ANN ARBOR, Mich. - USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, which enters its 16th season on ice in 2012-13, today announced the roster and schedule for its U.S. National Under-18 Team. The squad, comprised of some of the top American-born players in the 1995 birth year, will compete against teams from the United States Hockey League and NCAA Division I and III schools, in addition to participating in three international competitions. Highlighting the 23-player roster are forwards J.T. Compher (Northbrook, Ill.) and Anthony Louis (Winfield, Ill.) and defenseman Will Butcher (Sun Prairie, Wis.), all who were a part of the U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team that captured the gold medal at the 2012 International Ice Hockey Federation Men's World Under-18 Championship held in Breclav, Brno and Znojmo, Czech Republic. Nineteen players on the roster are returning for their second year with the NTDP, including defensemen Gage Ausmus (East Grand Forks, Minn.), Butcher, Trevor Hamilton (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.), Clint Lewis (Burnsville, Minn.), Steven Santini (Mahopac, N.Y.), Scott Savage (San Clemente, Calif.) and Keaton Thompson (Devils Lake, N.D.); forwards Evan Allen (Sterling Heights, Mich.), Compher, Dawson Cook (Cadillac, Mich.), Hudson Fasching(Burnsville, Minn.), John Hayden (Greenwich, Conn.), Tyler Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass.),Kevin Labanc (Staten Island, N.Y.), Louis, Michael McCarron (Macomb, Mich.) and Tyler Motte (St. Clair, Mich.); and goaltenders Curtis Frye (Northwood, N.H.) and Hunter Miska(North Branch, Minn.). Defenseman Connor Clifton (Matawan, N.J.) joins the squad after spending last season with the Eastern Junior Hockey League's New Jersey Hitmen. The defenseman was most recently named to the U.S. Under-18 Select Team that is currently competing in the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in Breclav, Czech Republic and Piestany, Slovakia. Clifton also helped the U.S. National Under-17 Team and Under-17 Select Team claim the 2011 Four Nations Tournament title in both Balishikha, Russia, and Ann Arbor, Mich. respectively. Clifton also skated in eight games with the U.S. National Under-17 Team in USHL action. Forwards Shane Eiserman (West Newbury, Mass.) and Sean Malone (West Seneca, N.Y.) also earned a spot on the U.S. National Under-18 Team roster for the 2012-13 season. Eiserman most recently completed a season with Cushing Academy (Mass.), accumulating 44 points (18-26) in 30 games. Eiserman also earned a title with the 2011 U.S. Under-17 Select Team at the Four Nations Tournament in Ann Arbor, Mich. Malone comes to the NTDP from Nichols School (N.Y.), where he posted 36 points (18-18) in 16 games with the Vikings. Malone is currently competing with the U.S. Under-18 Select Team at the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. Netminder Thatcher Demko (San Diego, Calif.) joins the squad after splitting last season between the USHL's Omaha Lancers and L.A. Junior Kings Midget Minor team. Demko is currently playing for the U.S. in the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and has also been part of U.S. teams that competed in the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Windsor, Ont. and the 2011 Four Nations Tournament in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Don Granato will guide the U.S. National Under-18 team in 2012-13, after serving behind the bench for the Under-17 team last season. Nick Fohr will enter his second season as an assistant to Granato, while Josh Brown will serve as intern assistant coach for the first time this season.
The U.S. National Under-18 Team will begin its home schedule, and play its first competition, on Sept. 15 with a pre-season tilt against the Youngstown Phantoms at the St. Mary's Athletic Complex in Orchard Lake, Mich. The team's first collegiate game will come at the University of Wisconsin on Oct. 6, while its opening regular-season USHL contest will take place on Oct. 16 at home against Youngstown. The U.S. National Under-18 Team will serve as the host country in its first international competition of the season, as the 2012 Four Nations Tournament will be held in Ann Arbor, Mich, Nov. 6-11. In addition, the U.S. National Under-18 Team will compete in the 2013 Five Nations Tournament Feb. 5-10 in Jonkoping, Sweden. The season culminates with the 2013 IIHF Men's World Under-18 Championship April 7-22 in Sochi, Russia. Tickets for home games played at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube are $7 for adults and $5 for children, seniors and active military members. Youth hockey players wearing their team jerseys are admitted for just $1. New this season, the NTDP is offering a Family Four Pack, good for four tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas. Family Four Packs are $25 prior to the day of the game. Tickets can be purchased by calling the NTDP at  (734) 327-9251. NOTES: The 23 players on the U.S. roster represent 11 different states. Michigan leads the way with five natives on the roster, while Minnesota boasts four and New York has three ... A total of 19 members of Team USA have verbally committed to NCAA Division I schools ... Of the 21 games against college opponents, 16 are against NCAA Division I schools, including four that finished the 2011-12 season ranked in the top 15 of the USA Today/USA Hockey MagazineMen's College Hockey Poll (No. 4 University of Minnesota, No. 6 University of Notre Dame, No. 7 University of Michigan and No. 13 Cornell University) ... The U.S. National Under-17 and Under-18 Teams utilize The Hockey IntelliGym, a revolutionary software program that trains hockey sense. To learn more, visit USAHockeyIntelliGym.com.
| Goaltenders | | | 29 | Thatcher Demko | 6-3 | 190 | 12/8/95 | L | San Diego, Calif. | Omaha Lancers | | | 30 | Curtis Frye | 6-3 | 198 | 7/25/95 | L | Northwood, N.H. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | | | 1 | Hunter Miska | 6-0 | 171 | 7/7/95 | L | North Branch, Minn. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | | | Defensemen | | | 27 | Gage Ausmus | 6-1 | 204 | 4/22/95 | L | East Grand Forks, Minn. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Univ. of Denver | | 4 | Will Butcher | 5-10 | 200 | 1/6/95 | L | Sun Prairie, Wis. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Univ. of Denver | | 2 | Connor Clifton | 5-11 | 171 | 4/28/95 | R | Matawan, N.J. | New Jersey Hitmen | Quinnipiac
Univ. | | 11 | Trevor Hamilton | 6-0 | 185 | 3/17/95 | R | Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Miami Univ. | | 21 | Clint Lewis | 6-2 | 206 | 1/12/95 | L | Burnsville, Minn. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | | | 16 | Steven Santini | 6-1 | 208 | 3/7/95 | R | Mahopac, N.Y. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Boston College | | 3 | Scott Savage | 6-0 | 168 | 4/11/95 | L | San Clemente, Calif. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Boston College | | 6 | Keaton Thompson
| 6-0 | 182 | 9/14/95 | L | Devils Lake, N.D. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Univ. of North Dakota
| | Forwards | | | 10 | Evan Allen | 5-10 | 195 | 2/3/95 | R | Sterling Heights, Mich. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Univ. of Michigan | | 7 | J.T. Compher | 5-10 | 178 | 4/8/95 | R | Northbrook, Ill. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Univ. of Michigan | | 8 | Dawson Cook | 6-1 | 197 | 6/15/95 | L | Cadillac, Mich. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Univ. of Notre Dame | | 28 | Shane Eiserman | 6-2 | 196 | 10/10/95 | L | West Newbury, Mass. | Cushing Academy (Mass.) | Univ. of New Hampshire | | 22 | Hudson Fasching | 6-2 | 214 | 7/28/95 | R | Burnsville, Minn. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Univ. of Minnesota | | 15 | John Hayden | 6-3 | 221 | 2/14/95 | R | Greenwich, Conn. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Yale University | | 19 | Tyler Kelleher | 5-5 | 154 | 1/2/95 | R | Longmeadow, Mass. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Univ. of New Hampshire | | 12 | Kevin Labanc | 5-10 | 172 | 12/12/95 | R | Staten Island, N.Y. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Univ. of Notre Dame | | 9 | Anthony Louis | 5-6 | 142 | 2/10/95 | L | Winfield, Ill. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Miami Univ. | | 13 | Sean Malone | 5-11 | 185 | 4/30/95 | L | West Seneca, N.Y. | Nichols School (N.Y.) | Harvard Univ. | | 24 | Michael McCarron | 6-5 | 227 | 3/7/95 | R | Macomb, Mich. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Cornell Univ. | | 14 | Tyler Motte | 5-9 | 184 | 3/10/95 | L | St. Clair, Mich. | U.S. National Under-17 Team | Univ. of Michigan |
Senior Director of Operations: Scott Monoghan, Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J.
Head Coach: Don Granato, Downers Grove, Ill.
Assistant Coach: Nick Fohr, Grand Forks, N.D.
Intern Assistant Coach: Josh Brown, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Goaltending Coach: Mike Ayers, Hingham, Mass.
Director of Player Personnel: Peter Ward, Andover, Mass.
Equipment Manager: Jake Visser, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Athletic Trainer: Jason Hodges, New Baltimore, Mich.
Communications/Marketing: Jake Wesolek, Saginaw, Mich.
| Date | Opponent | Location | Site | Time/Result | | 9/15 | Youngstown Phantoms# | Orchard Lake, Mich. | St. Mary's Athletic Complex | 7:00 p.m. | | 9/20 | Dubuque Fighting Saints^ | Sioux City, Iowa | Tyson Events Center | 7:00 p.m. | | 9/21 | Sioux City Musketeers^ | Sioux City, Iowa | Tyson Events Center | 7:00 p.m. | | 9/22 | Sioux Falls Stampede^ | Sioux City, Iowa | IBP Ice Center | 11:00 a.m. | | 10/6 | University of Wisconsin+ | Madison, Wis. | Kohl Center | 8:00 p.m. | | 10/7 | University of Notre Dame+ | South Bend, Ind. | Compton Family Ice Arena | 5:05 p.m. | | 10/12 | University of North Dakota+ | Grand Forks, N.D. | Ralph Engelstad Arena | 7:37 p.m. | | 10/13 | Bemidji State University+ | Bemidji, Minn. | Sanford Center | 7:07 p.m. | | 10/16 | Muskegon Lumberjacks* | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Ann Arbor Ice Cube | 7:00 p.m. | | 10/19 | Cornell University+ | Ithaca, N.Y. | James Lynah Arena | 7:00 p.m. | | 10/20 | Oswego State University% | Oswego, N.Y. | Campus Center Ice Arena | 7:00 p.m. | | 10/23 | Indiana Ice* | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Ann Arbor Ice Cube | 7:00 p.m. | | 10/26 | University of Minnesota+ | Minneapolis, Minn. | Mariucci Center | 7:00 p.m. | | 10/27 | St. Thomas University% | St. Paul, Minn. | SMU Ice Arena | 7:30 p.m. | | 11/1 | Dubuque Fighting Saints* | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Ann Arbor Ice Cube | 7:00 p.m. | | 11/6-11 | Four Nations Tournament | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Ann Arbor Ice Cube | TBD | | 11/17 | Chicago Steel* | Bensenville, Ill. | The Edge Ice Arena | 7:00 p.m. | | 11/18 | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders* | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Ann Arbor Ice Cube | 3:30 p.m. | | 11/25 | St. Mary's University% | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Ann Arbor Ice Cube | 3:30 p.m. | | 11/30 | University of Alabama Huntsville+ | Huntsville, Ala. | Von Braun Center | 7:00 p.m. | | 12/1 | University of Alabama Huntsville+ | Huntsville, Ala. | Von Braun Center | 3:00 p.m. | | 12/8 | Merrimack College+ | North Andover, Mass. | Lawler Arena | 4:00 p.m. | | 12/9 | University of New Hampshire+ | Durham, N.H. | Whittemore Center Arena | 4:00 p.m. | | 12/14 | Dubuque Fighting Saints* | Dubuque, Iowa | Mystique Ice Center | 7:05 p.m. | | 12/15 | Cedar Rapids RoughRidgers* | Cedar Rapids, Iowa | Cedar Rapids Ice Arena | 7:05 p.m. | | 12/18 | Indiana Ice* | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Ann Arbor Ice Cube | 7:00 p.m. | | 12/21 | Youngstown Phantoms* | Youngstown, Ohio | Covelli Centre | 7:15 p.m. | | 12/22 | Youngstown Phantoms* | Youngstown, Ohio | Covelli Centre | 7:15 p.m. | | 1/4 | University of Michigan+ | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Yost Arena | 7:35 p.m. | | 1/5 | Milwaukee School of Engineering% | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Ann Arbor Ice Cube | 7:00 p.m. | | 1/11 | Penn State University+ | University Park, Pa. | Penn State Ice Pavilion | 7:30 p.m. | | 1/12 | Penn State University+ | University Park, Pa. | Penn State Ice Pavilion | 7:30 p.m. | | 1/18 | Indiana Ice* | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Ann Arbor Ice Cube | 7:00 p.m. | | 1/20 | Chicago Steel* | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Ann Arbor Ice Cube | 3:30 p.m. | | 1/22 | Michigan State University+ | East Lansing, Mich. | Munn Ice Arena | 7:00 p.m. | | 1/26 | University of Minnesota Duluth+ | Duluth, Minn. | AMSOIL Arena | 2:07 p.m. | | 1/27 | University of Wisconsin Superior% | Superior, Wis. | Wessman Arena | 5:00 p.m. | | 1/31 | Youngstown Phantoms* | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Ann Arbor Ice Cube | 7:00 p.m. | | 2/5-10 | Five Nations Tournament | Jonkoping, Sweden | | TBD | | 2/20 | Chicago Steel* | Bensenville, Ill. | The Edge Ice Arena | 7:30 p.m. | | 2/22 | Lincoln Stars* | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Ice Box | 7:05 p.m. | | 3/1 | Muskegon Lumberjacks* | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Ann Arbor Ice Cube | 7:00 p.m. | | 3/3 | Green Bay Gamblers* | Green Bay, Wis. | Resch Center | 3:05 p.m. | | 3/8 | Indiana Ice* | Indianapolis, Ind. | Bankers Life Fieldhouse | 7:05 p.m. | | 3/9 | Indiana Ice* | Indianapolis, Ind. | Bankers Life Fieldhouse | 7:05 p.m. | | 3/14 | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders* | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Ann Arbor Ice Cube | 7:00 p.m. | | 3/15 | Muskegon Lumberjacks* | Muskegon, Mich. | L.C. Walker Arena | 7:15 p.m. | | 3/19 | Youngstown Phantoms* | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Ann Arbor Ice Cube | 7:00 p.m. | | 3/23 | Muskegon Lumberjacks* | Muskegon, Mich. | L.C. Walker Arena | 7:15 p.m. | | 3/24 | Youngstown Phantoms* | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Ann Arbor Ice Cube | 3:30 p.m. | | 3/29 | Green Bay Gamblers* | Green Bay, Wis. | Resch Center | 7:05 p.m. | | 3/30 | Green Bay Gamblers* | Green Bay, Wis. | Resch Center | 7:05 p.m. | | 4/7-22 | IIHF Men's U18 Championship | Sochi, Russia | | TBD |
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