TheCrew.com+feature+story++#ForColumbus:+Hector+Jimenez+First&year*Crew*man*brings*title*experience*from*LA*Galaxy**By#Ryan#Schwepfinger#+If#you#take#the#entirety#of#the#Crew's#roster#and#add#up#the#total#amount#of#MLS#Cup#Playoff#appearances,#you#arrive#at#the#number#20.#14#of#those#appearances#are#courtesy#of#Michael#Parkhurst's#earlyGcareer#run#with#the#New#England#Revolution.#Many#key#contributors#on#this#club#weren't#in#MLS#during#the#last#time#the#Crew#qualified#for#November#soccer.##Despite#the#relative#inexperience#of#the#squad,#there's#one#member#of#the#Black#&#Gold#who#has#experienced#just#about#everything#that#lies#ahead.##That's#Hector#Jimenez,#a#player#who#came#up#with#the#LA#Galaxy#during#a#time#when#the#fourGtime#MLS#Cup#Champions#added#numbers#three#and#four#to#their#trophy#case.##Jimenez#was#drafted#by#LA#in#the#Second#Round#(34th#overall)#of#the#2011#MLS#SuperDraft.#He#joined#a#side#that#was#coming#off#of#its#third#Supporters'#Shield#triumph,#a#club#that#boasted#David#Beckham#and#Landon#Donovan#alongside#a#young#Omar#Gonzalez,#a#preGemergent#Mike#Magee#and#a#veteran#presence#in#Gregg#Berhalter#along#the#backline.##Although#that#2010#Galaxy#team#finished#with#the#best#record#in#MLS,#it#suffered#a#disappointing#3G0#defeat#to#FC#Dallas#in#the#Western#Conference#Final.#It#retooled#for#2011#by#adding#veterans#like#Juan#Pablo#Angel#and#Frankie#Hejduk#in#the#offseason,#but#it#made#its#biggest#splash#midway#through#the#year#by#signing#Robbie#Keane#from#Tottenham#Hotspur,#a#move#that#spurred#the#Galaxy#on#to#the#MLS#Cup#title#and#another#Supporters'#Shield.##Although#Jimenez,#as#a#rookie,#made#just#two#appearances#in#the#regular#season#and#none#in#the#postseason,#it#was#a#dream#start#that#he#calls#one#of#his#best#career#memories#to#date,#a#situation#that#enabled#him#to#observe#and#learn#alongside#true#legends#of#the#sport.##"In#my#first#year,#I#was#more#of#a#guy#who#didn't#play#much,"#said#Jimenez.#"I#was#on#the#outside#looking#in#at#the#stuff#that#some#of#the#great#players#were#doing.#In#my#second#year,#I#was#able#to#participate#a#lot#more#and#contribute#from#the#learning#experience#in#my#rookie#year.#Doing#things#after#practice,#the#little#things#–#small#details#outside#the#pitch#will#always#give#you#an#extra#confidence#booster#and#help#you#on#the#field."##In#that#second#year,#the#midfielder#made#15#appearances#for#a#club#that#again#went#on#to#capture#MLS#Cup.#Notably,#Jimenez#earned#his#first#bit#of#postseason#action#in#2012,#starting#at#rightback#against#Vancouver#in#the#Knockout#Round#match.#He#played#one#additional#season#in#LA,#adding#another#MLS#Cup#Playoff#appearance#in#2013#before#being#acquired#by#the#Crew#prior#to#this#season.##

As#such,#Jimenez#is#the#only#playing#member#of#the#Black#&#Gold#to#have#hoisted#MLS#Cup#in#his#career.#While#several#know#the#difference#between#regular#season#and#Playoff#soccer#firstGhand,#Jimenez#is#the#one#player#in#the#locker#room#to#know#the#feeling#of#achieving#the#ultimate#goal.##Not#only#that,#he#knows#what#it's#like#to#play#and#prepare#alongside#names#among#the#most#iconic#in#MLS'#history:#Donovan.#Keane.#Beckham.##"What#I#learned#the#most#is#that#day#in#and#day#out,#they're#coming#into#training#sessions#with#positivity#and#leaving#it#out#on#the#field#like#it's#the#last#day#that#they're#going#to#play,"#said#Jimenez.#"I#just#try#to#have#fun.#That’s#what#most#of#those#guys#like#Landon,#Robbie#and#David#will#say:#it's#all#about#having#fun#and#having#relationships#with#your#teammates#both#on#and#off#the#field."##The#challenge#now#for#Jimenez#is#to#contribute#to#a#side#that#is#eager#to#taste#that#success,#to#win#his#third#MLS#Cup#while#helping#29#others#win#their#first.##"Everyone's#in#that#excitement#type#of#mood,"#said#Jimenez.#"It#will#be#the#first#Playoff#game#for#a#lot#of#these#guys.#If#I#had#something#to#say#to#them,#it#would#be#to#take#it#as#any#other#game.#It's#what#we#play#for#and#you#just#have#to#enjoy#it."##He's#eager#to#get#going,#to#again#experience#the#heightened#competition#and#raised#level#of#play.##"Who#wouldn’t#want#to#win#an#MLS#Cup?#I#was#thankful#enough#that#in#my#first#two#years,#I#was#able#to#accomplish#that#with#LA."##For#his#teammates.#For#Columbus.##

TheCrew.com+sample+release++MATCH+PREVIEW:+CREW+CONTINUES+HOME+STRETCH+TONIGHT+WITH+CONTEST+AGAINST+MONTREAL+IMPACT+Crew%Stadium%set%to%host%second%Dollar%Night%of%2014,%featuring%Bob%Evans%brats%and%Budweiser%beers%%For%Immediate%Release:%July%19,%2014%Contact:%Alex%Caulfield,%614J447J4190%or%Tim%Miller,%614J447J4176%%COLUMBUS%—%The%Columbus%Crew%(4J7J8,%20%points)%continues%a%string%of%three%home%matches%in%eight%days%with%a%League%contest%against%the%Montreal%Impact%(3J9J5,%14%points)%tonight%at%7:30%p.m.%ET.%Time%Warner%Cable%SportsChannel%is%televising%the%game,%with%Dwight%Burgess,%Chris%Doran%and%Ashleigh%Ignelzi%on%the%call.%Neil%Sika%and%John%Bluem%are%set%to%describe%the%action%for%95.5%The%Game,%with%Carlos%Cordova%and%Juan%Valladares%behind%the%microphone%for%La%Mega%103.1%FM.%%A%Black%&%Gold%tradition,%Crew%Dollar%Nights%are%back%for%the%2014%season,%continuing%with%Saturday’s%contest.%Dollar%Nights%feature%$1%Bob%Evans%Brats%&%$1%iceJcold%Budweiser%drafts%for%fans%21JandJover.%%MLS%GAME%NOTES%PACKAGE:%http://bit.ly/1jFM8rv%%%This%Eastern%Conference%clash%is%the%first%meeting%of%the%season%between%the%Crew%and%Impact.%The%two%sides%are%slated%to%play%two%additional%times%in%2014:%at%Stade%Saputo%on%August%30%and%again%at%Crew%Stadium%on%September%27.%The%Black%&%Gold%have%not%faced%Montreal%since%September%14,%2013%when%they%won%by%a%2J1%final%on%the%road.%Overall,%the%Crew%has%won%the%last%two%contests%between%the%clubs%and%is%4J1J1%against%Montreal%allJtime.%Additionally,%the%Black%&%Gold%have%won%all%three%clashes%in%Columbus%between%the%Crew%and%Impact.%%The%Crew%has%scored%at%least%one%goal%in%all%six%matchJups%against%the%Impact,%averaging%1.67%goals%per%game%allJtime%against%Montreal.%That’s%the%highest%goalsJperJgame%average%by%the%Black%&%Gold%against%any%other%active%MLS%club,%narrowly%edging%out%the%Crew’s%1.66%mark%against%San%Jose.%%Of%goalkeepers%that%have%played%18%or%more%matches%in%2014,%Steve%Clark%ranks%within%the%top%three%in%MLS%in%save%percentage%(67.53).%Although%the%Crew%allowed%two%goals%to%Sporting%KC%on%Wednesday%night,%Clark%remains%in%the%top%three%on%that%list.%He%also%has%three%fiveJsave%performances%thus%far%in%2014%%Montreal%Impact%at%Columbus%Crew%Saturday,%July%19%–%7:30%p.m.%ET%–%Columbus%Crew%Stadium%%Regional%Television:%Time%Warner%Cable%SportsChannel%Crew%Radio:%95.5%The%Game%(English);%La%Mega%103.1%(Spanish)%

TheCrew.com+sample+feature++Ross+Friedman+set+to+graduate+from+Harvard+Crew%Homegrown%defender's%hard%work%results%in%prestigious%degree%%Ryan%Schwepfinger%%The%Crew's%306man%roster%was%constructed%via%a%variety%of%different%mechanisms.%Whether%through%trade,%the%MLS%SuperDraft,%a%discovery%claim%or%a%Homegrown%signing,%the%path%to%MLS%is%different%for%each%individual%player.%%Even%though%defender%Ross%Friedman%is%one%of%seven%Homegrown%Players%on%the%Crew's%roster,%he%might%be%able%to%lay%claim%to%the%most%unique%path%of%all—one%that%culminates,%in%some%ways,%with%his%graduation%from%Harvard%University%on%Thursday.%%Friedman,%just%22%years%old%and%incredibly%well6spoken,%has%shined%both%on%the%field%and%in%the%classroom%at%one%of%the%world's%most%prestigous%institutions.%He%recorded%56%appearances%over%four%seasons%for%the%Crimson,%leading%the%team%with%six%assists%as%a%sophomore%and%recording%10%in%his%senior%season.%He%signed%with%the%Crew%as%a%Homegrown%Player%in%January.%On%Thursday,%he%is%set%to%also%receive%a%coveted%Harvard%diploma%with%a%major%in%Government%and%a%minor%in%Modern%Hebrew.%%CRAFTING%A%FUTURE%%As%you%would%expect,%Friedman%says%the%Harvard%experience%is%exceptionally%unique.%Liberal%arts6centric,%the%classes%do%not%teach%for%a%specific%job—"we%don't%even%have%business%as%a%major%for%undergrads,"%said%Friedman.%%"When%I%got%[to%Harvard],%I%saw%that%they%take%a%more%holistic%approach%to%learning,"%said%Friedman,%explaining%how%the%broad%nature%of%his%Government%major%benefited%him%by%not%locking%him%into%a%specific%career%path.%"They%don’t%teach%for%a%job,%but%they%teach%how%to%work,%learn%and%think%...%Those%are%the%things%that%Harvard%taught%me.%I%could%go%into%anything,%but%for%right%now,%I’m%just%focusing%and%loving%the%soccer%life."%%The%experience%of%being%a%Harvard%student6athlete%is%different%from%that%at%many%other%colleges.%For%one,%Ivy%League%institutions%provide%no%extra%financial%aid%or%outside%assistance%for%athletes,%including%tutoring,%Friedman%explained.%For%another,%he%had%to%balance%the%rigors%of%Harvard%athletics%with%that%of%a%competitive%soccer%schedule%at%a%school%that%values%and%prioritizes%both%aspects%of%college%life%like%no%other.%%"They%treat%the%mathlete%the%same%as%the%athlete%at%Harvard,"%said%the%Bexley%native.%"If%the%mathlete%has%a%competition%in%California,%and%the%teacher%says%‘too%bad,’%they’re%probably%going%to%have%the%same%policy%for%the%athlete,%even%though%it’s%a%school6sponsored%team.%%"For%me,%I%was%thrown%into%this%with%no%help%and%you%have%to%go%out,%work%hard%and%figure%it%out.%At%the%end%of%the%day,%you’re%better%for%it%because%you%were%working%so%hard%and%you’re%

trying%to%figure%out%your%way%through%not%only%college%soccer,%but%competing%with%some%of%

the%smartest%kids%in%the%world%in%the%classroom."%

%

ON%THE%FIELD%

%

That's%not%to%say%that%the%Harvard%experience%wasn't%beneficial%for%Friedman%as%a%soccer%

player.%The%culture%of%his%school%and%his%team%led%him%to%look%into%the%nuances%of%the%game,%

as%well%as%exposed%him%to%some%of%the%world's%biggest%names.%

%

"We%had%Sir%Alex%Ferguson%come%into%our%locker%room.%We%got%to%train%for%a%day%with%Edgar%

Davids.%We’re%constantly%being%surrounded%by%such%important%and%successful%people,"%said%

Friedman.%"You%see%how%they%go%about%things%and%then%you%transfer%that%into%your%

profession."%

%

A%constant%learner,%Friedman%made%sure%that%access%to%a%legend%like%Sir%Alex%Ferguson%

would%not%be%wasted.%

%

"For%soccer,%some%of%the%stuff%that%I%took%away%from%Sir%Alex%Ferguson%is%the%preparation,%

before%and%after.%You%would%think%that%some%of%these%guys%are%just%so%talented%that%they%can%

just%walk%onto%the%field,%but%he%was%talking%about%guys%like%Wayne%Rooney%and%Patrice%Evra%

staying%after%every%day.%Before%training,%they’re%coming%in,%talking%with%the%coaches%and%

studying%the%game.%This%is%an%ever6going%process.%

%

"To%be%able%to%be%exposed%to%these%type%of%people%who%function%at%this%high%level%and%have%

such%a%commitment%to%their%trade,%you%get%to%really%learn%things,%take%things%away%and%

implement%it%into%your%lifestyle."%

%

PLANNING%TO%BE%A%PRO%

%

Friedman%believes%that%his%strongest%asset%is%his%mind,%which%was%on%display%throughout%his%

rigorous%final%year%at%Harvard.%Friedman%signed%with%Columbus%on%January%8,%2014,%and%in%

anticipation%of%doing%that,%he%registered%for%six%classes%in%the%fall%2013%semester,%rather%than%

the%usual%four,%voluntarily%undertaking%more%coursework%during%a%time%when%his%college%

team%was%in6season.%

%

After%completing%that%arduous%schedule,%he%came%to%Columbus%having%to%design%a%rather%

unprecedented%route%for%himself%in%how%to%finish%his%degree%while%not%on%campus.%He%took%

an%independent%study,%did%research%for%a%political%scientist%and%taught%himself%advance%

statistics%66%a%subject%area%in%which%he%had%no%previous%experience%66%but%selected%because%it%

was%feasible%to%take%remotely.%

%

"I%studied%the%textbook%instead%of%hearing%the%lectures,%but%at%the%end%of%the%day%I%got%

through%it%and%I%didn’t%have%to%come%back%at%all.%I%was%able%to%figure%out%my%assignments%

from%Ohio.%The%teachers%were%great,%they%worked%with%me%a%little%bit,%but%I%had%to%figure%it%

out.%There%isn’t%a%path%for%students%at%Harvard%who%aren’t%on%campus,%so%I%had%to%create%my%

own%path."%

%CREW%SUPPORT%%Turning%in%problem%sets%while%plying%his%trade%on%the%pitch,%Friedman%had%the%support%of%the%Black%&%Gold%every%step%of%the%way.%%"The%first%question%that%Gregg%[Berhalter]%asked%me%before%even%talking%about%signing%was%‘how%are%you%going%to%finish%your%degree?’%%"It%speaks%volumes%to%the%Crew%and%how%they%supported%me%throughout%me%finishing%this%past%semester,"%said%Friedman.%"That%shows%a%lot%for%me,%coming%through%the%Academy%system.%They%were%so%supportive%of%me%competing%at%the%highest%level%in%the%classroom%and%on%the%field."%%Now%that%he%is%on%the%brink%of%earning%his%degree,%Berhalter%said%he%could%not%be%prouder%of%his%defender.%%"He’s%a%young%player%who%wants%to%get%his%career%started,%but%he%still%has%the%goal%of%graduating%from%college%in%mind,%which%is%important,"%said%the%Crew%boss.%"All%during%preseason,%he%was%doing%homework%and%his%studies,%and%that’s%impressive.%It’s%a%good%model%for%a%lot%of%the%guys."%%Degree%in%hand,%the%sky%is%the%limit%for%Friedman,%who%can%now%focus%100%%on%soccer%while%still%having%a%bright%future%both%on%and%off%the%pitch.%%"I'm%very%grateful%to%the%Crew%and%impressed%with%how%they%dealt%with%everything,%even%at%the%pro%level.%They%really%wanted%me%to%finish%this%and%let%me%pursue%my%academic%interests%as%well."%% %

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Chris Glidden, (561) 459-0025 (cell); cglidden@philadelphiaunion.com

Philadelphia Union Defeat USL PRO Affiliate Harrisburg City Islanders in Annual Friendly

Second-half goal from Hoppenot breaks the deadlock en route to a 4-2 Union victory at the Skyline Sports Complex

Harrisburg, Pa. (June 18, 2013) – Philadelphia Union defeated USL PRO affiliate partner Harrisburg City Islanders, 4-2 Tuesday night at the Skyline Sports Complex on the strength of four goals split evenly between the two halves from Brian Carroll, Sebastien Le Toux, Antoine Hoppenot and Roger Torres. “I was happy with the work ethic in both halves, the mentality was correct on our part and there were some good moments of soccer, as well,” said Team Manager John Hackworth after the match. “In these kinds of games, you want to make sure you get out of it what you go into it trying to accomplish, and we did that tonight.” The Union started a predominantly first-choice lineup, with Chris Konopka spelling Zac MacMath in goal. Harrisburg, meanwhile, started Union loanees Jimmy McLaughlin and Christhian Hernandez, who are furthering their development by playing with the USL PRO side. The match opened with blistering end-to-end action, and the Union jumped onto the scoreboard in the fourth minute through Carroll. The captain intercepted a pass and calmly finished past Harrisburg keeper Brian Sylvestre. Philadelphia was not shy about getting forward early, as several chances either narrowly missed or were saved by Sylvestre. Harrisburg, however, would prove that they were up to the task of facing an MLS side. Bits of sustained possession were rewarded, as Sheanon Williams conceded a penalty to the City Islanders in the 13th minute. Stephen Basso finished low and left, beating an outstretched Chris Konopka, who dove the right way, but could not put a hand on the ball. Philadelphia responded to the equalizer just six minutes later. Keon Daniel’s free kick from a dangerous position took a deflection right to the foot of Le Toux, who made no mistake. The goal finished off an opening 20 minutes of wide open, attacking soccer. The Union stabilized after Le Toux’s goal, and through sustained possession, were able to safely control play until halftime, up 2-1. “It’s preparation. On a midweek, where we have a very important game coming up against New York, this was an opportunity to run our guys out for 45 minutes at game speed against some very motivated players, who have

a lot of potential,” said Hackworth. “It’s the right kind of environment against this opponent, so you get a little better test than if it were just a training session.” The second half opened with a flurry of changes by John Hackworth, including a change of jersey for both McLaughlin and Hernandez, who would suit up for the Union for the final 45 minutes. Overall, nine changes were made, as only Chris Konopka and Antoine Hoppenot would remain on the pitch for Philadelphia. Harrisburg made an assortment of changes at the break as well, and substitute Sainey Touray would immediately make his mark on the match, striking the crossbar moments into the second half. Continued chances for Touray resulted in an equalizer in the 60th minute, as he finished on a close-proximity shot after receiving a pass from Luckymore Mkosana. The match was largely even for the balance of the second half, but Hoppenot would break the deadlock for good in the 69th. Leo Fernandes tiptoed the right goaline and slotted nicely to the former Princeton Tiger. Torres added an insurance tally on the counter attack in the 90th minute, as Michael Farfan earned an assist, but Hoppenot’s tap-in goal would hold up as the game winner. “This is always an important game for our club and our affiliate, Harrisburg,” said Hackworth. “Our relationship is strong and we depend on them to be one of our developmental arms for our players, so to play them at their home field in front of a good crowd is always good.” The Philadelphia Union are back in action Sunday, June 23 as they host the New York Red Bulls in MLS regular season play at PPL Park, broadcast at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN. BOX SCORE Philadelphia Union 4, Harrisburg City Islanders 2 Tuesday, June 18; 7:00 p.m. ET Skyline Sports Complex; Harrisburg, PA SCORING SUMMARY PHI: Carroll 4’ HCI: Basso 13’ (penalty) PHI: Le Toux 19’ (Daniel) HCI: Touray 60’ (Mkosana) PHI: Hoppenot 69’ (Fernandes) PHI: Torres 90’ (Farfan) DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY None UNION STARTING 11 Konopka, Gaddis (Anding 45’), Okugo (McLaughlin 45’), Parke (Albright 45’), Williams (Kassel 45’), Carroll (Hernandez 45’), Daniel (Fernandes 45’), Cruz (Farfan 45’) Le Toux (Torres 45’), McInerney (Wheeler 45’), Hoppenot HARRISBURG STARTING 11 Sylvestre, Basso (Zizzi 45’), Ribeiro, Bahner, Pelletier (Fakou 67’), Hernandez (Mendoza 45’), Hardware (Ekra 64’), Mellor (Bua 64’), Andrews, McLaughlin (Touray 45’), Mkosana

From%T&T%to%PPL:%Stoke's%Kenwyne%Jones%to%take%on%countryman%Keon%Daniel%Stoke&City's&Jones&reunites&with&Gold&Cup&teammate&Keon&Daniel&&By#Ryan#Schwepfinger#

#

The#bulk#of#the#storylines#during#Stoke#City's#United#States#preseason#tour#have#centered#on#the#Potters'#trio#of#

American#players.#After#all,#the#first#two#stops#were#in#Houston#and#Dallas,#former#club#homes#of#current#Stoke#

men#Geoff#Cameron#and#Brek#Shea,#respectively.#

#

Philadelphia,#Stoke's#final#stop#(Tuesday,#7:30#p.m.,#purchase#tickets)#offers#a#different#connection#between#the#

English#Premier#League#side#and#MLS#—#one#with#a#decidedly#Caribbean#flair.#

#

Stoke#City#striker#Kenwyne#Jones#and#Union#midfielder#Keon#Daniel#were#teammates#on#the#Trinidad#and#Tobago#

side#that#made#a#quarterfinal#appearance#in#this#month's#Gold#Cup,#an#achievement#that#Jones#says#was#important#

for#his#country.#

#

"It#was#fantastic#for#us,"#said#Jones.#"We#haven't#been#in#the#Gold#Cup#for#six#years#previously,#so#it#was#really#good#

to#get#into#[the#tournament],#and#of#course#to#do#well#enough#to#get#into#the#quarterfinals.#Hopefully,#we#can#build#

on#that,#and#do#better#the#next#time#out."#

#

It#did#not#take#either#the#Stoke#striker#or#the#Union#midfielder#long#to#make#their#mark#on#this#year's#tournament.#

Daniel#and#Jones#each#scored#a#goal#in#the#Soca#Warriors'#first#fixture,#a#match#against#El#Salvador#at#Red#Bull#

Arena,#en#route#to#a#2Z2#draw.#The#Union#midfielder's#ability#was#not#lost#on#his#fellow#countryman.#

#

"[Keon]#is#wonderful.#He#is#a#technical#player.#[The#Union]#have#had#him#here#for#a#couple#years,#and#I#think#he's#

doing#well.#He's#a#joy#to#play#with.#Hopefully,#he#can#take#his#experiences#from#the#Gold#Cup#and#bring#them#here#

and#help#[the#Union]#to#do#well."#

#

Jones#went#on#to#score#a#second#goal#in#the#group#stage,#a#penalty#that#opened#the#scoring#in#an#eventual#win#

against#Honduras.#The#match#clinched#advancement#from#the#group#stage#for#Trinidad#for#the#first#time#since#2000,#

a#feat#that#the#Stoke#City#forward#did#not#take#lightly.#

#

"There#are#not#so#many#games#in#the#tournament#where#you#can#be#afforded#the#privilege#to#score#so#many.#It#goes#

so#quickly.#Happily#enough,#I#did#score#that#many#to#help#us#to#get#out#[of#the#group#stage],#so#I#am#happy#for#that."#

#

Fresh#off#of#the#success#at#the#Gold#Cup,#both#Daniel#and#Jones#are#reZintegrating#into#their#club#teams.#Jones#has#

played#in#England#since#2004,#most#recently#for#Sunderland#before#Stoke#City,#but#that#does#not#mean#the#28ZyearZ

old#is#unfamiliar#with#MLS,#even#before#he#met#Daniel#with#the#international#team.#

#

"[Keon]#didn't#have#to#tell#me#anything#about#MLS.#I've#been#following#MLS#from#the#time#it#began,#really,#so#I#know#

much#about#the#league,#I#know#it's#growing,#and#I#know#it's#getting#better#every#year.#Hopefully,#that#continues."#

#

Despite#Jones'#familiarity#with#both#Daniel#and#MLS#as#a#whole,#he#says#that#he#has#not#spoken#much#with#his#

Trinidadian#teammate#about#tonight's#match.#

#

"It's#not#like#we're#in#the#same#league#or#anything,#but#it#will#be#nice#to#see#him#after#the#Gold#Cup,#and#of#course#to#

play#against#him#here#in#PPL#Park.#It's#my#first#time#here,#so#I'll#enjoy#it."#

#

Like#the#rest#of#Stoke#City,#Jones#will#use#the#match#against#the#Union#to#prepare#for#the#Premier#League#season,#

which#Stoke#City#opens#against#Liverpool#on#August#17.#

Fabinho(gives(Union(more(options(in(midfield(!

Ryan!Schwepfinger!

!

Fabinho!made!his!Philadelphia!Union!debut!in!the!midst!of!a!downpour!at!PPL!Park,!against!Chivas!USA.!

Entering!the!match!in!the!78th!minute,!he!made!his!mark!immediately,!providing!an!assist!on!a!Conor!

Casey!goal!in!the!89th.!In!doing!so,!he!became!just!the!second!Union!player!to!record!a!point!in!his!debut!

for!the!club.!While!remarkable!in!itself,!the!performance!was!exceptionally!noteworthy!because!Fabinho!

entered!the!match!as!a!midfielder,!not!as!the!left!back!he!was!billed!to!be!upon!his!arrival!in!late!June.!

!

Signed!to!give!manager!John!Hackworth!depth!at!fullback,!and!perhaps!as!a!selection!alternative!to!

Raymon!Gaddis,!there!was!no!public!discussion!of!playing!Fabinho!at!left!midfield!when!he!was!brought!

in.!Yet,!that!does!not!mean!the!28OyearOold!veteran!is!incapable!of!doing!so.!Even!though!he!has!played!

left!back!almost!exclusively!in!his!career,!he!played!some!midfield!during!earlier!club!stops!in!his!native!

Brazil,!and!he!made!several!other!appearances!at!the!position!as!a!substitute!this!season.!

!

Tonight,!in!the!Union's!1O0!loss!to!the!Houston!Dynamo,!Fabinho!received!his!first!start!at!midfield,!and!

was!a!bright!spot!for!the!team,!providing!consistent!service!from!the!left!flank.!

!

"Since!I've!been!here,!(Hackworth)!has!talked!to!me!about!playing!different!positions.!In!my!first!game,!I!

came!in!as!a!midfielder.!When!I!found!out!(that!I!would!be!starting!tonight),!I!knew!that!I'd!be!ready,!

because!I've!been!playing!in!both!spots."!

!

Fabinho's!move!to!midfield!was!one!of!several!changes!Hackworth!made!to!his!side!following!last!week's!

1O0!loss!to!San!Jose.!Amobi!Okugo!returned!from!suspension,!enabling!both!Sheanon!Williams!and!

Raymon!Gaddis!to!play!their!usual!positions!at!right!and!left!back,!respectively.!!

!

The!biggest!change!of!all,!however,!was!the!surprise!start!of!the!Brazilian!in!midfield.!

!

"Fabinho's!been!good!for!us!…!he's!certainly!a!dangerous!player!at!left!mid,!and!he!showed!that!tonight,"!

said!Hackworth.!"I!thought!he!put!in!three!of!the!best!balls!in!the!first!half,!and!he!was!unfortunate!to!not!

get!an!assist!on!one!of!those.!But!he's!been!good.!It's!hard!to!fault!him!…!when!we!play!as!well!as!we!did!

in!that!game!and!lose."!

!

Indeed,!the!man!born!as!Fábio!Alves!Macedo!was!unlucky!to!not!record!an!assist—the!Union,!as!a!team,!

recorded!29!open!play!crosses!on!the!occasion,!many!from!Fabinho.!Casey!narrowly!missed!several!

headers!that!would!have!given!the!former!Sydney!FC!player!his!third!assist!of!the!campaign.!

!

"Providing!service!is!a!huge!thing.!I!think!that!my!job!as!a!midfielder!is!to!provide!service!so!that!other!

guys!can!score,"!said!Fabinho.!"I!thought!that!I!had!some!good!service,!but!ultimately,!we!didn't!get!the!

points—we!win!as!a!team,!and!we!lose!as!a!team."!

!

Although!the!two!did!not!link!up!for!a!goal,!Fabinho!said!that!Casey!was!a!threat!all!night!as!a!target!

forward.!

!

"Conor!and!I!have!a!good!understanding.!I!think!that!he!is!a!huge!target!in!the!box.!When!I!put!in!a!cross,!I!

know!that!he!has!a!good!chance!to!get!on!the!end!of!it."!

!

McInerney, Williams & Le Toux:The Union’s Three-Pronged Attackby Ryan SchwepfingerPhiladelphia Union have displayed formidable offensive prowess this season, and the rest of MLS has taken notice. As a team, Philadel-phia is scoring just over one-third more goals per game than they ever have through this point in a sea-son. The attack has been fueled by sensational offensive seasons from three Union men in particular: Jack McInerney, Sebastien Le Toux, and Sheanon Williams. McInerney’s progression to be among the MLS goal scoring lead-ers at age 20 has been nothing short of impressive. Le Toux, meanwhile, has progressed from a striker to a distributive wing player in his second stint with the Union. Finally, Williams’s offensive contributions from the right back position—and from along the sidelines with his trademark long throw—have been vital for Philadelphia.With McInerney among the goal scoring leaders, and Le Toux and Williams both among the league leaders in assists, it stands to note that these Union teammates have a chance to make history. Just twice have MLS teammates ever led the league in each category at the end of a season: Mamadou Diallo/Carlos Valderrama for Tampa Bay in 2000, and Alex Pineda Chacon/Di-ego Serna for Miami in 2001. While McInerney will miss most of July on international duty for the Gold Cup, it stands to reason that he and either Le Toux or Williams have a chance to become the third duo to achieve this feat.Furthermore, McInerney’s goal-scor-ing has placed him in impressive company: with 22 MLS goals before

age 21, he ranks second all-time, behind current Columbus midfielder Eddie Gaven’s total of 25. However, Jack has already surpassed some notable names on that list, includ-ing Eddie Johnson, Jozy Altidore, and Landon Donovan—players who have had success at the internation-al level for the United States, and just in time, as McInerney makes his mark for the United States at the Gold Cup.Not to be outdone, Le Toux’s pro-gression from striker to midfielder has been productive. Already the Union franchise leader in most ma-jor offensive categories, the French-man notched 25 goals and 20 assists in his first stint with Philadelphia. This season, he has progressed to more of a wing player, setting up others. Le Toux has combined with Sheanon Williams to form a duo of assist-get-ters that is perhaps the best such combination in MLS. Williams has already set the franchise record for most assists by a defender in one season, and he and Le Toux have al-ready surpassed the six-assist mark on the season.

For Immediate Release: January 3, 2014

P h a n t o m s S e e k A n s w e r s a s S k i d H i t s N i n e YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – November 17, 2012.

On that date, the Phantoms defeated the Muskegon Lumberjacks by a 6-3 final. In a vacuum, a relatively routine regular season game, but on that date, it snapped a 1-11-0 skid for last season's Phantoms. Including that win, the Phantoms finished out the season with a 32-16-0 record, earning a playoff appearance.

This season, head coach Anthony Noreen believes that, similarly, one win is all it will take for his Youngstown team to break out—directly comparing the Phantoms' current 0-6-3 skid to the 1-11-0 stretch from 2012-13. "[Last year], all it took was one win. Just one win, and all of a sudden…we won a lot of games in a row, and didn't lose very many down the stretch," said Noreen. "I think it's a confidence thing. I have no doubt in this group, and the leadership that sits in that room, and we're going to get the results that we want here very soon." Noreen was speaking after the Chicago Steel extended the Phantoms' slide on the backs of a 4-1 victory at the Covelli Centre. It was the first game of a seven-game homestand for the Phantoms, who were playing for the first time since their "three-in-three" last weekend. On this night, Youngstown fell victim to a blazing Chicago start en route to their fifth consecutive regulation loss. "That was the key to [Chicago's] game, a very good start. I thought they neutralized our top guys," said Noreen. "We had a really good second [period], overall. I thought in the third, we had our chances. We outplayed them again. The lesson to be learned: 40 minutes isn't good enough at this level and beyond. We have to get better and we have to learn our lesson."

The Phantoms also struggled on the power play, the machine that drove their offense last weekend, when they had six power play goals over the final two games of the three-in-three.

"They got outworked," Noreen said, about his top power play unit, which consists of five forwards. "That group got outworked. Bottom line. It's not me throwing them under the bus—I think if you asked all five of them, they'd tell you the same thing. Credit Chicago's kill, I thought they outworked our top power play unit."

Among Youngstown's stated goals entering the contest against Chicago was to get more shots and to get traffic in front of Steel goaltender Chris Nell—something that the team accomplished, with a total of 37 shots on the night. Unfortunately, the final timing was not there for the Phantoms, and Nell was again good when called upon, much as he was in the clubs' last meeting, on December 6 at the Covelli Centre. "I thought we actually had quite a bit of shots with traffic, with tips, and with screens," said Noreen. "It seemed like the [shots] where we had a great screen either missed the net, or we weren't able to get a stick on the rebound. I thought we did a much better job of getting traffic and shots overall.

"The area we didn't do a good job of was on the power play. That's the time when one of those rebounds will pop out, and you won't have a guy on you because of the man advantage. I thought five-on-five, we did a good job of it, but on the man advantage, it wasn't good enough."

The Phantoms' lineup was bolstered by the additions of affiliate players Trey Bradley and Carson Vance. Noreen thought Bradley was "tremendous" on the evening, playing big minutes alongside Kyle Connor and JJ Piccinich.

"I thought he made plays, and I thought he made his linemates better," said Noreen. "He generated probably six to seven grade A chances, either through distributing the puck, one time going in and finishing a hit, and one time getting a chance himself." The Steel held a 1-0 lead after one, and although Josh Nenadal equalized in the second, CJ Smith got the lead back for Chicago on the power play. At the 10:02 mark of the third, Kyle Connor drew a penalty shot, but Nell made a stick save on the Phantoms' leading scorer to preserve the one-goal lead.

"Just kind of shot it. He's a good goalie. He made the save," remarked Connor.

Chicago took a 3-1 lead less than a minute after Nell's penalty shot save, and Mason Bergh added an empty netter in the waning moments (his second goal of the game), sealing a 4-1 Steel win.

The Phantoms have the rest of the weekend off, and although Noreen said he would prefer to play again right away, he admitted that the time off might be best for his young team.

"These guys just have to get back to being kids and having fun," said Noreen. "When you're in a rut like this, it's easy to see the negatives. It's easy to squeeze the stick. That's our job, as coaches, especially, but our leadership corps too—all of our goals here are still attainable. What we're trying to do here is 100% attainable. We need to get better. Whether you lose games, or win games, no matter what, our message is the same: we need to improve."

"We just have to stay positive," said Connor. "Keep looking ahead—we're fine, we'll get out of it."

Ultimately, Noreen is optimistic and upbeat about his team's ability to emerge from this stretch and repeat last season's feat in recovering from a tough slide.

"This group hasn't pulled apart, they haven't gotten selfish, and they haven't pointed fingers. They deserve for something good to happen because of it, and good things will happen. We're going to win a game, and we're going to win a lot of games once that [first win] happens."

Phantoms by the Numbers

Shots – 36

Saves – 37

Power Play – 04

Penalty Kill – 3/4

Goals – Nenadal (3)

Assists – Stork (5), Mackey (6)

Next on the Slate

The Phantoms will continue their homestand next weekend with a Friday/Saturday doubleheader. The Muskegon Lumberjacks will visit Youngstown first, on Friday night. Team USA will come to the Mahoning Valley to conclude the two-game set on Saturday night.

Single game tickets are on sale now for all Phantoms’ home games at the Covelli Centre. Phantoms 10-Game Flex Plans are also available starting at the low price of just $89. Call 330.747.PUCK (7825) for more information or to reserve seats today. For all the latest news, visit www.YoungstownPhantoms.com, follow the Phantoms on Twitter (@YtownPhantoms) and ‘like’ them on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/YoungstownPhantoms).

Headquartered in Chicago, the USHL now prepares for its 12th season as the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league in 2013-14. With 19 NHL Draft picks on team rosters and more than 300 players already committed to NCAA Division I schools this season, the USHL has emerged as the world’s foremost producer of junior hockey talent. For more information, visit us on the web at www.USHL.com. Fans can also watch USHL action all season long, live or on-demand via FASTHockey (ushl.fasthockey.com).

It’s not just hockey. It’s the USHL. - Phantoms -

For Immediate Release: January 11, 2014

T r e y F u e l s C o n n o r ' s T r e y A s P h a n t o m s S n a p S t r e a k YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Energized by Kyle Connor's first career USHL hat trick, the Phantoms broke their 0-7-3 skid on Saturday night at the Covelli Centre, beating the Team USA U17 squad by a 6-3 final for their first victory since November 23 at Sioux City.

After seeing his team fight through the tough stretch, all while continuing to show determination and heart, Phantoms coach Anthony Noreen expressed how happy he was for his team.

"When it comes down to it, it's what we expect to do," said Noreen on the win. "It's one of those things, and I've said it to a million people: I didn't feel bad for me, or us, or anybody. You wanted better for the guys, because they kept giving it. They gave it every day in practice, they gave it every day in the weight room, and when you're not getting the results, you feel for them, because you feel like they deserve better. It's nice to see them get rewarded for what they deserve."

Hat trick hero Kyle Connor, who added an assist for a career-high four-point performance, could not hold back a smile from his face after the game.

"We really wanted this one going into it," said the future Michigan Wolverine. "A must win game, kind of like a playoff game. It feels great, and I think we just need to get on a roll now.”

A complete effort, the Phantoms utilized a strong first period as a springboard for the streak-snapping victory. Colin White got the first goal for Team USA while shorthanded at the 10:17 mark, but Connor struck for his first at 11:39 after fighting for a loose puck in the slot after a scramble.

Luke Kunin made it 2-1 for Team USA, but from that point on, it was all Phantoms—JJ Piccinich scored at 15:33, and Tyler Spezia converted a penalty shot to give the Phantoms a 3-2 lead after one period of play—their first lead after 20 minutes in 13 contests.

"It was good in two ways," said Noreen, on the first intermission advantage. "If you have a lead after one, you give yourself a much better chance to win the game. Number two, confidence-wise. It's so tough when you continually come in, and you're chasing. For once, we were up, and it was, 'hey, the plan's working.' When you're chasing, maybe you have to change something. Maybe something needs to be different. When you're up, it's 'hey guys, stick to what we're doing. It's working, let's keep going, and we'll come in with a lead after two.'"

“We wanted to come out strong and play with a lead," added Connor. "We haven’t had that too much this year, and I think it really benefitted us.”

The second period featured two more Connor goals, completing his hat trick. Affiliate player Trey Bradley, making his fifth appearance for the Phantoms, found Connor with pinpoint cross-ice passes on two separate occasions, allowing the Phantoms' leading scorer to add to his impressive total and finish his first career three-goal game. After the contest, Connor spoke highly of his linemate.

"[Bradley's] a great playmaker, and I think he's just uphill from here," said Connor. "He showed a little bit of skill, and he’ll keep getting better every game.”

Bradley, too, credited his highly skilled linemates (Connor and Piccinich) after the game.

"It's great [playing with them]. They’re just always open, and always burying pucks, so it’s very nice playing with them…I’m just trying to get the puck to them and make plays.”

The Phantoms penalty kill clamped down in the final stages of the game to prevent a USA comeback. The NTDP scored two power play goals in the first half of the game, but failed to score on their final five man advantage chances throughout the latter half of the second period and the entire third.

"I thought our penalty kill was excellent," said Noreen. "That's the best power play unit in the league. I think they're clicking right around 25, 26%. That's the story against them—special teams are the difference. You saw how good their power play is. We made a couple of adjustments. The guys were good, and then I thought we did an excellent job late in the second, especially in the third, of blocking shots and being desperate. There were a couple of scrambles there that easily could have made it a one-goal game, or easily could have been in, and I thought from [starting goaltender Sean Romeo] out, we did a great job of being desperate and fighting those pucks out."

In the end, this game will be remembered for Connor's hat trick, and Bradley's impressive playmaking breakout. Noreen continues to be impressed by Connor's development, particularly in his effort to go to the dirty areas and play a full 200-foot game.

"It's so easy when you're the team's leading scorer, and you're scoring just about every night, to let that be enough," said Noreen. "Give Kyle credit: we sat down and went over a lot of video this week, and we didn't really talk about scoring, we talked about play away from the puck.

"Bottom line is, with Kyle, if he wants to be great, he's going to be great. Everything there is there for him. He needs to develop his overall game, but that's our job—that's my job, namely, to make sure he does. I give him credit: we did that this week, he goes out and has a pretty good game last night, and the first thing he asks me after the game was, 'hey, can we go over some more video tomorrow?' We did it again, and I thought he really has seen the difference between just being offensive and playing a really hard, 200-foot game."

The Phantoms, finally rewarded for a complete effort, can now focus on getting back on track and finishing the rest of this seven-game homestand on a strong note.

"The biggest thing that we try to preach in our room is to not look at results, [but] to look at the way we work," said Noreen. "If it wasn't for that, I think it would have been very easy for this team to fall apart and give up. There's a reason that we preach that: there's always something to prove, and there's always something to strive for every game. I thought tonight was one of the best 60 minute efforts we've had the entire year. Top to bottom, back end, front, I thought it was a complete game."

Phantoms by the Numbers

Shots – 20

Saves – 35

Power Play – 0/8

Penalty Kill – 7/9

Goals – Connor 3 (14, 15, 16), Spezia 2 (4, 5), Piccinich (19)

Assists – Bradley 3 (2, 3, 4), Piccinich 2 (13, 14), Connor (23), Sherwood (12)

Next on the Slate

The Phantoms will continue their homestand with a new two-game home slate next weekend. The Waterloo Black Hawks visit the Covelli Centre on Friday night, and the Muskegon Lumberjacks return on Saturday night. Both games are scheduled to start at 7:05 pm.

Single game tickets are on sale now for all Phantoms’ home games at the Covelli Centre. Phantoms 10-Game Flex Plans are also available starting at the low price of just $89. Call 330.747.PUCK (7825) for more information or to reserve seats today. For all the latest news, visit www.YoungstownPhantoms.com, follow the Phantoms on Twitter (@YtownPhantoms) and ‘like’ them on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/YoungstownPhantoms).

Headquartered in Chicago, the USHL now prepares for its 12th season as the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league in 2013-14. With 19 NHL Draft picks on team rosters and more than 300 players already committed to NCAA Division I schools this season, the USHL has emerged as the world’s foremost producer of junior hockey talent. For more information, visit us on the web at www.USHL.com. Fans can also watch USHL action all season long, live or on-demand via FASTHockey (ushl.fasthockey.com).

It’s not just hockey. It’s the USHL. - Phantoms -

FLYERS'ALUMNI'MAKE'THANKSGIVING'DONATION'Bob$"The$Hound"$Kelly,$Todd$Fedoruk$donate$food$to$St.$Francis$Inn$$By'Ryan'Schwepfinger''At#a#time#of#the#year#when#families#get#together#to#give#thanks#and#enjoy#a#nice#meal,#the#Philadelphia#Flyers#are#helping#to#ensure#that#some#less#fortunate#Philadelphians#are#able#to#partake.##Flyers#Alumni#Bob#"The#Hound"#Kelly#and#Todd#Fedoruk#brightened#the#lives#of#hundreds#on#Monday#afternoon#by#delivering#a#sizeable#food#donation#to#the#St.#Francis#Inn#on#Kensington#Avenue.##"This#is#our#eighth#year#here,"#said#Kelly#on#the#relationship#with#the#Inn.#"It#started#with#[Flyers#Youth#and#Amateur#Hockey#Manager]#Rob#Baer#bringing#blankets#down#here,#and#we#got#a#chance#to#come#in#and#see#what#they#do,#so#the#Alumni#decided#to#start#bringing#some#food."##The#donation#is#made#possible#thanks#in#part#to#Sysco#Philadelphia#and#the#Petronglo#family#of#Pittsgrove,#who#assist#with#providing#the#food#to#pass#on#to#the#Inn,#and#in#turn,#to#the#families#who#need#it#most.#According#to#Sister#Mary#Augustini#and#Sister#Leslie#Birks,#two#Franciscan#Sisters#who#operate#the#facility,#the#donation#comprises#well#over#1,000#meals.##"We#serve#people#every#day,#365#days#a#year.#We#serve#anywhere#from#250S400#[people]#every#day,#from#the#beginning#of#the#month#to#the#end#of#the#month,"#said#Sister#Leslie.##"The#people#who#come#here#to#eat#are#seniors,#families,#poor#people,#the#homeless—we#don't#turn#anyone#away,"#added#Sister#Mary.#"If#someone's#hungry,#and#it's#time#to#eat,#they#can#come#and#have#a#meal."##In#making#the#donation,#and#by#continuing#the#relationship,#the#Flyers#help#to#ensure#that#this#worthwhile#facility#can#carry#out#its#mission,#not#just#on#Thursday's#holiday,#but#long#afterward.##"This#means#a#lot.#…#It#helps#us#not#only#on#Thanksgiving,#but#for#weeks#after,#so#it's#great,"#said#Sister#Leslie.##The#donation#to#the#St.#Francis#Inn#is#something#that#Kelly#continues#to#look#forward#to#every#year.##"You#get#enjoyment#out#of#giving#back#and#helping#out,"#he#said.#"You#know#how#much#[the#Inn]#can#use#it,#and#how#much#the#people#in#the#area#need#to#use#it.#It's#good#in#that#all#the#way#around,#we're#all#helping#out."##For#Fedoruk,#it#was#his#first#time#coming#to#the#facility#as#part#of#the#annual#Thanksgiving#donation.##"I#enjoy#it;#it's#great#to#see#the#sisters.#It's#an#awesome#thing#what#they#do#here.#They#fill#the#fridge#to#capacity.#They#can't#fit#any#more#turkeys#back#there,"#said#Fedoruk.#"It's#really#a#testament#to#the#alumni,#the#Philadelphia#Flyers,#their#involvement#in#the#community,#and#all#the#charity#work#that#they've#done#over#the#years."#

#Fedoruk#noted#that#this#donation,#as#well#as#many#other#initiatives#that#both#Flyers#Charities#and#the#Flyers#Alumni#carry#out,#would#not#be#possible#without#the#generosity#of#several#different#parties#at#hand.##"It#all#comes#from#corporations#in#Philadelphia.#It#comes#from#other#small#businesses#in#Philadelphia#who#give#to#the#alumni#and#Flyers#Charities.#We're#able#to#do#this#on#basically#the#community's#behalf."##The#food#donation#is#just#another#example#of#multiple#parties#coming#together#to#support#Flyers#Charities.#The#Broad#Street#Bash,#an#event#benefiting#Flyers#Charities#to#be#held#January#25#at#XFINITY#Live!,#will#feature#the#support#of#about#15#members#of#the#Flyers'#Stanley#Cup#winning#teams#of#1974#and#1975,#Flyers#Chairman#Ed#Snider,#President#Peter#Luukko,#General#Manager#Paul#Holmgren,#Assistant#General#Manager#Ron#Hextall,#and#even#the#Dropkick#Murphys,#who#will#perform#at#the#event.##On#this#occasion,#however,#several#hundred#families#who#might#previously#have#been#unable#to#enjoy#a#delicious#Thanksgiving#dinner#will#now#be#able#to#do#so.##"We#put#[the#food]#in#the#right#areas,"#said#Fedoruk.#"[The#Inn]#can#probably#feed#anybody#who#comes#by#here#with#the#amount#of#food#that#they've#gotten,#and#it's#just#what#it's#all#about—being#able#to#give#back#to#the#community,#and#to#do#something#at#the#time#of#the#year#when#it's#a#rough#time#for#some#families.#To#be#able#to#feed#them#in#a#way#that#we#can#do#this#is#just#icing#on#the#cake."##"The#Hound"#anticipates#the#relationship#continuing#for#many#years,#particularly#with#Fedoruk,#who#participated#for#the#first#time.##"Now#that#he's#an#ambassador#with#us,#it's#a#good#chance#for#him#to#come#to#the#locations#that#we#do,"#he#said.#"Him#coming#here#for#the#first#time#now,#we#can#pass#the#torch#to#him#and#let#him#continue#what#we've#been#doing."##Another#added#benefit#of#the#donation#is#that#not#only#will#the#St.#Francis#Inn#prepare#meals#for#patrons,#but#they#will#also#be#able#to#reSdonate#turkeys#to#specific#families#to#enjoy#a#meal#at#home.##"[A#lot#of#people#who#come#in]#like#to#have#their#family#together,"#said#Sister#Mary.#"By#providing#them#with#a#turkey,#and#stuffing,#and#all#the#fixings,#they#can#enjoy#each#other,#and#have#a#beautiful#Thanksgiving#dinner#at#home."#

FEATURE'STORY'SAMPLE'From'USPHLFlyers.com'''LEAVING(HOME(FOR(HOCKEY(How$junior$hockey$shapes$the$life$of$several$non6local$USPHL$Flyers$!By!Ryan!Schwepfinger!!!As!a!young!hockey!player!looking!to!make!the!best!decision!to!develop!as!a!player,!often,!the!decision!must!be!made!to!leave!home.!One!misconception!of!junior!hockey!is!that!the!players!are!entirely!local.!In!fact,!the!opposite!is!often!true.!The!Flyers,!for!example,!are!split!about!halfDandDhalf!in!this!regard,!with!many!nonDlocal!players!even!having!made!previous!appearances!for!other!junior!clubs!away!from!home—some!far!away!from!Philadelphia.!!!With!the!premium!facilities,!individualized!training,!and!phenomenal!exposure!that!playing!for!the!USPHL!Flyers!can!provide,!it!is!no!wonder!that!many!of!these!topDnotch!junior!players!have!found!their!way!to!Philadelphia!this!season.!!!As!an!example!of!a!player's!travels,!goaltender!Joe!Young!opted!to!move!to!Western!Canada!to!play!for!the!Vernon!Vipers!of!the!British!Columbia!Hockey!League!(BCHL)!at!age!18!before!playing!in!Boston,!and!eventually,!here!in!Philadelphia.!Likewise,!Bryan!Lubin!played!for!two!teams!in!British!Columbia!last!season.!Sam!Buck!made!a!brief!pit!stop!for!an!Alaskan!team!in!the!NAHL!(mainly!joining!them!on!the!road!in!Washington!and!California).!Ian!Spencer!played!in!both!the!USHL!and!NAHL!for!three!years!before!deciding!to!finish!his!junior!career!in!Philadelphia.!!!Other!outDofDtown!Flyers,!such!as!Gianni!Evangelisti,!chose!the!newfound!USPHL!as!their!first!junior!stop,!eschewing!options!such!as!going!to!Canada!to!play.!!!"I've!always!wanted!to!stay!in!the!U.S!because!I!want!to!play!Division!I!hockey,"!said!Evangelisti,!a!Dublin,!Ohio!native.!"This!is!my!first!time!being!home!for!an!extended!period!of!time."!!!Lubin,!a!Michigan!native,!agrees:!"(Any!junior!hockey!player)!will!go!where!they!believe!they!have!the!best!opportunity!to!improve!on!their!game,!as!well!as!have!a!coach!who!cares!about!their!players.!That!is!what!drove!me!to!go!play!in!Western!Canada!last!year.!I!chose!to!come!out!East!this!year!based!on!the!same!credentials,!except!this!time,!having!the!schools!I!was!interested!in!being!much!closer.!Now,!they!have!the!opportunity!to!come!watch!me!play!more!than!once!or!twice!a!year."!!!Buck!is!another!Flyer!who!values!the!USPHL!in!terms!of!its!appeal!to!local!colleges.!!!"The!biggest!influence!on!my!decision!to!play!here!in!Philadelphia!was!the!great!things!I!heard!about!the!USPHL,"!said!Buck,!a!native!of!Virginia.!"I!wanted!to!be!playing!in!the!top!junior!league!on!the!East!Coast,!and!the!Flyers!seemed!like!a!good!fit!…!I!always!wanted!to!stay!in!the!U.S.!because!of!leagues!like!the!USPHL!providing!a!competitive!atmosphere!with!a!close!proximity!to!the!colleges!I!am!interested!in."!!!However,!not!all!junior!hockey!players!are!seeking!a!college!scholarship.!For!some,!that!goal!has!already!been!attained.!One!such!player!is!Young,!a!Union!college!commit.!He!chose!to!come!here!to!further!his!development!because!of!his!relationship!with!coach!Jared!Beach,!and!the!highDquality!environment!the!Flyers!provide.!!!

"The!structure!and!how!(Beach)!runs!this!program!has!really!allowed!me!to!develop,"!said!Young.!"So!far,!Philly!has!been!the!best!junior!team!I've!ever!played!for,!simply!because!of!how!top!notch!they!run!this!program.!Whether!it!be!the!workouts!at!Endeavor,!the!practices!at!the!Flyers!Skate!Zone!at!Voorhees,!or!the!support!we!have!from!the!Philadelphia!Flyers,!everything!about!this!team!has!been!geared!toward!developing!players."!!!With!many!of!these!players!having!traveled!the!country!to!play!the!game!they!love,!how!do!the!leagues!compare?!!!"There!isn't!much!difference!(between!the!USPHL!and!the!USHL),"!said!Spencer.!"People!in!each!league!will!argue!that!their!league!is!better,!but!the!speed!and!the!skill!of!the!games!are!similar."!!!Lubin,!meanwhile,!says!the!USPHL!differs!from!the!western!Canadian!style.!!!"Where!I!played!last!year,!it!was!a!lot!of!straightDline,!runDandDgunDtype!deals.!The!first!play!was!the!simple!play.!In!the!USPHL,!there!seems!to!be!a!lot!more!creativity,"!he!said.!!!Regardless!of!what!league!a!junior!player!picks,!there!are!added!offDice!elements!that!many!experience!for!the!first!time.!For!example,!juniors!are!often!the!first!time!that!any!player!is!away!from!his!family!for!an!extended!period!of!time.!Sometimes,!the!player!elects!a!billeting!option,!where!a!local!family!will!house!him.!Many!USPHL!Flyers,!however,!are!living!as!roommates!on!their!own,!accepting!all!of!the!challenges!that!come!with!that!situation!as!a!teenager.!!!"Right!now,!I!live!with!teammate!Chad!Lehigh,"!said!Young.!"I!opted!not!to!billet!this!year!because!I!felt!this!living!arrangement!would!make!me!responsible!for!myself,!as!well!as!breed!maturity.!It!gives!me!independence,!but!at!the!same!time,!it!comes!with!the!responsibilities!of!living!alone,!like!cooking,!cleaning,!and!maintaining!a!structured!living!environment.!!!"Admittedly,!learning!to!cook!has!been!pretty!tough,"!laughed!the!Flyers'!goaltender.!!!Buck!and!Evangelisti,!meanwhile,!are!roommates!with!one!another.!!!"It's!an!awesome!experience!to!get!to!share!a!place!with!a!teammate,!especially!because!we're!both!away!from!home!for!the!first!time.!We!help!each!other!out!a!lot,"!said!Buck.!!!"It!teaches!us!responsibility!and!independence,"!added!Evangelisti.!"One!of!the!biggest!challenges!is!doing!my!own!laundry,!and!having!to!clean!the!apartment."!!!This!unique!element!of!junior!hockey!experience!has!granted!the!team!an!added!opportunity!to!bond,!based!on!assistance!received!from!locally!based!players!and!their!families.!!!"The!Badgers!took!me!in!for!a!couple!of!weeks!until!the!apartment!was!ready,"!said!Evangelisti.!"The!guys!who!live!at!home!also!invite!teammates!over!for!cookouts,!and!they!make!us!feel!like!home."!!!Spencer,!a!veteran!of!the!junior!experience,!actually!lives!with!local!teammate!Nick!Cyr!and!his!family,!calling!it!a!"great!setup!…!I!can't!thank!them!enough."!!!In!the!end,!this!bonding!aspect!is!what!many!junior!hockey!players!will!remember!most!about!their!time!as!USPHL!Flyers.!!!

"Without!sounding!corny,!our!team!is!a!family,!and!we!get!along!great,"!said!Young.!"We!get!together!a!lot,!and!do!a!ton!of!things!together,!so!just!being!accepted!within!a!group!has!helped!me!get!used!to!this!transition."!!!Many!of!Young's!teammates!agree!on!the!"family"!aspect!of!juniors.!!!"Leaving!your!family,!friends!and!way!of!life!for!something!totally!different!is!an!adjustment,"!said!Spencer.!"It!is!all!thrown!at!you!at!once,!and!until!you!get!used!to!new!friends,!your!billet!family,!and!a!whole!different!part!of!the!country,!it!can!be!very!hard.!But!that's!what!brings!junior!teams!so!close,!because!everyone!is!going!through!the!same!challenges,!and!it!forces!you!to!come!together!as!a!team.!By!the!end!of!the!season,!you!really!are!a!family.!!!"Your!teammates!become!brothers!for!the!rest!of!your!life.!In!ten!years,!I!am!positive!that!we!will!still!be!in!touch!with!each!other.!When!you!see!these!guys!again,!it'll!be!like!you!never!left."!! !

Prospect Notes (through games on or prior to 12.7.11)

Top Performers of the Week

Christian Thomas put together the finest back-to-back offensive performances of any Rangers’ prospect this season last weekend. Over a two-game span, Thomas accrued nine points (three goals, six assists), and was rated plus-six. During December 2’s contest at Guelph, Thomas recorded a natural hat trick in a 3:34 span in the first period, en route to an 8-4 Oshawa Generals victory. He added two assists in the game for a five-point night, as well as a plus-three rating. Thomas built on that performance by recording four assists (the first four-assist game of his career) and another plus-three rating on December 4, in a 9-1 thrashing of Peterborough. The Toronto native increased his season point total by 60% over last weekend alone, and now ranks fourth on the Generals in total scoring, despite missing ten games through suspension. Thomas’ exemplary efforts have added to his active point streak, which currently sits at six games (six goals, eight assists over the span). For his efforts, Thomas was named the OHL Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 28 – Dec. 4. His strong play last weekend and the Player of the Week honors come on the heels of his nomination to the roster for Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp, where he will vie for a spot on Team Canada at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship. Thomas will look to extend his point streak in Oshawa’s next game, tomorrow at Sudbury. A member of the New York Rangers’ opening night roster in Europe, Mats Zuccarello has found his offensive game for the Connecticut Whale (AHL). He is currently carrying an active five-game point streak, which began with his assist November 26 at Springfield. He recorded his fourth goal of the season in his next game November 29 vs. Hershey, and broke out last weekend for the Whale. Over the team’s weekend three-game span, Zuccarello amassed ten shots on goal and six points (three goals, three assists), bringing his totals to four goals and four assists over the span of his active streak. He registered his second multi-goal game of the season with a two-goal effort December 4 vs. Binghamton. Two of the three goals he notched last weekend came on the power play. The Norwegian now ranks second on the Whale with 20 points in 17 games, and leads the team in points-per-game (1.18), and power play points (nine). His +5 rating ranks third on the club, and his three power play goals are tied for second. Zuccarello has also recorded at least one shot on goal in 16 of his 17 games played this season. The 2010 free agent signing of the Blueshirts will look to extend his point streak in the Whale’s next contest, tomorrow vs. Hershey. Chris Kreider’s ability to score consistently has not been overlooked for the Boston College Eagles of Hockey East this season. The junior forward has skated in all 17 of the Eagles’ contests this season, and has recorded at least one point in 15 of them. His 22 points lead the club in total scoring and are tied for 11th in the NCAA. He also ranks second on his team in penalty minutes (32) and is tied for third in plus-minus (plus-eight). The Blueshirts’ 2009 first-round selection, Kreider has also recorded the game-winning goal in three of the Eagles’ 11 wins on the season. He is currently carrying an active five-game point streak, which originated Nov. 18 with a goal at Notre Dame, and continued through his one-assist performance in a 4-1 victory over Providence on Tuesday. With the win over the Friars, Kreider has helped lead the Eagles to a 12-5-0 start, which currently is good for second in both the RPI and the PairWise rankings (used to select the NCAA Tournament field) behind the number one-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. Kreider will look to extend his point streak in Boston College’s next contest, tomorrow at UMass-Lowell.