U18WMC: Train Keeps Rolling — USA-CZE Recap

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Chris Peters

Through 120 minutes of action, the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team has allowed exactly zero goals. After a 5-0 blanking of host Czech Republic Saturday, Team USA can look back on yet another dominating performance at the 2012 IIHF World Under-18 Championship. Having outscored opponents 9-0 through two, the U.S. continues to head down the right track.

Team USA wasn’t just one goal better than the previous game, the team was better in almost all areas of the game. Getting better with each day in the tournament is important. As the defending champs, the U.S. will always get an opponent’s very best.

Defensively, Team USA was on top of its game once again, but the forwards were also clicking a little more than against Finland. As a result, the U.S. never gave the Czechs a chance. There might not have been one Czech shot from a prime scoring area. Most were from the perimeter, making life easy for Collin Olson, who collected his second shutout in as many games.

Coming up after the jump, a look at the goal scorers and other top performers from Team USA’s 5-0 win over the Czechs.

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U18WMC: Starting Off on Right Foot — USA-FIN Recap

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Chris Peters

It took a few periods to get revved up, but the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team came out guns blazin’ in the third, scoring all four of its goals in that period to defeat Finland 4-0. Not a bad way to start the 2012 IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship.

It was a stalemate after two, with both the U.S. playing sound fundamental defense. Both squads boast tremendously skilled defensive corps and both squads were definitely in defense-first mode for much of the first 40 minutes.

When the U.S. opened it up a bit and found its groove offensively in the third, it was overwhelming for the Finns. The speed and physical game played by the U.S. forwards forced Finland into defensive breakdowns and turnovers in their own zone. The goals came early and often in the third as a result.

Coming up after the jump, a look at the goal scorers, Olson and some other stand-out performers for Team USA.

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World U18 Championship Preview — Defensemen & Goaltenders

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Chris Peters

In international hockey, with a small margin for error and opponents with elite-level skills, good goaltending and defensive play are paramount. The U.S. boasts what may be the best defensive corps in the tournament, which should in turn help out Team USA’s experienced goaltending tandem.

When it comes to strengths, it’s tough to find any bigger than the defensemen for Team USA. One through seven, all should play a big role for the team, see quality minutes and vastly improve Team USA’s chances at a fourth consecutive U18 gold. There’s a good chance all seven will be NHL Draft picks, three could possibly be first-rounders.

Goaltending is still a bit of a question mark for the USA. With no clear-cut No. 1 guy, both American netminders may see some time in the tournament. Both give the U.S. an experienced international goaltender, but both are quite different in terms of style.

No matter what, the U.S. needs to have all facets clicking. As long as the D plays up to its ability and the goaltending gives the added security it’s supposed to, this team could be tough to score against. That is exactly what needs to happen for what can be a potentially low-scoring U.S. team.

Coming up after the jump, a look at the seven defensemen and two goaltenders for the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team.

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World U18 Championship Preview — Forwards

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Chris Peters

The U.S. Men’s Under-18 Team will begin its quest for a fourth consecutive gold medal at the 2012 IIHF World Under-18 Championship Thursday. If Team USA hopes to accomplish that feat, the 13 forwards on the squad are going to have to combine for a spirited offensive effort.

There is some concern about this team’s ability to score consistently after a less-than-stellar offensive output at the Under-18 Five Nations Tournament in February. Compounding offensive concerns is Stefan Matteau being ruled ineligible to play for Team USA at the tournament by the IIHF. More on that later in this post.

The loss of Matteau, who was replaced by 1995-born Anthony Louis on the roster, will hurt, but it also gives players like Nic Kerdiles, Ryan Hartman and Riley Barber a more featured scoring role.  It will also require other players to step up to fill the void. Needless to say, it’s going to require all four lines firing throughout the tournament to put together another gold-medal run.

Coming up after the jump, a look at all 13 forwards responsible for Team USA’s road to a fourth consecutive gold medal.

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Posted in American Prospects, Junior Hockey, NHL Draft, NTDP, U.S. National Teams, Uncategorized, World U18 Championship | 4 Comments

National Title Showdown — Boston College vs. Ferris State

Posted on April 7, 2012 by Chris Peters

Boston College will meet Ferris State tonight for the 2012 NCAA Division I national championship in Tampa, Fla. The game will air live on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. EDT.

Conventional wisdom would tell you this one is over before it begins, but how often has the conventional happened in college hockey this year? If 2011-12 season has taught us anything, it’s that we can expect the unexpected. Now, I’m not saying expect Ferris State to beat Boston College, because that would probably be a little irresponsible on my part. What I will say, is that anything is possible.

Ferris State, located in Big Rapids, Mich., is this year’s Little Engine that Could. Despite holding the No. 1 ranking in college hockey for two weeks in February and winning the regular-season title in the CCHA, the nation’s toughest conference, the Bulldogs are still widely considered a dog of another kind. No NHL Draft picks, no big time recruits on this roster. Still, Ferris State is a well-built and well-coached hockey team. Making it to the Frozen Four is no fluke.

Boston College meanwhile has looked more like a machine sent to destroy anything in its path en route to yet another national championship. Currently on a staggering 18-game winning streak, the Eagles are looking for their second title in three years, third in the last five, and fifth overall. A roster chock full of NHL Draft picks including two first- and two second-rounders, BC has elite talent up and down the lineup. Bigger, faster, stronger, better than just about everybody else.

Coming up after the jump, a brief national championship preview.

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Frozen Four Preview: Boston College

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Chris Peters

It seems as though it’s become an almost annual occurrence that Boston College is in the Frozen Four. Since 1998, the Eagles have made it to college hockey’s final weekend nine times. This is BC’s fifth Frozen Four appearance in the last seven years. One thing you can always expect out of Boston College? Championship-level hockey.

BC is currently riding a stunning 17-game winning streak that dates back to January. Annually stocked with blue-chip recruits and NHL prospects, the Eagles are looking like a well-oiled machine right now. Earlier in the year, I opined that college hockey was devoid of any truly elite teams this year. Boston College kicked that argument right to the curb, shaking off a bit of an inconsistent start and beating the pants off of just about everyone.

Thursday night, BC will run into Minnesota’s high-powered offense, pitting two of the nation’s traditional best against each other. With the chance to play for the national title on Saturday, it should be an absolute dog fight. These two clubs will have a big stage at 8 p.m. Thursday on ESPN2.

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Frozen Four Preview: Minnesota

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Chris Peters

The University of Minnesota is one of the most storied programs in all of college hockey, but coming into this season, it seemed as though a dark cloud was hanging over the program. Having missed the NCAA tournament each year since 2008, the Gophers bounced back in a big way in 2011-12.

Thanks to an explosive offense, Minnesota was one of the most exciting teams in college hockey. Throw in strong goaltending and adequate defense and Minnesota put together one of the best seasons in all of college hockey this year and captured the WCHA regular-season title.

Thursday, the Gophers will meet the Boston College Eagles in what should be an all-time great Frozen Four match up Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Two of the historically elite programs in college hockey going head-to-head brings enough intrigue, but throw in 26 NHL drafted prospects, two highly successful coaches, with stakes as high as these and you’ve got yourself a good ole fashioned barn burner.

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Frozen Four Preview: Ferris State

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Chris Peters

Much like the team they’ll be playing Thursday, the Ferris State Bulldogs had their fair share of doubters. Coming out of nowhere to win the CCHA regular-season title, no small feat in what was probably the nation’s toughest conference, didn’t put those doubts to bed.

Were they simply benefiting from everyone beating everyone in the CCHA? Getting bounced from the CCHA playoffs by 11th seeded Bowling Green did nothing to quiet the naysayers. Then in the NCAA tournament, the Bulldogs proved that this season was no fluke at all, dispatching Denver and Cornell thanks to tremendous defense, stellar goaltending and timely scoring.

Ferris State will be participating in its first Frozen Four in school history, meeting fellow newbie Union on Thursday. It will be a battle between two great defensive clubs, with a pair of potential All-American goaltenders going head-to-head. The game isn’t getting a ton of buzz, but it’ll be a good one at 4:30 p.m. ET Thursday on ESPNU.

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Frozen Four Preview: Union College

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Chris Peters

All year, the Union College Dutchmen have played excellent hockey, but no matter what, the team has been dogged by doubters. Make no mistake, this is a good hockey team.

Union is a highly-disciplined, well-coached team that can beat you at both ends of the ice and possesses some underrated skill players. There are no NHL Draft picks on this team, but that hasn’t stopped Union from piling up wins.

In its first Frozen Four appearance, Union will meet fellow first-timer Ferris State in what could be a defensive struggle or at the very least a solid goaltender’s duel. While many might look at this game as an appetizer for Minnesota-Boston College, it will be a highly intriguing contest, introducing two little-known teams to hockey fans nationwide, and it will be on ESPNU Thursday at 4:30 p.m. ET.

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U18WC: U.S. Men’s National U18 Team Roster

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Chris Peters

USA Hockey announced the roster for its U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team earlier today. Team USA will be looking for its unprecedented fourth consecutive medal at the 2012 International Ice Hockey Federation World Men’s Under-18 Championship, which will be held in Brno and Znjomo, Czech Republic, April 12-22.

The roster is almost entirely made up of players from the National Team Development Program and all but four players are eligible for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Nineteen players with Division I college commitments dot the U.S. roster.

This U.S. entry, led by head coach Danton Cole, has a bit of pressure on it to keep the golden streak going. The U.S. has also medaled in each of the last eight tournaments (a U18WC record). Russia and the United States are tied for the most medals all-time with nine medals overall in the event, while Team USA leads the way with six golds — 2002, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, and 2011.

Coming up after the jump a brief look at Team USA’s roster and more info about the World Under-18 Championship and its coverage on USofH.

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Posted in American Prospects, Junior Hockey, NCAA, NHL Draft, NTDP, U.S. National Teams, USA Hockey, World U18 Championship | 1 Comment