The NCAA will have decent representation on the U.S. team that will participate in the Maccabiah Games July 19-26 in Metulla, Israel.
Penn State forward Jacob Friedman, Vermont forward Pete Massar, ex-Boston University forward/defenseman Ben Rosen, Air Force goalie Jason Torf and Bentley defenseman Steve Weinstein will don the red, white and blue at the event that runs every four years and brings together the world’s top Jewish athletes.
The Americans are coached by NHL Network analyst and former Michigan forward Billy Jaffe, who was a member of the silver medal-winning U.S. team at the 1997 Maccabiah Games. Nashville Predators’ forward Eric Nystrom, another ex-Michigan star, will serve as the U.S. assistant coach.
The event’s four-team hockey tournament will feature squads from Canada, Israel, Ukraine and the United States. The Maccabiah Games are sponsoring hockey for the first time since it competed as an exhibition sport in 1997.
The U.S. will begin play against host Israel on Saturday, July 20 and then plays Ukraine on July 21 and Canada on July 23. Medal-round play begins July 24. The bronze-medal and gold-medal games will be held July 25-26, respectively.
All games are slated for Metulla’s Canada Center – Israel’s lone hockey rink.
Princeton forward Andrew Calof, Lake Superior State forward Dan Radke and LSSU defenseman Zach Sternberg are also playing in the games, suiting up for Canada.
