(Boise, ID) - Former Idaho Steelhead goaltender Richard Bachman is one of 30 former ECHL players competing in the International Ice Hockey Federation?s World Championships, which got underway today in Helsinki, Finland, and Stockholm, Sweden. Bachman, who now plays for the NHL?s Dallas Stars, is one of two goaltenders on the United States team, which opened play with a 7-2 win over France Friday morning. The US?s other goaltender is Jimmy Howard of the Detroit Red Wings ? Howard got the start (and win) for USA Friday, stopping 21 shots. Bachman is blogging about his experience for Team USA on the Dallas Stars? website at http://stars.nhl.com/. Bachman played for Idaho?s Western Conference championship team in 2009-10, earning ECHL All-Rookie honors as well as second-team All-ECHL. He was also runner-up for the league?s Goaltender of the Year award. Former ECHL player and coach Scott Gordon is the head coach of the United States team for the third consecutive season, while there is at least one former ECHL player on 13 of the 16 teams, led by Italy with four players. France, Latvia, Norway and the United States each have three former ECHL players on their rosters. Belarus Vladimir Denisov (Johnstown, 2007-08) and Andrei Mezin (Roanoke, 1993-94) Canada Alexandre Burrows (Greenville, 2002-03; Baton Rouge, 2002-03 and Columbia, 2003-05) and Devan Dubnyk (Stockton, 2006-07) Czech Republic Jakub Petruzalek (Charlotte, 2006-07) Denmark Morten Madsen (Texas, 2007-08) and Kirill Starkov (Elmira, 2007-08) France Antonin Manavian (Bakersfield, 2010-11), Laurent Meunier (Florida, 2002-03) and Alexandre Rouleau (Wheeling, 2003-06 and Phoenix, 2006-07) Germany Kevin Lavallee (Florida, 2005-06 and Charlotte, 2005-06) and John Tripp (Roanoke, 1997-98; Johnstown, 1998-00 and Pensacola, 2000-02) Italy Derek Edwardson (Atlantic City, 2004-05 and Las Vegas, 2005-07), Trevor Johnson (Peoria, 2004-05 and South Carolina, 2004-05), Nick Plastino (Wheeling, 2011-12) and Rob Sirianni (Utah, 2007-08 and Wheeling, 2008-09) Kazakhstan Vitali Yeremeyev (Charlotte, 2000-02) Latvia Armands Berzins (Louisiana, 2003-04 and Wheeling, 2004-05), Rodrigo Lavinsh (Raleigh, 1994-95 and Tallahassee, 1994-97) and Juris Stals (Charlotte, 2004-06) Norway Morten Ask (Toledo, 2003-04 and Las Vegas, 2003-05), Marius Holtet (Louisiana, 2004-05) and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen (Dayton, 2004-05) Slovakia Peter Hamerlik (Cincinnati, 2002-03; Augusta, 2003-04; Reading, 2003-04 and Trenton, 2003-04) and Rene Vydareny (Columbia, 2001-02) Switzerland Mark Streit (Tallhassee, 1999-00) United States Head coach Scott Gordon (Johnstown, 1988-89; Nashville, 1992-93; Knoxville, 1993-94 and Roanoke, 1998-00), Richard Bachman (Idaho, 2009-10), John Curry (Las Vegas, 2007-08 and Wheeling, 2007-08) and Patrick Dwyer (Gwinnett, 2004-05)(List of players courtesy of ECHL Media Relations)