LetsGoDU

Rakhshani Scores Shootout Goal To End Practice

From: USA Hockey Blog
by Brian Fishman & Chris Peters

The 2007 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp is underway in Lake Placid, NY and two DU players have been invited to try out.

Rhett Rakhshani & Tyler Ruegsegger have been in camp this week hoping to earn a roster spot on the team along with other NHL draft picks Patrick Kane (1st overall/Chicago Blackhawks) and James vanReimsdyk (2nd overall/Philadelphia Flyers & UNH).

The top 45 players under the age of 20 are here to compete for a coveted spot on the U.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Pardubice and Liberec, Czech Republic.

Just being in Lake Placid is an incredible motivation for these young men to work hard. They are on hallowed ground. They will be taking the ice in the 1980 Rink Herb Brooks Arena, at the Olympic Center. The same ice where a group of 20-year-old kids like them completed the Miracle on Ice the greatest hockey team in the world at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games.

While their might be an air of competition here in Lake Placid, the players certainly know how to stay loose. During Team White's Monday practice, they had a six minute shoot out as they do at the end of most practices. They are split up into two teams, Team Red and Team White. At the end of the six minutes the scoreboard read, "Team White 17-Team Red 16." Team Red playfully disputed and were awarded a sudden death shoot out. It is still debated who won, but it appeared that Team Red edged out Team White on a Rhett Rakhshani goal.

Notes: Rakhshani & Ruegsegger are linemates on Team White. Team White won the first scrimmage 7-6 with four unanswered goals to end the game. Rakhshani scored a 3rd Period goal that was assisted by Ruegsegger.