) and Hockey League. Connor Murphy ’s father, California ...... 3 Monday (April 11) in Dresden. In its first Gord, played 14 years in the NHL including ...... 3 contest, Team USA was clipped by Canada, stints with the , Boston Minnesota ...... 3 2-1. Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif.) Bruins, and Atlanta Ohio ...... 3 scored the lone for the U.S. and John Thrashers. He currently serves as an Arizona ...... 2 Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa.) stopped 31 shots in assistant coach with the Florida Panthers. Connecticut ...... 2 the loss. In Team USA’s second pre- Tyler Biggs ’ father, Don, played 16 seasons Pennsylvania ...... 2 tournament game, Grimaldi scored two of professional hockey, which included a brief Illinois ...... 1 goals, including the game-winner and Ryan run in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers New York ...... 1 Haggerty (Stamford, Conn.) contributed with and Minnesota North Stars. The elder Biggs Texas ...... 1 a goal and an assist as the U.S. defeated also skated for teams in the American Wisconsin ...... 1 Finland, 4-2. Team USA finished exhibition Hockey League, East Coast Hockey League action with one win and one loss. and International Hockey League from 1984- Team USA College Commitments 2002. His number is retired by the Cincinnati Miami Univ. (CCHA) ...... 2 2010 CHAMPIONSHIP CONNECTIONS -- In Cyclones, now of the ECHL. Don was also Univ. of North Dakota (WCHA) ...... 2 addition to the two players returning from last the skating double for Patrick Swayze in the Univ. of Wisconsin (WCHA) ...... 2 year’s gold-medal team, a pair of coaches 1986 movie, Youngblood. Henrik Cornell Univ. (ECACH) ...... 1 also return. Assistant coach Tim Taylor and Samuelsson ’s (Scottsdale, Ariz.) father, Ulf, Michigan State Univ. (CCHA) ...... 1 goaltending coach Joe Exter both are back. played 16 seasons in the NHL including stints Michigan Tech Univ. (WCHA) ...... 1 The pair also was part of the staff for the U.S. with the , Hartford Minnesota State Mankato (WCHA) . . . .1 National Junior Team at the 2011 IIHF World Whalers, , Philadelphia Northeastern Univ. (HEA) ...... 1 Junior Championship. Taylor served as that Flyers and the . He is Univ. of Minnesota Duluth (WCHA) . . . .1 team’s director of player personnel, while currently an assistant coach with the Phoenix Exter was the goaltending coach. Coyotes. Rensselaer (ECACH) ...... 1 Univ. of Denver (WCHA) ...... 1 CENTRAL SCOUTING RANKINGS -- Eleven NBA TIES? -- One player has a unique Univ. of Michigan (CCHA) ...... 1 draft-eligible players from the U.S. Men’s connection to professional sports. D-man Univ. of Minnesota (WCHA) ...... 1 National Under-18 Team have been listed on Seth Jones ’ (Plano, Texas) father, Popeye, Univ. of Minnesota Duluth (WCHA) . . . .1 the NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s Final played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Univ. of Notre Dame (CCHA) ...... 1 Rankings. Tyler Biggs (Cincinnati, Ohio) is Association with six different teams. He now Univ. of Vermont (HEA) ...... 1 tops among current U.S. players at No. 22 serves as an assistant coach for the New among North American skaters. Additionally, Jersey Nets. College Connection By League J.T. Miller (East Palestine, Ohio) and Connor WCHA ...... 10 Murphy (Dublin, Ohio) came in just behind ROSTER AGE BREAKDOWN -- The roster CCHA ...... 5 their teammate, ranking 23 and 25 respective - includes 18 players born in 1993 and four ECACH ...... 2 ly. For a complete list of current U.S. Men’s from the 1994 birth year. Defenseman Seth HEA ...... 2 National Under-18 Team players ranked by Jones , born Oct. 3, 1994, is Team USA’s Central Scouting, see below. youngest player, while forward Adam Reid , Team USA Overall (Chino Hills, Calif.) born Jan. 29, 1993, is the Average Height ...... 6’0”(184) oldest. Average Weight ...... 189 (86) Shoots/Catches Left ...... 11 TOP TRAINING -- The U.S. Men’s National Shoots/Catches Right ...... 11 Under-17 and Under-18 Teams train with The Hockey IntelliGym, a revolutionary new soft - ware program released on October 1, 2010 that trains hockey sense. To learn more, visit FUN FACTS -- USA Hockey recently U.S. Men’s National U18 Team Members USAHockeyIntelliGym.com. announced the first 16 players that will compete Final CSS Ranking for the 2011 U.S. Men's National Team at the CHASING RECORD BOOKS -- Robbie International Ice Hockey Federation World Tyler Biggs (No. 22) Russo currently sits just outside the top ten Men's Championship, April 29 - May 15, in J.T. Miller (No. 23) in career points by a defenseman in NTDP Kosice and Bratislava, Slovakia. Five of those Connor Murphy (No. 25) history. Russo’s 53 points (10-43) puts him players skated in the IIHF World Men's U18 Rocco Grimaldi (No. 32) just one behind NTDP alum Cam Championships (2000, 2002-03, 2005, 2007), Robbie Russo (No. 55) Fowler (Farmington Hills, Mich./2007-09) ... including Mike Brown (2001-03), Mike Zac Larraza (No. 70) Rocco Grimaldi has a chance to move up in Komisarek (1999-2000), Kevin Shattenkirk Adam Reid (No. 80) a number of categories within the NTDP (2005-07), Jack Skille (2003-05) and Mark Michael Paliotta (No. 86) record books. Grimaldi is currently in the top Stuart (2000-02). Blake Pietila (No. 105) ten all-time in career goals scored (eighth), Reid Boucher (No. 113) assists in a career (fourth) and overall points Dan Carlson (No. 143) (sixth). His 37 goals over the course of the 2010-11 season places him ninth in goals scored in a single season.