BROWN, PARISE, RAFALSKI, SUTER TABBED AS ALTERNATE CAPTAINS FOR VANCOUVER GAMES

Parise, who is in his first season as an alternate captain of the New Jersey Devils, previously served as an alternate captain on the gold medal-winning 2004 U.S. National Junior Team, as well as the 2008 U.S. Men’s National Team. He also competed at two other IIHF World Men’s Championships (2005, 2007), the 2003 IIHF World Junior Championship and was a member of gold medal-winning 2002 U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team at the IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship.

The 23-man roster for the 2010 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team was unveiled on NBC as part of its coverage of the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 1 at Fenway Park in Boston … Ron Wilson, head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, is the head coach of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team, with Scott Gordon, head coach of the New York Islanders, and John Tortorella, head coach of the New York Rangers, serving as assistant coaches … USA Hockey’s international council, chaired by Tony Rossi, vice president of USA Hockey, has oversight responsibilities for all U.S. National Teams.

Team USA 2010 Olympic Winter Games Schedule
Feb. 16-28 • Vancouver, B.C.
Date Opponent

Time (Local/EST)
Tues., Feb. 16 Switzerland 12 p.m./3 p.m.
Thurs., Feb. 18 Norway 12 p.m./3 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 21 Canada 4:40 p.m./7:40 p.m.
Tues., Feb. 23 Qualification Games+ 12 p.m./3 p.m.
Wed., Feb. 24 Quarterfinals+ 12 p.m./3 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 26 Semifinals+ 12 p.m./3 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 27 Bronze-Medal Game 7 p.m./10 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 28 Gold-Medal Game 12:15 p.m./3:15 p.m.

+game time listed is when USA will play if qualified for game

January 14, 2010 – USA Hockey (usahockey.com)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Two-time Olympian [Easton Sponsored] Natalie Darwitz (Eagan, Minn.) will serve as the captain of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team, as announced today by USA Hockey. Joining her as alternate captains will be fellow two-time Olympian Julie Chu (Fairfield, Conn.), as well as three-time Olympians Jenny Potter (Edina, Minn.) and Angela Ruggiero (Simi Valley, Calif.).

Darwitz will be serving her first Olympic captaincy at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, which take place from Feb. 12-28 in Vancouver, B.C. She has previously been the captain for Team USA during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons, which included two International Ice Hockey Federation World Women’s Championship runs.

Captains cov

L to R: Julie Chu, Jenny Potter, Natalie Darwitz and Angela Ruggiero will lead Team USA in Vancouver.

U.S. Roster Camera icon Announcement Photos
Listen:Media Teleconference with Team USA
Qwest Tour down to final game
Having been a member of the U.S. Women’s National Program since 1998, Darwitz has played 197 games for Team USA and amassed 231 points (111-120) to stand fourth on both the all-time U.S. scoring and games played lists. She has skated in two Olympics, eight world championships and seven Three/Four Nations Cups.

The trio of alternate captains also holds a multitude of experience. Chu has been part of the U.S. program since 1999 and has seen action in two Olympics, six world championships and eight Four Nations Cups. She’s played 185 games in the USA sweater, garnering 150 points (55-95) in the process.

Meanwhile, Potter and Ruggiero are the most senior members of Team USA. Potter has been on the squad since 1997 and has played in three Olympics, including in 1998 when the Americans won the first-ever Olympic gold medal awarded in the sport. In addition, while racking up 207 career points (88-119) in 179 games, she’s played in eight world championships and eight Three/Four Nations Cups.

Finally, Ruggiero, who has played more hockey games (244) for Team USA than any one else, is also a three-time Olympian after having been the youngest member of the 1998 gold medal-winning squad. She’s played in nine world championships and eight Three/Four Nations Cups and has been named the top defenseman in the world on six occasions. In her 244 games, Ruggiero has a total of 198 points (60-138), which is second all-time among U.S. defensemen.

The U.S. team is currently at the tail end of the Qwest Tour, a 10-game, nine-city tour that began on Sept. 25. The final game will take place at the World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Feb. 4 against Finland. For tickets and more information, visit QwestTour.com.

Team USA opens Olympic competition on Sunday, Feb. 14, against China.

NOTES: Click here for the full roster … The U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team has medaled in all three Olympic appearances to date (gold-1998, silver-2002, bronze-2006) … Mark Johnson, head women’s ice hockey coach at the University of Wisconsin, is the head coach of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team. Joining him on the coaching staff as assistant coaches are Dave Flint, head women’s ice hockey coach at Northeastern University, and Jodi McKenna, head women’s ice hockey coach at Wesleyan University.

Team USA 2010 Olympic Winter Games Schedule
Feb. 13-25 • Vancouver, B.C.
Date Opponent Location

Time (Local/ET)
Sun., Feb. 14 China UBC Thunderbird Arena 12 p.m./3 p.m.
Tues., Feb. 16 Russia UBC Thunderbird Arena 2:30 p.m./5:30 p.m.
Thurs., Feb. 18 Finland UBC Thunderbird Arena 2:30 p.m./5:30 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 20 Classification Games UBC Thunderbird Arena TBA
Mon., Feb. 22 Semifinals* Canada Hockey Place 12 p.m./3 p.m.
Thurs., Feb. 25 Bronze-Medal Game Canada Hockey Place 11 a.m./2 p.m.
Gold-Medal Game Canada Hockey Place 3:30 p.m./6:30 p.m.
*game time listed is when Team USA will play if qualified for game

The 2009 USA Hockey National Championships presented by Easton are here. Be there in person April 1-5, or watch all the action online!

When you think of youth hockey, you think Easton, the exclusive equipment sponsor of the USA Hockey National Championships and Skills Competition. Easton is also a long-time supporter of the Coaching Education Program and the NTDP.
The 5 host cities for the 2009 USA Hockey Youth, Girls’ and Women’s National Championships presented by Easton, were announced in October by USA Hockey and scheduled as follows:

• 12 & Under from Indian Trail, N.C. at the Extreme Ice Center. – April 1-5
• 14 & Under from Plano, Texas at the Dr Pepper StarCenter-Frisco – April 1-5
• 16 & Under from Chesterfield, Mo. at The Summit Center – April 1-5
• 18 & Under from Pittsburgh, Pa. at the Robert Morris University Island Sports Center April 1-5
• Girls’ 12 & Under, 14 & Under, 16 & Under, 19 & Under from Rochester, N.Y. at the ESL Sports Centre – April 1-5
• Junior A, B, & C from Marlborough, Mass. – March 27-31
• Women’s Senior A, B, C and 30 & Over from Rochester, N.Y. – March 27-29

New and unprecedented this year, all 580 scheduled games will be streamed live from venues across the United States. The games will be broadcast live and game archives will be available for on-demand viewing after the tournament.
For full details of the tournament schedule and how to watch games online visit National Championship

History
Since 1912, when the St. Nick’s Hockey Club of New York City won its first of four consecutive Senior Elite championships, the United States has been crowning national champions in amateur hockey. Beginning in 1936 with the formation of the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States (now known as USA Hockey), the organization has served as the governing body for the sport in the United States and has hosted national championship tournaments for players in youth, junior and adult divisions. In 1980, female teams began competing for national titles and now take part in nine divisions.

Throughout the years, hundreds of thousands of players of all ages have taken to the ice in the spirit of good sportsmanship to pursue amateur hockey’s highest honor – a USA Hockey National Championship – and the number of participating teams has escalated with USA Hockey’s enormous growth. This year, the 30 & Over division was added to the women’s tier, along with the Women’s Recreational 50 & Over division added to the Adult Tier. All total, teams will compete for 28 national titles in 11 different cities.