American Officials Well Represented at IIHF Events This Season

Peter Schlittenhardt, JP Waleski and Riley Yerkovich served at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship in Moncton and Halifax, Canada from December 26, 2022 to January 5, 2023. Schlittenhardt and Waleski were both on the ice at the 2022 Under-18 Men’s World Championship, while this marked the first “A” pool event for Yerkovich. Additionally, Nolan Bloyer and Shane Gustafson served as officials at the 2023 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship from April 20-30 in Basel and Porrentruy, Switzerland.

The tournament marked the first IIHF assignment for Bloyer and the second for Gustafson, who wore the stripes at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games. Melanie Gotsdiner, Taylor Hanvelt, Jenna Janshen and Breana Kraut were on the ice at the 2023 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship in Östersund, Sweden from January 8-15.

It was the first IIHF assignment for Gotsdiner and Kraut and the second for Janshen, who officiated last year’s event in Madison, Wisconsin. Lastly among men’s tournaments, Christopher Williams and Jack Young were on the ice at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship Division I, Group A. It was the first IIHF assignment for Young and the second for Williams. To wrap up on the women’s side, Jestina Vichorek, Mackenzie Welter, Kirsten Welsh and Laura White served at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship Division I, Group A tournament; Brooke Branson and Melissa Doyle officiated at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship Division I, Group B tournament; and Krysta Ansell served at the 2023 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship Division II, Group B. The eight officiating coaches include: Keith Kaval (World Juniors), Matt Leaf (Under-18 Men’s World Championship Division II, Group A; Under-18 Men’s World Championship Division III, Group A), Jessica LeClerc (Women’s Worlds), Stacey Livingston (Women’s Worlds; Women’s World Championship Division II, Group B), BJ Ringrose (World Juniors), Timothy Serratore (Women’s Worlds, World Juniors), Mellissa Szkola (Under-18 Women’s Worlds) and Scott Zelkin (Men’s Worlds).