ECHL ref selected for 2012 All-American Prospects Game

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. ? USA Hockey announced today the two referees and two linesmen who will officiate the inaugural CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game. The event will take place Sept. 29 at First Niagara Center in Buffalo, N.Y. The referees include Tom Chmielewski (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Chris Pitoscia (Edison, N.J.). The linesmen are Alex Stagnone (Boston, Mass.) and Brian Oliver (Rochester, N.Y.). Chmielewski wore the referee's orange arm band for several Idaho Steelheads games during the 2011-12 season."USA Hockey is proud of these young men to have established themselves as our brightest stars in the officiating profession and have earned their assignments to this special event through hard work and commitment over the last few seasons," said Matt Leaf, USA Hockey's director of officiating education program. "They continue to represent our officiating program at the highest standard and we are pleased to honor them with this opportunity to showcase their skills in Buffalo." Chmielewski refereed in the American Hockey League and the ECHL during the 2011-12 season, while Pitoscia called games in the ECHL, United States Hockey League, Central Hockey League and Southern Professional Hockey League. Oliver officiated in the AHL, ECHL, CHL and USHL last season and Stagnone was in the AHL and ECHL a season ago. The CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game will boast 40 of the top American prospects eligible for the 2013 National Hockey League Entry Draft. Represented are 31 players from the United States Hockey League, the top junior league in America, including 22 from USA Hockey's National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich. Additionally, at least 28 of the 40 are future NCAA Division I college players. (Release Courtesy USA Hockey)