They will bang heads this Saturday for their respective colleges. But once all the NCAA hockey battles have been fought, Bubba Berenzweig of Michigan and Mike York of Michigan State will lead Team USA into the third annual North American College Hockey Championships (NACHC), slated for Saturday-Sunday, April 10-11, at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit and the new Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

The two CCHA standouts, who face each other this Saturday night at the Joe Louis Arena, have been named as co-captains for the series against Team Canada, a reflection of the respect they have earned from the nation's college coaches.

"We are thrilled that Bubba and Mike have accepted the responsibility that comes with being named captains," said Joe Bertagna, Executive Director of the American Hockey Coaches Association, under whose aegis Team USA has been assembled. "I'm sure their involvement in the games will give us a boost toward defending NCAA hockey's reputation."

Berenzweig, a solid defenseman who has played on the Wolverines' 1996 and 1998 NCAA championship squads, has 5-15-20 in 30 games this season. With Michigan ranked #7 in the nation this week, a third NCAA crown is not but of the question.

York has posted impressive 17-20-37 point totals in 31 games while leading the Spartans to a #3 in the nation ranking and first place in the CCHA. The Spartans could provide a major stumbling block to Michigan's repeat plans.

The NACHC expands to a two-game format in this its third year of existence. On Saturday evening, April 10, Team USA will host Team Canada in Detroit. Face-off is set for 7:30 p.m. The next afternoon at 4:00 p.m., the two teams meet at the new Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

This year, for the first time, the Joe Louis Arena and Olympia Entertainment have become sponsoring bodies for the first of the two games, providing greater stability for an event that had already established itself on tire college hockey calendar.

The games match senior all-stars from U.S. colleges vs. their counterparts from Canadian universities. In 1997, Team Canada tied the U.S. with less than a second remaining and went on to win, 5-4, in overtime. Last year, Team USA rebounded with a 3-1 victory. Both games were played at the Joe Louis Arena.

While complete rosters will be announced later, the Team USA Staff has been finalized. Tim Watters of Michigan Tech will serve as head coach of a four-man staff. He will be assisted by Chris Serino, head coach of Merrimack College; Tom Newton, assistant coach at Michigan State; and Len Quesnelle, assistant coach at Princeton University.

For ticket information', call TicketMaster at (248)-645-6666 or the Joe Louis Arena Box Office at (313)-396- 7575.