Sauer invited to USA goalie evaluation camp

Junior goaltender Billy Sauer of the University of Michigan is scheduled to participate in USA Hockey's National Junior Goalie Evaluation Camp at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube Friday through Sunday.

The camp will include seven goalies who are eligible for the 2008 U.S. National Junior Team.

"This camp is a new initiative in the overall evaluation process related to our National Junior Team," said Jim Johannson, senior director of hockey operations at USA Hockey. "While some of the players we'd like to have at the camp are still playing, we'll have a good chance to get a look at some of the top goaltenders in this age group."

As a sophomore during the 2006-07 season, Sauer started 40 of U-M's 41 games, earning a record of 25-14-1. He posted a goals-against average of 3.03 and a save percentage of .896. He had a single shutout and allowed just one goal in eight contests. Sauer was the CCHA's Goalie of the Week on two occasions -- Nov. 20 and Jan. 15.

Sauer went 11-6-4 as a freshman in 2005-06. He had a 3.04 GAA and a .898 save percentage with one shutout.

The other six goalies who will attend the goalie camp are Brett Bennett (Boston University), Neil Conway (Owen Sound Attack-OHL), Thomas McCollum (Guelph Storm-OHL), Joe Palmer (Ohio State), Brad Phillips (U.S. National Under-18 Team) and Josh Unice (U.S. National Under-18 Team).

The National Junior Goalie Evaluation Camp is a precursor to the overall National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y., which will take place August 3-11. The final roster for Team USA will be finalized in the late fall. The 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship will take place in Liberec and Pardubice, Czech Republic, from Dec. 26-Jan. 5.