A pair of talented wingers -- Mike Curry of the United States Hockey League's Sioux City Musketeers and Blair Lefebvre of the British Columbia Hockey League's Nanaimo Clippers -- have both signed national letters of intent to attend and play hockey for the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 2004-05.



Curry and Lefebvre join the trio of right wing Matt McKnight (Camrose Kodiaks/Alberta Junior Hockey League) and defensemen Travis Gawryletz (Trail Smoke Eaters/British Columbia Hockey League) and Jay Rosehill (Olds Grizzlies/AJHL), all of whom signed on with the Bulldogs back in November an the incoming UMD freshmen class.



Curry, a 6-3, 185-pound native of Eagle River, AK, concluded his second USHL regular season by racking up 20 goals and 20 assists for 40 points to rank fifth on the Sioux City scoring charts. He also was a +5 and collected five power play goals and four game-winners in 60 outings. Curry, who was credited with six goals and 13 assists for 19 points in 52 outings as a Sioux City rookie in 2002-03, and his Musketeer teammates are currently competing against Tri-City in the USHL's Western Division playoff championship series.



Lefebvre, a 5-11, 185-pound native of Prince George, BC, placed second among the 2003-04 Clippers in regular season scoring with 67 points on 29 goals and 38 assists in 59 games. He has saved some of his best hockey for last, however, racking up 22 goals and 34 points (both league highs) during the 2003-04 post-season. Lefebvre, who becomes the fourth Alaskan to enlist with UMD hockey program (current Bulldog junior defenseman Todd Smith of Anchorage is part of that group), is winding down his third year in a Clipper uniform. Nanaimo recently captured its first BCHL playoff championship in 26 years and is currently battling Grand Prairie Storm of the AJHL for the best-of-seven Doyle Cup championship.

The listing of the 2004-05 UMD hockey recruiting class is as follows:

Player Pos Hgt Wgt Birthdate Hometown Previous Team (League)

Mike Curry W 6-3 180 9/20/84 Eagle River, AK Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)

Travis Gawryletz D 6-2 195 11/2/85 Trail, BC Trail Smoke Eaters (BCHL)

Blair Lefebvre W 5-11 185 1/19/83 Prince George, BC Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL)

Matt McKnight W 6-2 190 6/14/84 Halkirk, ALTA Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL)

Jay Rosehill D 6-3 195 7/16/85 Olds, ALTA Olds Grizzlies (AJHL)



UMD posted a 28-13-4 overall record -- for its largest victory total in 19 years -- in 2003-04 and placed second in the final WCHA standings with a 19-7-2 mark. The Bulldogs, who will lose just four seniors (right wings Junior Lessard, the 2003-04 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner, and Jesse Unklesbay and defensemen Beau Geisler, a 2003-04 second team All-American, and Jay Hardwick) to graduation, also advanced to the Frozen Four for the first time since 1984-85 where they fell 5-3 to Denver in the semifinal round on April 8 in Boston.

UMD is expected to welcome back some 11 seniors next fall when it launches its 61st year of intercollegiate hockey.