The United States of Hockey

The U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team dominated Sweden, winning 7-0, to claim its unprecedented fourth consecutive gold medal at the IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship and seventh overall.

USA celebrates the four-peat (Photo: HHOF/IIHF Images on Ice)

Nic Kerdiles posted five points (2g-3a), while Collin Olson made 27 saves to record his third shutout of the tournament in the 7-0 win.

Olson received the directorate award as the tournament’s best goaltender. He is the third consecutive American to win the award (Jack Campbell in 2010 and John Gibson in 2011). Olson posted three shutouts, which tied Jack Campbell’s 2010 record, while compiling a 5-0-0-0 record, 0.80 goals-against average and .965 save percentage.

Olson, Seth Jones and Matt Lane were named Team USA’s best three players of the tournament.

Kerdiles led the U.S. with nine points (4g-5a), while Seth Jones finished second among all tournament defensemen with eight points (3g-5a). Brady Skjei posted a team-best plus-10 rating from the blue line.

The U.S. out-scored its opponents 27-4 en route to the 6-0-0-0 record and the gold medal.

Team USA’s overall medal streak is now at nine (Gold in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012; Silver in 2004 and 2007; and Bronze in 2008). Team USA has won 10 medals in the last 11 tournaments, with its first gold coming in 2002.

I’ll have a full recap of the tournament upon my return to the United States, with player-by-player evaluations and a look inside what turned out to be one of the most dominant performances in the history of this tournament by the Americans.

Another year, another USA-Sweden match-up in the gold-medal game at the IIHF Men’s World Under-18 Championship. For the third consecutive year, these two countries will square off for U18 supremacy. In the previous two meetings, the U.S. bested the Swedes. However, most seem to believe that Sweden has the edge this year, with a few folks even calling them the favorites.

On paper, there’s no question that Sweden looks better. With elite NHL prospects like Filip Forsberg, Sebastian Collberg, Hampus Lindholm, Ludwig Bystrom and a host of others, the Swedish lineup is a scary one.

That said, the U.S. has been a little more battle tested through the tournament and appears to be getting stronger with each game. Sweden had a relatively easy bracket, cruising to the bye while out-scoring opponents 20-4 in four games. The U.S. had a bit of a tougher road, particularly having to beat Canada in back-to-back games (no U.S. team had ever done that before at the U18 or U20 level), first to earn the bye and second to go to the gold-medal game.

Now it comes down to a pair of teams that have had similar success at the tournament. Despite Sweden’s star power, the two teams have put up eerily similar numbers in all facets of the game. It is truly a match-up between the tournament’s two best teams.

Coming up after the jump, an in-depth look at the gold-medal game match-up (which airs live on FASTHockey.com at 10 a.m. EDT)

Continue reading →

The game lived up to the hype. USA-Canada II was everything we thought it would be. The U.S. managed to pull off the 2-1 win in the semifinals at the 2012 IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship to advance to the gold-medal game against Sweden Sunday.

Kyle Osterberg celebrates his GWG (Photo: HHOF/IIHF Images on Ice)

It was another classic defensive effort out of Team USA, with a couple of opportunistic goals to pull off the 2-1 win. The U.S. and Canada have met in the semis three of the last four years at the World U18s, and each time the U.S. has come out ahead by just one goal.

Kyle Osterberg’s wraparound tally 6:26 into the third period stood up to be the game-winner. Osterberg made his limited ice time count against Canada with his good speed. After the goal, the U.S. simply shut down Canada, with Collin Olson making sure the door remained shut.

It seems like every game the U.S. pulls off what can only be considered “team wins.” Every line contributes in some way and each D pairing provided the steady presence in the defensive zone. Team USA has also gotten consistent goaltending with Collin Olson, who made 21 saves in the win.

Coming up after the jump, a look at the U.S. goals scored and top performers from the 2-1 win over Canada.

Continue reading →

Tuesday night, I joined Dean Millard and Guy Flaming to talk about the World U18 Championship. We covered everything from Team USA’s overall tournament to the top players from USA, Canada, Finland, Sweden and so much more.

In what was by far the most entertaining game of the tournament, the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team downed Canada 5-3 in the final preliminary round game. With the win, the U.S. finished group play a perfect 4-0-0-0 and earned the bye to the semifinals.

It was a physical contest between the two clubs, with neither team really gaining the edge. After a scoreless first period, the teams were knotted at 2-2 after the second. All of the goals in the period came on power plays as both teams were keeping things pretty contained five-on-five.

Then the U.S. turned it loose in the third period, scoring two at even strength just 1:29 apart, looking firmly in control. Canada’s Ryan Pulock took advantage of one of the few defensive breakdowns by Team USA to make it 4-3 with 4:54 to play.

The U.S. tightened it back up after the goal and held off the relentless Canadian attack, with Collin Olson making a few key stops in net. Matt Lane scored an empty-netter to seal the 5-3 win.

Coming up after the jump, a look at the goals scored and top performers for Team USA.

Continue reading →

At 8 p.m. (2 p.m. ET), Canada and the United States will square off in the final Group A preliminary round game at the 2012 IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship. A win clinches the group and a bye to the semis for the U.S., while a loss by three goals or more gives Canada the Group title and the bye.

No matter the level, USA-Canada is always a heated contest full of surprises. Expect a high-pace, hard-hitting hockey game between the North American rivals.

Over the last few years, there have been some classic games between these two at the World Under-18 Championship. Just last year, the two squared off in an epic semifinal matchup that included a late-game multi-goal comeback from Canada, before Tyler Biggs won it for the U.S. in overtime. Two years prior, the U.S. and Canada met in a semifinal match-up, with the U.S. scoring two goals in the third period and Jack Campbell standing on his head for a 2-1 win over Canada in Fargo, N.D.

The last preliminary-round meeting between the U.S. and Canada came in 2010 in Belarus. The U.S. easily handled Canada, 5-0, as Jack Campbell collected the shutout.

So what will this year’s battle bring? Find out after the jump…

Continue reading →

Though Team USA may not have played its best game at the tournament Sunday, the result was pretty much the same. With a 4-0 win over Denmark, Team USA has now out-scored opponents 13-0 through three games at the 2012 IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship.

With the win, Team USA assured itself a spot in the medal round and is in the driver’s seat for the first-round bye. There is still a bit left to be decided over the next two days, with a potentially huge match-up with Canada on Tuesday.

Jared Rutledge got the nod in net for Team USA against Denmark, after Collin Olson started the first two. Despite the new goaltender, it was the same result. Once again, Team USA’s stifling defensive play stymied an opponent, allowing Denmark only 17 shots. Rutledge did make several big saves throughout the game to handle any miscue from the D, which were few and far between.

Once again, Team USA saw four different players score its goals, showing that great balance in the offense. Prior to the tournament, the thought was that the U.S. was going to need contributions from a committee of players without that natural go-to goal scorer. So far, it’s worked well for the U.S., with 13 goals through the first three tilts.

Coming up after the jump, a look at the goals scored and other top performers in Team USA’s 4-0 win over Denmark.

Continue reading →