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USHL News

June 3, 2010

Omaha Lancers forward Matt White was named USA Hockey's Junior Player of the Year. (USHL Images)

White Named USA Hockey's Junior Player of Year

USA Hockey announced today that Omaha Lancers forward Matt White has been recognized as the Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year.  It is the eighth consecutive season and 14th time overall that a USHL player has earned the award.

White recently completed his third USHL season in which he was named USHL Player of the Year and earned All-USHL First Team honors after finishing second in League scoring with 82 points (35g, 47a) in 57 games.  The 20-year-old was one of three players to lead the USHL with 35 goals (Anders Lee of the Green Bay Gamblers and Tyler Barnes of the Waterloo Black Hawks also totaled 35 goals).  White was also one shy of tying the USHL single-season record by netting eight shorthanded goals.

"As we said when Matt won our Player of the Year award, there's not a finer player on the ice, or a better person off it, anywhere in this or any sport," said USHL Commissioner Skip Prince.  "To receive the Dave Tyler Award is an extraordinary honor – but this is an extraordinary young man.  All of us at the USHL congratulate him, and thank him for representing all of us so well."

Early in the 2009-10 season, White established a USHL season high by registering a point in 17 consecutive games.  He collected 40 points (15g, 25a) during that span, including a career high five-point game (2g, 3a) in the 7-4 win over Waterloo on November 6th, 2009.  White also led the USHL with a plus-41 rating, the highest mark in the League since the 2003-04 season (Bill Thomas, Tri-City Storm, plus-43).  The Lancers forward was selected to compete in the 2010 USHL All-Star Game in January and collected one assist in the contest.

In 155 career games over three USHL seasons, White amassed 145 points (57g, 88a).  He also produced a point-per-game average in the playoffs with 24 points (7g, 17a) in 24 career postseason contests.  The native of Whittier, California was a member of the 2007-08 Lancers team that captured both the Anderson Cup and Clark Cup titles.  White will continue his hockey career in Omaha as he is committed to play collegiately for the Mavericks at the University of Nebraska-Omaha beginning this fall.

The Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year Award is presented annually to the outstanding American-born player in junior hockey who played for a team based in the United States.  The award is determined by a panel of junior hockey coaches and administrators.  White will receive the award on Thursday, June 10th in Colorado Springs, Colorado during "A Night of Tribute" at the 2010 USA Hockey Annual Congress.

Previous USHL recipients of the Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year Award:

2009 – Andrew Miller, Chicago Steel

2008 – Jack Connolly, Sioux Falls Stampede

2007 – Jeff Petry, Des Moines Buccaneers

2006 – Trevor Lewis, Des Moines Buccaneers

2005 – Jeff Lerg, Omaha Lancers

2004 – Joe Pavelski, Waterloo Black Hawks

2003 – Ryan Potulny, Lincoln Stars

2001 – Chris Fournier, Lincoln Stars

2000 – Aaron Smith, Green Bay Gamblers

1999 – Peter Fregoe, Des Moines Buccaneers

1998 – Nate DiCasmirro, North Iowa Huskies

1997 – Karl Goehring, Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks

1994 – Jason Blake, Waterloo Black Hawks

USHL stats - Matt White

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the USHL celebrates eighth season as the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league in 2009-10.  With over 230 players already committed to NCAA Division I schools and 13 NHL Entry Draft picks on League rosters this season, the USHL is the nation's foremost producer of junior hockey talent.  For more information, visit us on the web at www.USHL.com.

It's not just hockey.  It’s the USHL.

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