Butler County to Host USHL 2016 Fall Classic East at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex

BUTLER, Pa. - Sept. 7, 2016 - PRLog -- The United States Hockey League (USHL), one of North America's leading scouting venues for junior hockey, is comprised of 17 teams of 16 to 20 years old hockey players. USHL will be hosting the USHL Fall Classic East at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township September 15^th – 18^th. The 10 Eastern Conference teams, one from as far as Austria, will be traveling to Butler County to compete as representatives from the NHL and NCAA scout the players for recruitment.

"The Fall Classic East will have an impressive economic impact on Butler County," said Jack Cohen, President of the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau. "Our hotels are booked and our restaurants will be busy and it's all because of this great facility we can now offer sports teams."

Recently celebrating its first anniversary, the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex serves as the primary practice and training facility for the Pittsburgh Penguins, as well as a comprehensive outpatient facility for UPMC Sports Medicine. The center has become a destination for all athletes seeking medicine, training, rehabilitation and hockey-specific skill training and performance testing. All tournaments booked at the complex will be outsourced exclusively to Butler County hotels, dining destinations, meeting spaces and other area businesses.

"The USHL Fall Classic provides a unique opportunity for the management and scouts of the 30 NHL teams to view the top USHL talent available for the 2017 NHL Draft," said Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr. "Players will showcase their talents while providing the scouts with an evaluation benchmark for players early in the year."

"The Pittsburgh Penguins are excited to welcome the USHL to the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. Last year marked the fourth consecutive year that the USHL had 30 or more NHL Draft picks, so we know our fans will be treated to a high level of junior hockey," said Matt Herr, Executive Director/General Manager of the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. "The Penguins' organization is committed to supporting hockey at all levels, and having a facility like the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex makes bringing these types of events possible. We're looking forward to pairing one of the best training facilities in the world with one of the top development leagues in North America."

USHL Eastern Conference Teams include: Youngstown Phantoms of Youngstown, Ohio, Bloomington Thunder of Bloomington, Illinois, Cedar Rapids Rough Riders of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Chicago Steel of Geneva, Illinois, Dubuque Fighting Saints of Dubuque, Iowa, Green Bay Gamblers of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Madison Capitals of Madison, Wisconsin, Muskegon Lumberjacks of Muskegon, Michigan, Team USA of Plymouth, Michigan and Red Bull Salzburg of Salzberg, Austria.

In addition, USHL will host its inaugural Fall Classic East Youth Tournament at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex and Baierl Ice Complex in Cranberry Township. The nation's top youth U14 teams will compete in group play, followed by a semifinal and final game to determine a champion.

For the game schedule, tickets and more information go to www.VisitButlerCounty.com/ushl.

ABOUT BUTLER COUNTY

Butler County is located along Interstate 79 in the rolling hills just north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Butler County is filled with gorgeous scenery, recreational activities and more than 200 years of history. It's the perfect place for a weekend getaway with upscale hotels, charming bed and breakfasts and rustic camp sites. Moraine State Park is the centerpiece of the county's outdoor life with more than 15,000 acres offering fishing, boating, biking, hiking and hunting. For more information, explore www.VisitButlerCounty.com.

ABOUT UNITED STATES NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the USHL celebrates its 14th season as the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league in 2015-16. A record 37 players were chosen in the 2015 NHL Draft and more than 375 players on team rosters last season committed to NCAA Division I schools, further establishing the USHL as the world's foremost producer of junior hockey talent. For more information, visit www.ushl.com.