Team USA Looks for Third Straight Gold Medal at IIHF World Men's U18 Championship

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey today announced the 22-player roster for the 2011 U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team that will compete at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Men’s U18 Championship from April 14-24, in Crimmitschau and Dresden, Germany.

Team USA will look to win its third consecutive gold medal after capturing the world title in 2010 in Minsk and Bobruisk, Belarus, and in 2009 in Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn.

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 World Men’s U18 Championship - forwards Tyler Biggs (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif.).

The U.S. will feature seven defensemen at the tournament, including Seth Jones (Plano, Texas), Barrett Kaib (Upper St. Clair, Pa.), Jake McCabe (Eau Claire, Wis.), Connor Murphy (Dublin, Ohio), Michael Paliotta (Westport, Conn.), Robbie Russo (Westmont, Ill.) and Jacob Trouba (Rochester, Mich.).

Biggs and Grimaldi highlight the group of 13 forwards, which also includes Cole Bardreau (Fairport, N.Y.), Reid Boucher (Grand Ledge, Mich.), Travis Boyd (Hopkins, Minn.), Dan Carlson (Corcoran, Minn.), Ryan Haggerty (Stamford, Conn.), Nicolas Kerdiles (Irvine, Calif.), Zac Larraza (Scottsdale, Ariz.), J.T. Miller (East Palestine, Ohio), Blake Pietila (Brighton, Mich.), Adam Reid (Chino Hills, Calif.) and Henrik Samuelsson (Scottsdale, Ariz.).

Backstopping Team USA will be goaltenders John Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Matt McNeely (Apple Valley, Minn.).

The U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team will play two pre-tournament games against Canada (April 9) and Finland (April 11) in Dresden, Germany, before opening tournament play on April 14 against Switzerland at Crimmitschau Arena at 7:30 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. EDT). Team USA's complete schedule can be found below.

Beginning with the preliminary round, all of the U.S. games will be streamed live on USAHockey.FASTHockey.com.

NOTES: The U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team will be led by Ron Rolston, who is serving as head coach at his fourth IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship. He previously led the U.S. to two gold medals (2005, 2009) and one silver medal (2007). Rolston is currently in his seventh season as head coach at USA Hockey's National Team 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 … All 22 players on the U.S. roster come from USA Hockey’s NTDP … The roster includes 18 players born in 1993 and four from the 1994 birth year. Defenseman Seth Jones, born Oct. 3, 1994, is Team USA’s youngest player, while forward Adam Reid, born Jan. 29, 1993, is the oldest … The U.S. enters the tournament having captured a record seven consecutive medals, including back-to-back gold medals in 2005-06 and 2009-10, two silver medals (2004, 2007) and one bronze medal (2008). Team USA’s five gold medals are the most of any country in IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship history since the inception of the tournament in 1999. Team USA earned its first gold medal in 2002 … The U.S. will be competing in Group A against Germany, Russia, Switzerland and Slovakia. Group B consists of Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Norway and Sweden ... More information about the 2011 IIHF World Men's U18 Championship can be found here.

Team USA 2011 IIHF World Men's Under-18 Championship Schedule
April 14-24 • Crimmitschau, Germany

Date Opponent Time (Local/EDT)
Live Webcast
Sat., April 9 Canada (exhibition)* 4:00 p.m./10:00 a.m.
Mon., April 11 Finland (exhibition)* 7:30 p.m./1:30 p.m.
Thu., April 14 Switzerland 7:30 p.m./1:30 p.m. FASTHockey.com
Fri., April 15 Slovakia 3:30 p.m./9:30 a.m. FASTHockey.com
Sun., April 17 Russia 7:30 p.m./1:30 p.m. FASTHockey.com
Tue., April 19 Germany 7:30 p.m./1:30 p.m. FASTHockey.com
Thu., April 21 Quarterfinals TBD
Sat., April 23 Semifinals TBD
Sun., April 24 Bronze-Medal Game 2:30 p.m./8:30 a.m.
Gold-Medal Game 6:30 p.m./12:30 p.m.

*Exhibition games will be played in Dresden, Germany

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