Merrimack Alum Joe Exter Wins Gold with U.S.A. at World Junior Championships

SASKATOON, SK. – Former Merrimack goaltender Joe Exter was an assistant coach for Team USA, who captured the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship with a 6-5 overtime victory over Canada Tuesday night.

The victory snapped Canada’s five-year hold on the title and was just the second time ever that the United States won the tournament.

Exter, who graduated from Merrimack in 2003, was the goalie coach on the United States squad.

While at Merrimack, Exter won 31 games, second most in school history in Division I play while playing over 7,000 minutes, most in school history. He stopped 2,669 shots and recorded a 2.32 goals-against-average, both tops among Merrimack goaltenders.

Exter was the lone captain on the 2002-03 Warrior team, becoming the first goalie to be named captain in program history. He was named to the 2002 All-Hockey East Second Team and was named Merrimack’s Most Valuable Player. He graduated with a degree in political science and was a Hockey East All-Academic honoree in 2002.

Exter overcame a life-threatening injury in March of 2003 to return to hockey and play two seasons with the Wheeling Nailers of the East Coast Hockey League before being named the first-ever full-time goalie coach with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in August of 2007.