Ambroz signs with U while his U.S. team wins World Junior A Challenge

The Gophers probably have two signed national letters of intent from Seth Ambroz.

His mother, Sue, faxed the Gophers one copy on Tuesday "just to be sure" they had it. Over the weekend, Seth faxedfrom Canada, too.

Wednesday is the final day of the week-long early signing period. So there is a looming deadline.

Expect the Gophers to make a signing announcement either Wednesday or in the next day or so.

Ambrz was their big catch, and not only because he is 6-2, 211. He is a rugged power forward, projected to be a first round pick, possibly top 10, in the 2011 NHL draft.

The NHL's Central Scouting Bureau's preliminary rankings released Tuesday had Ambroz at No. 3 among USHL players. He was behind two players on the under-18 U.S. national development team. The U18 team is an official member of the USHL this season.

Ambroz was on another U.S. team, made up entirely of USHL stars, the past week competing in the World Junior A Challenge in Penticton, British Columbia.

Ambroz scored the first U.S. goal on a power play.

Sam Warning, another Gophers recruit, scored the second goal. Ski U Mah. Warning also had the lone assist on the tying goal. Central Scouting rates Warning the 23rd best NHL draft prospect in the USHL.

Ambroz, of New Prague, is playing his third season with Omaha. Warning, of Chesterfield, Mo., is 5-9, 180 and plays for Cedar Rapids. Chesterfield is a suburb of St. Louis.

Warning's father said Sam will wait and probably not sign with the Gophers until April, the regular-signing period. Unless something unexpected happens, Warning will not join the team until 2012. But by signing, he could train with his future teammates this coming summer.

Ambroz had two goals and three assists for the U.S. team in four games, Warning two goals and one assists.

* Green Bay goalie Adam Wilcox, another Gophers recruit, is the No. 5-rated netminder in the USHL according to the Central Scouting Bureau's preliminary ratings. He was not on the U.S. team in the World Junior A Challenge.

BOYD ON FAST TRACK

Travis Boyd, a member of the under-18 U.S. national team based in Ann Arbor, Mich., was getting his paperwork together on Tuesday to sign with the Gophers, too.

He accelerated his high school education so he could graduate in three years. He is a senior already and hopes to play at the U next season.

Boyd was in Sweden, though, with the u18 U.S. team for the Four Nations Cup which ended Sunday. After trailing 4-1, the U.S. team rallied to tie Sweden 4-4 in the title game, then won the shootout 3-2 after the eighth round of shooters.

Gophers coaches have told him if he continues to play well, there is a good likelihood there would be a roster spot for him in 2011. Otherwise, he would play in the USHL for a season. Green Bay owns his rights.

Boyd is listed at 5-10, 176. In six USHL games, he has two goals and four assists. On Sunday, he had one assist against Sweden.

Goalie Matt McNeely of Burnsville, made 37 saves for the U.S. team. McNeely is committed to UMD.

SKJEI HELPS U17 TEAM TO TITLE

Defenseman Brady Skjei, another Gophers recruit from Lakeville, had a goal and an assist, as the under-17 U.S. team beat Russia for the title in the Four Nations Cup in their age group in Woodridge, Ill.