3 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders selected for U.S. team at World Junior ‘A’ Challenge hockey tournament

CEDAR RAPIDS — Three members of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders have been selected to be part of a United States team participating in December's World Junior 'A' Challenge international hockey tournament in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Defenseman Chase Blackmun and forwards Nathan Smith and Graham Slaggert are on the 22-man U.S. roster, which consists of players from the United States Hockey League.

Blackmun is a Massachusetts-Lowell college commit who has two goals and five assists in 11 games this season. He is from Hudson, Wis.

Smith has three goals and seven assists in 11 games. He is from Tampa. Fla., and is a Minnesota State commit.

Slaggert is from South Bend, Ind., and has committed to play at Notre Dame, where his father is associate head coach. He has two goals and three assists in 11 games this season.

This is the 12th year of the World Junior 'A' Challenge. A United States team has won seven of them.

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