Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

Petersen And Lee Named To U.S. National Team

April 13, 2017

Team USA Roster Release

By Dan Colleran

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Notre Dame junior goaltender Cal Petersen as well as Notre Dame alum and current New York Islander Anders Lee have been named to the U.S. Men’s National Team that will compete at the 2017 IIHF Men’s World Championship on May 5-21 in Cologne, Germany, and Paris, France.

USA Hockey announced the first 15 members of the Team USA roster on Thursday afternoon and Petersen joins Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) and Jimmy Howard (Detroit Red Wings) as one of three goaltenders on the initial list. Petersen is also one of three players of the initial 15 to have played college hockey in 2016-17, joining Daniel Brickley (Minnesota State) and Jordan Greenway (Boston University). Team USA’s head coach will be current Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill.

Petersen will become the 14th Notre Dame player to suit up for the U.S. National Team. Lee previously helped Team USA to the bronze medal in the 2015 IIHF World Championship in the Czech Republic. The previous 13 players to suit up for Team USA, including Lee, have combined for 18 U.S. National Team appearances. Most recently, Vince Hinostroza played for Team USA at the 2016 IIHF World Championship in Russia.

As a junior captain in 2016-17, Petersen led the Irish to their third Frozen Four appearance in program history. One of five finalists for the 2017 Mike Richter Award, Petersen was selected to the NCAA Northeast Regional All-Tournament team after posting wins over Minnesota and UMass Lowell.

Petersen finished the season with a 23-12-5 record to go along with a 2.22 goals against average, a .926 save percentage and six shutouts. His save percentage ranked third in Hockey East and 11th nationally, while his six shutouts tied for the NCAA lead. Petersen’s 2016-17 numbers were compiled against a tough schedule that included 18 games against top-20 offenses (teams who finished the season ranked in the top-20 nationally in goals per game).

A 2017 First Team Hockey East All-Star, Petersen led the Irish to a weekend sweep of Providence College in the Hockey East quarterfinals (March 10-11). In the two games versus the Friars, Petersen posted a 1.00 goals against average and a .973 save percentage to go along with a 43-save, game one shutout. He earned Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week honors following the series.

Petersen was also named the Hockey East Co-Defensive Player of the Week following back-to-back shutouts versus Alaska (Dec. 31 and Jan. 1), including a 34-save performance in game one of that series. From Dec. 10 to Jan. 6, Petersen went 207:10 without allowing a goal, which is the second-longest shutout streak in program history.

A fifth-round selection by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Petersen helped the Irish secure a top four finish in the Hockey East standings and a first-round bye when he stopped 37 of the 38 shots he faced in a 3-1 win at Boston University during the final weekend of regular-season play (Feb. 24).

Petersen has started 90-consecutive games in goal for the Irish, the fourth-longest streak in NCAA history. He ranks first in career save percentage (.924) at Notre Dame, second in minutes played (6498:02), third in saves (3,042) and goals against average (2.30), tied for third in victories (55) as well as fourth in shutouts (11) and games played (110).

Lee scored a career-high 34 goals for the Islanders in 2016-17 and added 18 assists for 52 points. Lee’s 34 goals were the most by a former Notre Dame player in the NHL, besting Dave Poulin’s 31 scored with Philadelphia in 1984.

It will mark the second World Championship appearance for Lee, who has five points (1G, 4A) in 10 games with Team USA.

A Second Team (West) CCM/AHCA All-America selection in 2013, Lee played in 41 games as a junior and led Notre Dame in scoring while helping the team to a 25-13-3 overall record, a second-place regular season finish in the CCHA and the final CCHA Mason Cup championship. With 20 goals and 18 assists for 38 points he led the Irish in goals and points.

In three seasons with the Irish, Lee played in 125 games and notched 116 points on 61 goals and 55 assists.

A sixth round selection (152 overall) by the Islanders in the the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Lee has now played in 261 NHL games for New York and has posted 145 points on 84 goals and 61 assists. In his first career game on April 2, 2013, Lee scored on his first career shot in a 5-2 win over Winnipeg.

— ND —


Dan Colleran, associate athletics communications director at the University of Notre Dame, has been a part of Fighting Irish Media since August 2015 and coordinates all media and publicity efforts surrounding the Notre Dame hockey and golf programs. A native of Walpole, Massachusetts, Colleran spent the previous three years working with the men’s hockey and soccer programs at Providence College. Colleran also spent two years as an Assistant Executive Director of Communications & Championships at the Ivy League and is a graduate of Providence College (’06 & ’08G).