COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- USA Hockey announced that Clarkson University’s Shawn Weller has been added to the roster for the upcoming 2005 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship. Weller was one of 10 players added to the preliminary list released last month. The U.S. will enter the tournament as defending champion after skating to its first gold medal in the 27-year history of the event in Finland last year. USA Hockey will host this year's tournament from December 25, 2004, through January 4, 2005, in Grand Forks, N.D., and Thief River Falls, Minn.
view PDF file of 2005 U.S. National Junior Team Roster
TELEVISION COVERAGE
ESPN will provide unprecedented coverage of Team USA games in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, slated for Dec. 25, 2004 - January 4, 2005, at the Ralph Engelstad Arenas in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and Thief River Falls, Minnesota.
The slated coverage calls for ESPN2 to televise three of four U.S. games in the preliminary round of the championship. In addition, ESPN2 will televise all U.S. games leading to the gold-medal game. A U.S. appearance in the gold-medal game would be televised by ESPN.
With the games scheduled for the ESPN2 audience, the 2005 World Junior Championship will be broadcast in nearly 85 million homes.
ESPN2 Preliminary Round Schedule (all times are central)
Sat., Dec. 25 USA vs. Russia 7:30 p.m.
Mon., Dec. 27 USA vs. Switzerland 8:00 p.m.
Wed., Dec. 29 USA vs. Belarus 8:30 p.m.(tape-delayed)
Along side ESPN's coverage of the tournament, U.S.-based World Sport, a high-definition network on Cablevision's Voom service, will televise all 21 games of the event from Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, which includes all Team USA games. The only live telecast on World Sport will come when Team USA plays Russia on Dec. 25. All other World Sport broadcasts will be on a delayed basis at selected times in January and February.
Highlighting the list of new additions are seven 2004 National Hockey League draftees, including four drafted in the top two rounds. In total, prospects from 13 of the 30 NHL teams will suit up for the U.S.
Weller, a freshman wing for the Golden Knights, is one of 14 NCAA college players on the roster and the only student-athlete from the Eastern College Athletic Conference Hockey League (ECACHL). Through 11 games this season, Weller has scored two goals (both on the power play) and five assists. A native of South Glens Falls, N.Y., Weller was a third-round selection in the 2004 NHL Draft, chosen by the Ottawa Senators with the 77th pick overall.
Edmonton's top selection in June, forward Robbie Schremp (Fulton, N.Y./London Knights) will take part in his first IIHF event. Schremp garnered Ontario Hockey League Player of the Month honors in November after scoring in all but one game. Also making his World Junior Championship debut is Washington Capitals draftee Chris Bourque (Topsfield, Mass./Boston University). The son of Bruins legend Ray Bourque, Chris has recorded 12 points (3-9-12) in 15 games for Boston University this season.
Joining 2004 World Junior Championship All-Star Al Montoya (Glenview, Ill./University of Michigan) in goal is Boston College netminder Cory Schneider (Marblehead, Mass./Boston College). Vancouver's first selection in 2004, Schneider owns a 3-0-3 mark with a .920 save percentage and a 1.92 goals against average on the season so far.
University of Michigan forward Kevin Porter (Detroit, Mich.), a 2004 Phoenix Coyote draftee, brings the number of Wolverines on the roster to five. Michigan is one of three universities sending multiple players to the tournament, joining the University of Wisconsin and the University of Minnesota, which each have two players on the roster.
The two Minnesota players were added today in the likes of defensemen Alex Goligoski (Grand Rapids, Minn.) and Nate Hagemo (Edina, Minn.). Goligoski was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in June's Entry Draft. Hagemo will be eligible in 2005.
USA Hockey National Team Development Program standout Phil Kessel (Madison, Wis./NTDP) is the youngest player on the roster. The 17-year old has 15 goals and 27 points in 11 games for the NTDP this year. Moorhead High School defenseman Brian Lee (Moorhead, Minn./Moorhead High School), also a 17-year old, will make the short trip to Grand Forks after opening the season with eight points (4-4-8) in just two games.
Rounding out the roster additions is St. Cloud State University defenseman Casey Borer (Brooklyn Park, Minn.).
