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2003 USJDP European Selects Tour Recap
Czech Hockey Challenge Cup
Prague, Czech Republic
FIRST All American Born Team to Compete for Championship Trophy!!
The latest version of the USJDP Selects proved to be the most successful
yet when they traveled to Prague in August. Participating for the first
time in the world’s largest International Youth Hockey Tournament,
the Czech Hockey Challenge Cup in Prague, Czech Republic, the team
accomplished something that no United States team had ever done in
the tournament. The USJDP Selects are the first ALL American born team
to have competed for the Championship Trophy. Finishing second in the
final game, the players realized the magnitude of their accomplishment,
having lost to HK UFA, the reigning Russian National Champions. The
Selects team was comprised of 12 players from Colorado, 4 from California,
and 2 from Minnesota and represented local minor hockey AA and AAA
programs, as well as 2 representatives from Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep.
The Selects arrived in the Czech Republic on August 4, 2003, two days
prior to the start of the tournament to better prepare and practice with
their new teammates. Filled with excitement and determination the team
was on the ice for the first time just a scant 4 hours after getting
of the plane. Immediately, the coaches set out to get the kids legs going
and more importantly, get them better accustomed to the larger ice sheets
of Europe.
Day two started with a bang as the team came out flying in practice,
rejuvenated from a good nights rest for the first time in two days. “Things
felt a lot better today after getting some sleep and having a day to
soak it all in” said Co-Captain Travis Hitt of Denver, CO. That afternoon
the Selects found themselves in a scrimmage against a local Czech Junior
Team comprised of 1984-1985 birth years, HC Kralupy. The team came out
a little sluggish and found themselves playing catch up to the older
and bigger Jr. squad. “We were very timid and psyched out because of
their age and size, we certainly didn’t play like we should have,” Ryan
Block of Pleasanton, CA said after the first game.
With the Tournament beginning the next day, the Selects found themselves
playing the same team as the night before. However, deciding to play
their game and not fear the size of the older players, the Selects won
3-0 led by a commanding performance in the net by Denver, CO native Dean
Klemenz. “Deano put on a great show in the net that really sparked the
rest of the team”, Connor Williams of Boulder, CO said after the game.
After the defeat of the team from Kralupy, the Selects were eager to
meet their next opponent, the Canadians. This game had a little more
importance for the boys as none of them wanted to lose to the Canadians.
Brandon Jardon, U.S. Junior Selects goalie from Colorado Springs, CO,
said it best, “I have never beaten a Canadian team, my teams have always
come up short and I am tired of it.” The team got their wish as they
controlled the play from the opening face-off and with a stellar performance
by Jardon in net, shut the Canadians out 4-0.
Next up in round robin play for the Selects was another Czech Junior
team, HK Kobra. This game would be the turning point in the tournament
for the U.S. Junior Selects. The Selects got on the board early with
a great goal from Jason Nemeth of Pleasanton, CA, but had the tables
turned on them quickly as a few defensive lapses put the Selects in a
2-1 hole. The start of the third period found Selects forward Derek Scanlon
of Boulder, CO tying the game at 2 off a pretty face-off goal in close.
Then, four minutes later, Mark Daugherty of Denver, CO scored the game
winner off a great feed out of the corner from Williams. An empty net
goal minutes later ended the scoring. “To have the club rally from behind
it is a true testament to these young men and the commitment they have
made to each other,” said former San Jose Sharks Assistant Coach and
current Selects Head Coach Derek Eisler after the game.
After successfully moving through the preliminary rounds undefeated with
6 points in tact, the Selects entered the semi-finals with a #1 seed.
However, the semis did not treat them so kindly as they played a decidedly
undermanned Prep School Selects to a 3-3 tie. “The boys came out flat,
not a lot of emotion was left after yesterdays win, so back to the drawing
board,” said Coach Eisler.
After the let down of the day before, the Selects found themselves in
a game they would not forget for a long time to come. In a building jam
packed with Latvian faithful complete with the full compliment of blaring
instruments, foghorns and bells, the Selects put another shut out on
the board, defeating Riga, Latvia 4-0. Co-Captain Drennen Schulz of Denver,
CO opened the scoring in the second with a power play tally 45 seconds
in to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead. The goal silenced the horns in the stands
and gave the U.S. the confidence they needed. The third period started
with heavy pressure from the Latvian squad only to be repelled by goaltender
Klemenz. After that initial flurry it was all downhill for the Latvians
as Hitt scored shortly thereafter and then Jordan Yindiphal of Redwood
City, CA and Shattuck St. Mary’s went coast to coast and fired a wicked
wrist shot over the shoulder of the Riga goalie to make it 3-0. A late
empty net goal ended of the scoring and provided the Selects with a trip
to the finals.
On day eight the Selects played in the Championship Game against HK UFA,
the reigning Russian National Champions. UFA quickly proved why they
claimed the Russian National Championships by scoring two goals in the
first 85 seconds. After watching the Russian Champs play for a few minutes,
the Selects started to gain some confidence back and began to compete.
Nemeth scored again with 2 minutes left in the first period to close
the gap to 1. However, that was as close as they were going to get on
this particular afternoon as the Russians, having played together for
the past 5 years, proved to be too tough. After the game, a despondent
Micah Schuette of Littleton, CO said, “Well, we had a bit of a rough
start, but certainly hung with them until the end. What an opportunity
though to play against the Russian National Champs. Man they were good!!”
“I look forward to watching a couple of those guys playing in the NHL
some day,” added Justin Smith of Minneapolis, MN and Shattuck St. Mary’s.
“It was a great experience, and an amazing opportunity for these boys
to see what the European game is all about. I am very proud of the way
this team represented themselves and their country throughout the tournament.”
Mike Gempeler the USJDP Selects General Manager said after the tournament.
Ryan Farr of Denver, Co summed up the tour this way, “This trip has been
a great experience for me… to get the opportunity to meet a bunch of
new guys and to travel and see a city like Prague while playing hockey
is a once in a lifetime experience for me and I am grateful to the coaches
and the USJDP Selects organization as a whole for putting on this tour
and providing me this opportunity, nothing could be better.”
For more information on the USJDP Selects European Tours for 2004, or
the U.S. Junior Development Junior Prep Camps, please visit www.usjdp.com,
or call at 303.964.0929.
