Tuesday, April 9, 2013

2013 U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team Roster Announced

Press Release

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Hockey today announced the 23-player roster for the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team that will compete at the 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation Men's World Under-18 Championship from April 18-28, in Sochi, Russia.

All U.S. games in the tournament will be streamed live on USAHockey.FASTHockey.com.

Team USA will look to win its fifth consecutive gold medal in the event. The U.S. captured the world title a year ago in Brno, Znojmo and Breclav, Czech Republic, as well as in 2011 in Crimmitschau and Dresden, Germany; in 2010 in Minsk and Bobruisk, Belarus; and in 2009 in Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn.

Highlighting the roster are three returnees from last year's team, including forwards J.T. Compher (Northbrook, Ill.) and Anthony Louis (Winfield, Ill.) and defenseman Will Butcher (Sun Prairie, Wis.).

The U.S. roster has seven defensemen, including Gage Ausmus (East Grand Forks, Minn.), Butcher, Connor Clifton (Matawan, N.J.), Clint Lewis (Burnsville, Minn.), Steven Santini (Mahopac, N.Y.), Keaton Thompson (Devils Lake, N.D.) and Tommy Vannelli (Minnetonka, Minn.).

Compher and Louis are among the group of 13 forwards, which also includes Evan Allen (Sterling Heights, Mich.), Dawson Cook (Cadillac, Mich.), Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Mass.), Shane Eiserman (West Newbury, Mass.), Hudson Fasching (Burnsville, Minn.), John Hayden (Greenwich, Conn.), Tyler Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass.), Kevin Labanc (Staten Island, N.Y.), Sean Malone (West Seneca, N.Y.), Michael McCarron (Macomb, Mich.) and Tyler Motte (St. Clair, Mich.).

Backstopping Team USA will be goaltenders Thatcher Demko (San Diego, Calif.), Hunter Miska (North Branch, Minn.) and Blake Weyrick (Ojai, Calif.).

The U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team will play one pre-tournament game against Canada on April 14 in Sochi, Russia, before opening tournament play on April 18 against Russia at the Bolshoy Ice Dome at 8 p.m. local time (12 p.m. EDT).

 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)

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