Dec. 5, 2011
Colorado Springs, Colo. – USA Hockey today named 29 players to its preliminary roster for the 2012 U.S. Junior National Team. The 29 selected players will gather for a pre-tournament camp in Camrose, Alta., on Dec. 17 with the final 22-man U.S. National Junior Team roster expected to be named Dec. 22.
Among those selected are Notre Dame sophomore defenseman Stephen Johns (Wampum, Pa.) and sophomore center T.J. Tynan (Orland Park, Ill.). The duo will compete for a chance to play in the 2012 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championships that will be held in Calgary and Edmonton, Alta., from Dec. 26, 2011 to Jan. 5, 2012.
The training camp will be highlighted with an exhibition games against Russia (Dec. 20), Switzerland (Dec. 21) and Slovakia (Dec. 23).
“We’re very excited to see what this group of players brings to camp,” said Jim Johannson, general manager of the 2012 U.S. National Junior Team and also the assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey.
“The talent and skill that all of these players bring will make trimming the roster tough, but we look forward to the process.”
Johns is a 6-4, 230-pound defenseman who has been a regular on the Notre Dame blue line in each of his first two seasons. A 2010 second-round draft choice of the Chicago Blackhawks, Johns has played in 18 games this season and has two goals and four assists for six points with one power-play goal and one game winner. He is +4 on the season and has 13 penalties for 40 minutes. As a freshman in 2010-11, Johns played in 44 games, scoring a pair of goals with 11 assists for 13 points. He led the Irish with 98 penalty minutes.
Tynan is a 5-8, 167-pound center and has led Notre Dame in scoring in each of his first two seasons. A third-round draft choice of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Tynan has played in all 18 games for the Irish this season and leads the team with six goals and 19 assists for 25 points. He has a pair of power-play goals and one short-handed tally on the year. His 19 assists tie him for first in the nation and lead the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) while his 25 points tie him for third nationally and lead the CCHA.
As a freshman, Tynan was the top freshman scorer in the nation with 23 goals and 31 assists for 54 points in 44 games. He was named the Hockey Commissioners’ Association national rookie of the year while also being the CCHA rookie of the year. A second-team all-CCHA selection, Tynan was Notre Dame’s team most valuable player and the offensive player of the year.
Johns and Tynan have the opportunity to be the 14th and 15th Notre Dame players selected to play for in the World Junior Championships. The previous player to make the team, Kyle Palmieri, was a member of the 2010 gold medal winning team.
The Irish duo and their teammates return to action this weekend with a home-and-home series versus Ferris State. On Friday, Dec. 9, Notre Dame travels to Big Rapids, Mich., to meet the Bulldogs in a 7:05 p.m. game. On Saturday, Dec. 10, the two teams meet at the Compton Family Ice Arena for a 7:05 p.m. contest. That series will be the final games for the Irish as they will be off for 21 days for finals and the Christmas holidays before returning to action on Dec. 31 at home against Boston University.
Notre Dame Participants In The IIHF World Junior Championships
Jack Brownschidle (1976-77, 1977-78) Rob Globke (2000-01, 2001-02)Ben Simon (1996-97, 1997-98) Brett Lebda (2001-02)Joe Dusbabek (1997-98) Kyle Lawson (2006-07)Dan Carlson (1998-99) Ian Cole (2007-08, 2008-09)Connor Dunlop (1999-00, 2000-01) Teddy Ruth (2008-09)Brett Henning (1999-00) Kyle Palmieri (2009-10)David Inman (1999-00)