The United States of Hockey

The U.S. National Junior Team’s run to the gold medal was an improbable one. Coming into the tournament it seemed as though the U.S. was going to have a tougher time matching up with the top teams despite its now typically strong group. As is the case for any championship team, certain things had to go right.

A lot went right for Team USA this year, but it wasn’t a cakewalk to the title. A pair of preliminary-round losses put everything in jeopardy. It really could have gone the other direction after that, but the players and coaches made some key adjustments to ensure it didn’t.

Coming up after the jump, a look at the five biggest reasons Team USA won as well as a quick look back at how Team USA answered the five questions dogging them coming into the tournament.

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For years the following statement was accurate in terms of fan interest: “The World Juniors only matters to Canadians.” However, since Team USA’s gold medal in 2010, with added television exposure nationally thanks to NHL Network and the simulcast on NHL.com, the tide is turning.

When it comes down to it, there is a cultural element to the World Juniors in Canada. It has become a Boxing Day tradition and the TV ratings are bonkers up there, but five years ago, the average American hockey fan had nary a clue as to what the WJC was.

Maybe it was the golden goal off the stick of John Carlson or the growing numbers of familiar American faces in the NHL Draft. Perhaps the stirring 2010 Olympics had something to do with the increased interest in international hockey. Maybe people just like cheering for their country in any sport.

Whatever the case, the World Junior Championship is beginning to matter to hockey fans outside of Canada. Not in nearly as large a number, of course, but the difference between 2013 and 2008 is immense.

Coming up after the jump, some evidence…

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This team wasn’t supposed to be here. They had talent, sure, but no one, not even me, picked this team to win gold. The U.S. National Junior Team, coming off of back-to-back losses to its bitter rivals in Russia and Canada in the prelims, won its next four games, all of which were in elimination situations. Team USA now has its third ever gold medal at the World Juniors and second in four years after beating Sweden 3-1.

via @Osiecki24

After last year’s shocking seventh-place finish, featuring better talent up front than this year’s team and a WJC gold medalist in net, it was anyone’s guess how good this American group would be. Then there were the preliminary-round losses where the offense looked anemic. It should have deflated this team, but it didn’t.

Facing another trip to the relegation round, the U.S. rolled Slovakia, 9-3. Next was the quarterfinals with the Czechs. 7-0. Then came Canada, with all the firepower afforded them by the NHL Lockout and the U.S. steamrolled their fiercest rival by a 5-1 margin.

After that game, it would have been so easy for a let down. The emotions of that victory were high and potentially intoxicating, but the Americans said all the right things before leaving the rink. Every player tended to utter the words, “One more.” It was a businesslike approach today and it paid off.

Going up against the defending gold medalist, with some of the best forwards Sweden’s ever had in this tournament, the United States held them to one goal, the game’s first in fact. Rocco Grimaldi, benched for the entirety of the Slovakia game, save for serving a bench minor, scored twice in the second period today to propel Team USA to a win. Continue reading →

Via @usahockey

The U.S. National Junior Team has defeated Sweden to claim its third World Junior Championship gold medal and second in four years.

Rapid reaction to Team USA’s 3-1 win and the tournament overall coming shortly.

The U.S. National Junior Team will meet a familiar foe today when it takes on Sweden in the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship gold-medal game. One of the budding rivalries in international hockey at the U20 level and below, USA-Sweden has become can’t miss hockey. You can watch the game on NHL Network or via live stream on NHL.com at 8 a.m. ET in the United States. The game will also air live on TSN in Canada.

As expected, Phil Housley has kept together the lineup from the last two games. Team USA has outscored its last two opponents by a 12-1 margin and seems to have found the right mix of offensive prowess and defensive stinginess to match John Gibson’s stellar play in net.

Team USA will need a lot from both its scorers and defensemen today as Sweden offers a unique mix of speed and skill unlike the U.S. has seen in this tournament yet. The Swedes also have a gold medal to defend this year and with the tournament headed to Malmo in 2014 they’d love to head home on a streak.

The U.S. better be ready for Sweden’s very best.

Coming up after the jump, a look at Team USA’s full lineup for the gold-medal game with notes on each combo.

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It started in August with 45 players in Lake Placid, N.Y. The road to the World Junior Championship gold-medal game then took a more direct turn only a month ago as USA Hockey narrowed down its list of candidates for the U.S. National Junior Team to 27. The final roster was decided three days into the tournament, with 23 players chosen for a specific reason: To win World Junior gold.

All of that build up has led up to Saturday, where the U.S. will have a chance of claiming its third gold medal at the World Junior Championship and second in four years. Standing in its way, however, is a formidable foe. Sweden is the defending gold medalist and has not yet lost in this World Junior Championship.

The U.S. will meet Sweden Saturday at 8 a.m. ET. The gold-medal game airs live on NHL Network, with a live stream on NHL.com in the U.S. It will also air on TSN in Canada.

It will be a battle between two teams that are very familiar with each other. Sweden also had a team in August in Lake Placid, competing in exhibitions against U.S. candidates. They met in the pre-tournament competition in Helsinki as well. It goes further back even. In each of the last three World Under-18 Championships, the U.S. has taken on Sweden for gold. The vast majority of players on both teams were part of at least one of those three games, each of which the U.S. has won.

There’s a budding rivalry between these two hockey countries and now it gets its biggest stage yet.

Coming up after the jump an in-depth look at Team USA, Sweden, the match-up, Team USA’s projected lineup and more.

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As expected, there won’ be any changes from the U.S. National Junior Team lineup from Wednesday’s big 7-0 win over the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals besides Shayne Gostisbehere being reinserted to the lineup.

The U.S. had one of it’s most complete games Wednesday and the U.S. was clicking better than in any game previous. It appears after many tweaks here and there, Phil Housley has a lineup he can rely on.

There’s balanced scoring, with a potential goal threat on every line and the D pairs have more balance in terms of offensive ability vs. shut-down capabilities.

Today offers the U.S. easily its most challenging game, with Canada even improved since last time the two clubs met in the tournament. It’s going to be a tight, physical battle where it could be a matter of getting bounces. Regardless, it’s going to be a great hockey game.

Coming up after the jump, Team USA’s line combos and D pairings with notes on each.

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The hockey gods must be smiling upon us as the United States and Canada will line up across from each other once again at the 2013 World Junior Championship, this time with a trip to the gold-medal game on the line. Team USA will take on its biggest rival at 4 a.m. ET on NHL Network, with a live stream on NHL.com in the United States. Stay up, wake up… just be up. This is going to be a great one.

The U.S. may have lost round one, but gets a fresh start in the rematch. Things are starting to click for this group that hit a rough patch in the middle of the preliminary round. After many tweaks to the lineup, it appears the U.S. has found the right mix. From the power play, to the penalty kill, Team USA is humming right now.

That said, Canada will be a different team as well, with J.C. Lipon and Boone Jenner in the lineup this time around. Their presence should make the already offensively dangerous Canada much more physical than the previous contest and will strengthen the depth for the Canadians overall.

This game should feature both teams at their very best. That still makes Canada the favorites to win the game, but that also should mean the U.S. is going to give their opponents some trouble Thursday and have a good shot at pulling off the upset.

Coming up after the jump, a look at both teams since they last met, notes on the match-up overall, the keys for Team USA and links.

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