Maine goalie Jimmy Howard and Harvard defenseman Dylan Reese will miss the upcoming World Junior tournament because of injury, as will Dustin Brown, a first-round draft pick last June from Ithaca, N.Y., who now plays for the Los Angeles Kings.
Brown’s spot was filled by North Dakota forward Drew Stafford. Michigan defenseman Matt Hunwick will take Reese’s spot, while the goaltending vacancy will be filled by Michigan State freshman Dominic Vicari.
The 2004 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championship will be held Dec. 26, 2003 to Jan. 5, 2004 in Helsinki and Hameenlinna, Finland. The United States finished fourth in last year’s tournament, and is looking for its first medal since 1997.
Howard played in three games for Team USA at the 2003 World Junior Championship, including two starts. This would have been Reese’s first appearance at the World Junior Championship.
Vicari is Michigan State’s No. l goalie and owns a 5-6-0 record in 11 games. Vicari has a 2.36 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. In June, USA Hockey honored Vicari as the Dave Peterson Goaltender of the Year, presented by Itech, after leading all United States Hockey League (USHL) netminders in the Tier I Junior league with 28 regular-season victories, a 2.03 goals-against average, and six shutouts.
Hunwick has recorded four assists in 18 games for the Wolverines. He
played for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program from 2001-03.
In 2003, Hunwick participated in the IIHF World Under-18 Championship,
and in 2002 won the gold medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
