Pulling Campbell a Good Choice; World U17 Recap

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Chris Peters

Perhaps a few people’s ears perked up when they heard Jack Campbell was being pulled from a 4-0 game with just 9:33 to go in what was almost sure to be a shutout. Why would the coach do such a thing? Isn’t it unfair to the goaltender?

Nathan White over at Buzzing the Net, had a great post on this topic last night in which Keith Allain had this to say:

“This isn’t about individual stats and Jack would probably be the first to tell you that. It was good for our team,” Allain said. “I think it will be better for all of us moving forward and Jack will be thrilled.”

It is important to get Andy Iles in the game. If he is needed at any point during the tournament, he’s now seen some live action. Only problem was, Germany couldn’t manage to get any shots on goal while the Ithaca, N.Y. native was between the pipes. Still Iles had to go through the process of getting focused and being ready for game situations, which can be tough to do coming off the bench. I agree with Allain that it’s good for the team to see what its like with Iles back there. Too bad the Germans couldn’t find a way to get a puck to him.

I also like this decision because it does Campbell no good to play the rest of a game that is well in hand. He made 14 saves, some difficult, most not. As I mentioned, Iles didn’t even get a shot in his 9:33 of work. Campbell just biding time in the crease without any work wasn’t going to help his game at all. He gets a little bit of a breather as the U.S. heads into its important game with Team Switzerland tonight. No need to expend energy late in the game.

White also got some comments from Campbell on the interesting situation:

“It’s great,” said Campbell, who did admit he had taken a shot off the knee. “It means more to be able to share it with Andy. He deserves a shutout and I’m confident if he was in there he’d be getting a full shutout too. It’s a full team effort and to be able to share it with such a great teammate, I couldn’t ask for anything more…”

…Campbell stressed the shot off the knee wasn’t enough to force him to the bench. It was all about Iles, who went undrafted last June due to concerns about his size.

“He’s working so hard, he deserves a chance to play. To get him in there was great for the team,” Campbell added.

I promise you, he is that nice and sincere in person. You almost can’t believe it, but that’s just the way he is. A confident kid, but one who is quick to praise those around him for contributing to his success. He and Iles developed a good relationship last season while playing together at the NTDP and the two have an immense amount of respect for each other.

It should also be noted that Iles was an outstanding goaltender with the Under-18 squad last season and has a gold medal to show for it from the World Under-18 Championship. He’s also a former New England Prep goalie of the year. He’s been outstanding for Cornell (ever heard of it?) this season in his freshman campaign, so he can be relied on if needed.

While technically, neither goaltender will be credited with the shutout, Jack Campbell still gets his 0.00 GAA and 1.000 save percentage for the game and Andy Iles gets a chance to play in his home state at the World Junior Championship. He may yet get another chance. All-in-all a nice night for both goaltenders.

A Quick Note: Jack Campbell’s numbers in international play are just bonkers. He’s got a 1.04 GAA and .954 save percentage for this tournament.

His career stat line in IIHF tournaments (2009 U18, 2010 WJC, 2010 U18, 2011 WJC) is…

1064 MIN – Record: 12-2-1-1 – 21 GA – 1.18 GAA – 435 SVS – .957 SV% – 6 SO (7 if you want to count last night)

Ridiculous.

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World Under-17 Hockey Challenge Update:

Yesterday afternoon, the U.S. National Under-17 Team earned a 4-1 win over Germany to improve to 2-0-0-0 at the 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. It was another dominating effort for Team USA, as it out shot Germany 46-22.

The U.S. is tied for first place in Group A with Team Quebec and the two clubs are on a crash course for a battle for first place on Jan. 2, the last day of the preliminary round.

There’s no denying that Henrik Samuelsson was the story of the game and has been one of the stories of the tournament thus far. The son of former NHLer Ulf Samuelsson, netted a hat trick and now has five goals in two games.

The World Under-17s has long served as the first showcase  for many players. Rocco Grimaldi, Tyler Biggs and John Gibson last year, Jack Campbell and Jason Zucker the year before, and Drew Shore before that are Americans that come to mind.

Samuelsson, who’s older brother, Philip, was in the mix for this years U.S. National Junior Team, is having that kind of tournament… through two games. He and Quebec’s Luca Ciampini lead the tournament with five goals apiece. Yeah, there’s another guy doing this.

For those that saw Samuelsson as a midget player with P.F. Chang’s in Arizona, this is what some expected he was capable of. He was arguably one of the most skilled players at the NTDP try out camp and has a great frame to work with (6-2, 195). He can stickhandle extremely well for a bigger guy and he protects the puck with ease. If there is a downside to his game, its his foot speed, but when you score five goals in two games, who’s going to care about that?

Miles Koules also scored for Team USA. The Los Angeles-native has showed a well-rounded offensive game. His vision allows him to find holes for himself or his teammates and his nose for the net has been on display all year, particularly in the international events. He’s a smaller player, so playing against his own age group helps a lot, but he’s been producing points at a high rate for this team. To think he was not initially invited to the NTDP’s 40-plus player camp, made the team and is one of its leading scorers is a huge testament to his ability. He’s turned out to be a great find for this U.S. squad.

Jacob Trouba has four assists in tournament play and continues to impress as he has most of this season. He leads all U.S. defensemen with four points, while Connor Carrick is second with three (1-3). Both are off to a tremendous start for Team USA.

Team USA also has two dependable goaltenders in Collin Olson, who picked up 21 saves in the win yesterday, and Jared Rutledge, who had a 15-save win on Wednesday.

The U.S. will get today off (it’s only off day of the tournament), before taking on Team Atlantic (Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island) tomorrow at 3 p.m. CST.

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I’ll have my USA-Switzerland WJC preview up later this afternoon. So check back later today.

Posted in 2011 WJC, American Prospects, Junior Hockey, NHL Draft, NTDP, U.S. National Teams, World U17 Hockey Challenge | Comments Off on Pulling Campbell a Good Choice; World U17 Recap

Train Keeps Rolling Against Germany

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Chris Peters

The score reads 4-0, but was it really that close? Team USA shut out a determined German club that got some really outstanding goaltending from Niklas Treutle last night. There are so many things that Team USA was able to build on tonight. This is slowly becoming a well-oiled machine. Each game just seems to bring more confidence. The win gives the U.S. sole possession of first place in Group A, and puts the Americans in the driver’s seat to earn a bye to the semifinals.

There was a lot of good news last night. First, Brock Nelson and Jeremy Morin were back from injury. Not only were they back, but they both played well. It didn’t look like they missed any time at all. Both took some contact in the game and didn’t seem phased a bit. Allain did sit Morin for the third period, but it was strictly precautionary.

While it was great to see those two back, the thing that stands out most about this game is the developing juggernaut that is the line of Charlie Coyle, Kyle Palmieri and Chris Kreider. As I watched the game, I found myself continually writing down, Coyle-Palmieri-Kreider. They accounted for two goals, a zillion chances and seemed threatening on each shift. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought these guys had been playing together forever. The chemistry is just nuts.

Coyle, who leads the U.S. with five points (2-3), opened the scoring with a great goal that was a result of just finding a way to the net and taking that high-percentage shot.  He continues to impress me with each game he plays. He’s a first-year guy that looks like he’s been there before. It helps that this youngster has not one, but two returnees from last year’s gold medal squad on his wings. He was named Team USA’s player of the game and rightfully so.

Palmieri’s performance continues to impress as well. He’s a difference maker and has shown the poise and maturity that can only be acquired through experience. It shows that he’s had time in the NHL and he carries himself on the ice with such confidence, its hard not to notice. He’s tied for second on this U.S. squad with four points (2-2).

Kreider got the fourth goal for the U.S. after a beautiful set up from Palmieri, who also got a nifty little feed from Coyle just prior to dishing it off himself.  Kreider leads this line with 10 shots on net (fourth on the team). So even though he’s not scoring as much, he’s generating chances.

There are elements of just about everything on this line. Kreider brings the world-class speed, Palmieri brings the elite skill and Coyle gives you that big body. Each guy is showing versatility too. Can’t say enough about the way they have played thus far.

Jack Campbell had another great game. You say, “Well, he didn’t have much to do back there.” I say, that made it all the more impressive. When Germany got chances in the second period, Campbell didn’t flinch. He made a few key saves in tight and showed that focus that I love to see. To me, he looked best in this game when making saves. Everything was in control, everything was slowed down. I have quietly thought that he hadn’t looked himself in the first two games in the manner of body language and positioning. Tonight, he was picture perfect. I’ll have a post later today on why I LOVED the move for Keith Allain to pull Campbell with 9:33 to go in the game. So check back soon.

I couldn’t write about this game without talking about Nick Bjugstad either. He’s a guy that I thought was a long shot for the team, and boy was I wrong. He’s been really good. The best part about him is that he’s been improving each game. He assisted on Jon Merrill’s goal by just making a good play to get off the half wall. He calmly skated to the open space and just served Merrill up. Bjugstad has also been used on the power-play as the net front guy, and has excelled in the role. He’s out-muscled a bevy of defensemen over the course of the tournament and makes life tough for the goalie. His strength and size have been tough to match up against. He’s also had a ton of chances with 11 shots on net (second on the team).

Jerry D’Amigo also scored a goal and I think he’s just starting to get hot. He had a very solid effort tonight and just continues to look more and more like his old self.  He also took another shot last night, this time it was a hit from behind courtesy of Bernhard Keil. Tweeted D’Amigo after the game:

@JerryD91 I think there’s a big red circle with a red dot in the middle on the back of my jersey lol

Well, at least he’s got a good sense of humor about it. He has been a constant target for opponents, but that’s just how much they worry about his game. He can be dangerous and opponents want to make it tough on him. Though I can understand if D’Amigo gets frustrated about constantly being part of some dangerous plays.

I had mentioned in my game preview that I thought some of Team USA’s defensemen would step into the spotlight a bit in this game. Jon Merrill certainly did with a goal and an assist. He leads Team USA’s D corps with four points (1-3) and is tied for second overall on the team. Merrill has such poise and control out there. His long stride make him look like he’s barely working on the ice, but he competed pretty hard last night. His goal came off of a deflection, but it was a result of getting the puck to the net quickly. Keith Allain had high praise for his defenseman, telling Mike Morreale of NHL.com, “Jon has been a rock for us.”

John Ramage continues to show why he’s such a great captain. He’s as steady as they come and made some excellent plays in this game. The best play was in the first period when he broke up a 2-on-1 while sliding towards the player with the puck, forcing a bad pass that ended up being deflected by Ramage’s stick to the corner. Heady play, great execution. Just solid throughout the game was the Chesterfield, Mo. native.

As a team, the U.S. did a lot of little things right. They got loads of chances in close, while putting 48 shots on goal and only allowing 14. Team USA might have been caught a few times in the second period being a little too easy on the puck, allowing Germany to get those 10 shots on goal during the period. However, they were just plain stingy in the first and third frames, allowing just two shots in each.

The reason there were so few shots against? Team USA always seemed to have the puck. Every power play was spent in the German zone, every pass through the neutral zone connected, and every puck in the D-zone made its way out quickly.

I give the Germans a lot of credit. Walking out of that contest with a 4-0 win doesn’t feel good, I’m sure, but it feels better than an 8-0 or 10-0 score. Had Treutle not been on his game, it could have been uglier.

All that stands between Team USA and a bye to the semifinals is Switzerland. The U.S. can earn the free pass with a win of any kind, even if Finland beats Slovakia tomorrow. To be in control of their own destiny has to be exciting for the Americans. It also puts some added pressure on the squad as it goes into this game against Switzerland, who should provide a big challenge to the U.S. side. We’ll have a preview coming up later today, so stay tuned for that. Gotta love New Year’s Eve hockey!

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Below are some post-game links for your enjoyment:

– Here’s your most up-to-date stats for Team USA, courtesy of IIHF.com. Something to note, Team USA has only taken six total penalties in this tournament. Wow.

– When reading post-game recaps, I usually go to NHL.com first. Mike Morreale is doing a phenomenal job out there in Buffalo, seriously. Here’s his post-gamer. Compelling, and rich.

– Harry Thompson, the managing editor of USA Hockey Magazine, had a great piece for USAHockey.com regarding the return of Jeremy Morin and Brock Nelson. Harry got some nice quotes from the players on getting back out there and thoughts from Keith Allain on their return.

– If you haven’t been reading the stuff over at Buzzing the Net, start now. It’s been a daily stop for me throughout the tournament. Come for the World Juniors, stay for Canadian Hockey League news and notes.

– Some other great resources for World Junior commentary are SBNation entries Puck Worlds and Western College Hockey Blog. Unique perspectives on both.

In other news:

– The U.S. National Under-17 Team improved to 2-0-0 at the 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Winnipeg with a 4-1 win over Germany. I’ll have more on that later today.

– Another IIHF tournament is getting underway this week. The IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship, which is in just its fourth year of existence, starts Jan. 1 in Sweden. The U.S. Women’s National Under-18 Team earned a 6-2 exhibition win over the host country yesterday. I think this tournament might be one of the keys to helping develop women’s hockey outside of North America. It should serve as a great training ground for years to come, but in the short-term it’s basically a USA-Canada event. Still, a great chance for some young girls to represent their countries on a world championship stage.

Posted in 2011 WJC, American Prospects, U.S. National Teams, Women's Hockey, World U17 Hockey Challenge | 2 Comments

USA-Germany Preview, Thoughts on Downsizing

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Chris Peters

The U.S. will play Germany tonight in what many have pegged as a potential laugher. I won’t go that far, but I think we all know that the U.S. boasts a superior team, talent-wise. Still every game matters at the World Juniors and Team USA can’t afford to let the foot off the gas pedal.

The U.S. plays a German team that has nothing to lose and even less to gain, which some may say is dangerous. I have no idea what to expect out of Germany, but I’m going to bet they are a prideful group that would love to beat the U.S. on its home soil.

Whether you choose to believe it or not, this game matters as much as any, especially given the outstanding play out of the Finns since their OT loss to the U.S.

Finland has clinched its berth in the medal round with just one game left to play (Dec. 31 vs. a depleted Slovakian team). The Finns have two regulation wins and an overtime loss for seven points. Team USA has a regulation win and an overtime win for five points in the standings at the present.

We’ll go out on a limb and assume Finland wins that Slovakia game for a 10-point total. Team USA will need to get to, or exceed 10 points to secure a bye to the semifinals, probably avoiding either Russia or Sweden in the quarterfinal cross-over round.  Team USA can do that with a pair of regulation wins or a regulation win coupled with an OT win.

The Germans are not to be taken lightly despite the fact that they haven’t really done anything offensively in this tournament. A regulation loss would make it awfully tough to catch the Finns.

I don’t expect any let down tonight. The coaching staff just won’t allow this team to get to that point. There were so many positives in the Slovakia game, it would be hard to believe the U.S. is going to take that big of a step back.Team USA has to focus on continuing the momentum and avoiding that stumble.

As we continue to await news on whether or not forwards Jason Zucker, Jeremy Morin and Brock Nelson will be available, the U.S. will need more players to be ready to step up and fill a void. If those three can’t play, Team USA is down to three forward lines, plus one extra player. It means stamina is going to be a factor.

The U.S. also has to play Switzerland the next night, so it will be important to keep the shifts short, but efficient. It would also be nice to see Team USA get out of one game at this tournament without an injury.

I’d also expect to see continued improvement from Team USA’s defense. I thought they were good on both nights, but they just looked like they kept getting better throughout the Slovakia game. I think we’ll see some of these guys step into the spotlight a little bit against Germany.

I also wonder with back-to-back games if Keith Allain goes with Andy Iles or sticks with Jack Campbell as his horse in net. Just something to be aware of as game-time approaches.

As for tonight’s opponent:

Germany has been in every game it’s played to the very end except yesterday’s 5-1 loss to Finland. The Germans went down 4-0 after the first period gainst the Swiss and clawed back to within a goal, but time ran out. Then they lost to Slovakia, 2-1, in overtime, despite out-shooting their opponent for much of the game. It’s been a tough road for this scrappy group, who have already been secured a spot in the relegation round.

This German team has struggled offensively throughout the tournament. Just four players have more than one point and only one, Marcel Noebels, has more than two (1g-2a–3pts). Tom Kuhnhackl, widely thought of as the top player on this team, has been a non-factor. Six shots on goal, no points, 14 PIMs. Ouch.

In net, Germany was thought to be able to rely on Philipp Grubauer. His 5.15 GAA and .868 save percentage won’t exactly inspire confidence. Perhaps Niklas Treutle gets the nod in net against the Americans? Having relieved Grubauer twice, Treutle’s made 27 saves, while posting a 0.90 GAA and .964 save percentage in 66-plus minutes of action.

There isn’t a lot left to be said. Team USA finds itself with a chance to continue to improve, which is what Keith Allain has been looking for. He wants this team to get better every game. They’re on the right track in that regard. I think it’s just a matter of keeping focus and not looking past a wounded German club. Anything can happen.

Team USA’s Keys To Victory against Germany (yes I’m still doing this):

– Don’t sleep on this German team

– Build off of and continue momentum from Slovakia game

– Get bodies and pucks to the net

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One last note: I know there are plenty of people who think the WJC should be an eight-team tournament. I’m sure there has been much talk about that after Canada put up 10 on Norway last night. It always seems like the two teams who make it out of the lower division just end up right back there the following year. While there is a point to the argument, there’s a bigger picture here, just like there’s a bigger picture for holding the WJC in other countries.

First of all, the 10-team format just makes the tournament better in my eyes. The tournament length, as it is, is perfect, I think. By holding a relegation round, every game whether a medal is on the line or not, matters (except for those placement games for quarterfinal losers — ick). A team is either playing for its life in the tournament or playing for hardware. There’s something to like about that.

Lastly, and most importantly, it gives other countries in the lower divisions a tangible goal. For countries like Germany, Latvia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Denmark, Norway and the like, the chance to be part of the World Juniors top division gives them more reason to continue to develop players from an earlier age. The NHL is such a long shot for many of the kids in those countries, but playing in the World Juniors gives them valuable experience against the best in the world. It also gives those countries’ national team programs a chance to build for the Olympics and Men’s World Championships.

For those that are bored with these 10-1 games, I understand. But know that the game of hockey is being served in some small way by having two new countries in this tournament every year. Heck… if the World Juniors only included eight teams, would Norway’s national program developed enough for us to be able to learn of Tore Vikingstad?

The more you know.

Posted in 2011 WJC, American Prospects, Junior Hockey, NHL, U.S. National Teams | 1 Comment

WJC Injury Updates, U.S. Opens World U17 Challenge With Win

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Chris Peters

As of this writing, the status of American forwards Jeremy Morin, Brock Nelson and Jason Zucker, all injured in previous games, remains unclear. Nelson and Morin skated yesterday during Team USA’s practice, while Zucker did not. Still, we can’t assume any will be playing until otherwise notified.

The U.S. can be excited that there is some progress with Nelson and Morin, however Zucker’s situation remains in flux, but one report gives reason for optimism. The Denver Post’s Mike Chambers wrote that Zucker’s injury is not thought to be serious and got a comment from Team USA PR man Alex Clark:

Word out of Buffalo, host of the World Junior Championship, is that DU fabulous freshman and Team USA forward Jason Zucker was not seriously injured in Tuesday’s 6-1 victory over Slovakia…

…USA Hockey media guy Alex Clark wrote in an email to me today that Zucks is “day to day, no word if he will play” Thursday against Germany.

I’m not sure where that “word out of Buffalo” is coming from, but Chambers is a pretty reliable reporter. Team USA has been mostly mum on anything to do with injuries, so it’s hard to know what’s really going on. I’ve asked around to some journalists and bloggers in Buffalo and I’ve tried myself to independently confirm this, but have been unable to. Doesn’t mean its not true, just means I’m taking everything with a grain of salt, particularly when it comes to injuries.

As far as Clark’s comment, day-to-day can mean just about anything. I’m just going to assume Zucker is at least going to be out against Germany. I don’t know that it would make sense to put him in the game if he even has the slightest of ill effects from last night’s hit. With all due respect to the Germans, Team USA should be alright if Zucker is unable to go.

If there’s an update, I’ll have it on Twitter.

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The 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge is officially underway in Winnipeg. Just in case you’re wondering what the heck I’m talking about, here’s a link to a brief explanation of the event as well as my preview for Team USA at the tournament.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team got its title defense off on the right foot with a 5-2 win over Team Finland. The U.S. youngsters got a pair of goals from Henrik Samuelsson (son of NHL’s Ulf), while Connor Carrick, Matthew Lane and Nicolas Kerdiles rounded out the scoring. Thomas DiPauli was named Team USA’s player of the game and Jared Rutledge made 15 saves between the pipes.

Most impressive was the fact that Team USA poured 51 shots on net against a team from Finland. Finnish netminder Oskari Setanen might have given up five goals, but he made 46 saves and was named his squad’s player of the game.

The U.S. U-17s oddly enough will take on Germany today at 3 p.m. CST. If you want a little appetizer for the big kids’ game in Buffalo, you can watch the U-17s play on FASTHockey.com (pay-per-view).

Should be interesting to see how this U.S. squad stacks up. It’s certainly a tournament worth keeping tabs on for all of you hockey prospect fans. If they’re worth knowing about in North America, they’re most likely playing this week in Winnipeg.

I’ll help keep you updated throughout the tournament right here on United States of Hockey.

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Check back later today for the USA-Germany WJC preview.

Posted in 2011 WJC, American Prospects, Junior Hockey, NCAA, NHL Draft, NTDP, U.S. National Teams, World U17 Hockey Challenge | Comments Off on WJC Injury Updates, U.S. Opens World U17 Challenge With Win

That’s More Like It

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Chris Peters

Team USA clearly wanted to show that it was ready for last night’s contest against Slovakia. The players gave American fans the game that they wanted to see. With the 6-1 victory Team USA moves into sole possession of first place in Group A and has some added confidence going forward.

I don’t have much to be negative about except for Martin Marincin’s cheap shot on Jason Zucker, which I already covered early this morning.

So let’s focus on the positives, and there are many:

Team USA was just altogether better against Slovakia. The U.S. allowed just one shot in the first period and held an overwhelming 57-18 shot advantage over the course of 60 minutes. Yeah… that’s right. Team USA put 57 shots on goal. Not only did they have a high quantity of shots, but the quality was better, too.

The U.S. had a bunch of chances in tight, putting the pressure on the Slovakian defense and goaltender Dominik Reicicky early. That set the stage for the rest of the game.

We got to see that speed everyone’s been talking about as well, which helped the U.S. draw penalties. There was such fluidity to the game for the U.S. It just seemed effortless at times. The players are also clearly getting much more comfortable with each other. That showed on the power play, which was very successful last night (3-for-7).

The fact that the U.S. was without two forwards, seasoned WJC veteran Jeremy Morin and center Brock Nelson, was never really an issue. Every player on the bench got to get on the ice and show what they can do.

This game was physical and the U.S. were often initiating the contact. Sometimes I wondered if Slovakia would ever get the puck back any time they turned it over thanks to a big hit or a strong play along the boards.

Let’s talk about some of the individuals:

First off, Kyle Palmieri was an absolute force out there. He scored Team USA’s first two goals and also had an assist. I figured we would see that kind of performance out of him especially after he narrowly missed on two chances against Finland. Palmieri has 10 games in the NHL and a gold medal from last year’s tournament. He needs to be one of Team USA’s best players and I think he may end up being one of the best forwards at this tournament, period.

Palmieri’s line, including Charlie Coyle and Chris Kreider, had a huge game. I wanted to see more out of Coyle after seeing a few glimpses of his ability against Finland and boy did he ever deliver. He assisted on Palmieri’s first goal and scored a power-play tally of his own. Not only that, he was solid on draws and good all over the ice. I loved the way he played and hope this is a sign of things to come. USA GM Jim Johannson said during the broadcast that it was nice to see Coyle “gain confidence” offensively. I can only imagine what higher confidence will do to his game.

How could you not notice Chris Brown last night? I think the Slovakians are probably as sick of him as any player. He was dominant in front of the Slovakian net. He scored a goal in tight on the power play. He delivered a few thundering hits and just made himself matter in a variety of ways. He also did a great job of creating space and staying strong on the puck. Palmieri was clearly the player of the game, but I give runner-up status to Brown.

Jack Campbell also looked solid. There were a few instances in the second period where he was able to make the important saves. He gave up one goal on a bit of a broken play that I don’t think was his fault. He was just so solid. He made a key save early in the second with his blocker and another soon after the Slovakian goal, with Team USA scrambling a bit. Campbell astutely dove on the loose puck to get a much-needed whistle and settle things down after some D-zone turnovers. Less than a minute later, Drew Shore scored his goal. Campbell kept the game within his control.

By the way, Shore’s goal was FILTHY. He made the defenseman look foolish and the goaltender non-existent. He put a little exclamation point on the goal with a little fist pump as if to say, “Yep. That jut happened.” It clearly electrified Team USA (the goal, not the fist pump).

Emerson Etem scored a goal from just off the half wall that might have looked ugly, but showed why its important to get the puck to the net. It handcuffed the goalie and went in, but the fact that Etem was able to get that shot away shows some of what he is capable of. It was disappointing to hear him get booed by the Buffalo faithful, but not surprising. I think the one night of boo-birds was enough of a punishment for the 18-year-old winger. I consider the matter closed. So should you, Buffalo.

All three centers performed wonderfully in the absence of Brock Nelson. The extra ice time really benefited Coyle, Shore and Nick Bjugstad. Those guys just continued to show improvement throughout and were able to make any line combo work.

While the offense will get a lot of the credit, the defensemen had a very solid game. I really liked the way Justin Faulk played, despite a few instances of maybe being a little too careless with the puck. Even when he was careless, he calmly regained control. Great stick and great strength from him. I also thought Brian Dumoulin had a solid effort and brought some of the physicality I was hoping to see. Team USA captain John Ramage also had a pretty nice night making heady plays and getting the puck up ice.

Moral of the story for future opponents of Team USA: If you can’t stop the bleeding early, it’s going to be a long night. When it rains, it pours and it poured hard on Slovakia last night.

Team USA was relentless from the word go. This is a game the U.S. should have won and did. While the win builds confidence, it shouldn’t breed cockiness. A tough road still lies ahead and its important to take this tournament one game at a time.

A look ahead:

As of writing this post, there was no news on the status of Jason Zucker after the dirty hit from Marincin. The Las Vegas native was having a good game and playing very physically before going down. Should he be out for any amount of time, it’s just another hole caused by injuries that will force players to step up as they did tonight. A day off will hopefully help give the medical staff time to work with Zucker and see how he’s feeling. There is some good news however, as Mike Morreale reported on NHL.com:

Palmieri seemed optimistic that Morin and Nelson would practice for the first time in three days Wednesday.

“They’re feeling better by the day and (Tuesday) was just one of those days where we wanted to give them rest,” he said. “Coming into (Wednesday’s) practice, they’ll both be on the ice and we’ll go from there.”

If Jeremy Morin and Brock Nelson are able to return, it will give this U.S. team a nice boost and will take some of the pressure off of guys like Palmieri. To have those added threats is only going to make Team USA better. Still, their ability to practice tomorrow does not guarantee their availability for Thursday night’s Germany game, but it is a step in the right direction. Should Morin, Nelson and/or Zucker be unavailable, it makes things interesting, but we’ll all just have to wait and see how it plays out.

In other news: The U.S. National Under-17 Team earned a 4-0 shutout win over Team Canada West in its exhibition game in preparation for the 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, which I previewed yesterday. Team USA got goals from Connor Carrick in the second period, and Kyle Osterberg, Miles Koules and Frankie Vatrano (who also had an assist) in the third. Jared Rutledge and Collin Olson each made nine saves to split the shutout. The U.S. out shot Team West (players from Manitoba and Saskatchewan) 42-18. The U.S. is the defending champion at that event. We’ll continue to keep tabs on the tournament throughout this week and next.

Posted in 2011 WJC, American Prospects, Junior Hockey, U.S. National Teams, World U17 Hockey Challenge | Comments Off on That’s More Like It

Martin Marincin’s WJC Should Be Over — UPDATED

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Chris Peters

If you haven’t seen the hit that Martin Marincin delivered on Jason Zucker during the third period of last night’s USA-Slovakia game, check it out if you can find it. It wasn’t in the highlight package and I haven’t been able to find a YouTube video. watch it here (Thanks to Ali for the link!). NOTE: More updates at the end of this post.

It was hands down a dirty play. After Zucker delivered a hit on a Slovakian defenseman, Zucker was returning to the play when Marincin skated towards Zucker and blatantly raised his elbow and connected with the American’s chin. The Las Vegas-native was tended to by athletic trainer Stan Wong for several minutes and was clearly woozy while heading to the bench. There has been no update on his condition at this time.

Marincin’s elbow was hands down a dirty play that was disrespectful to the game. The big Slovakian defenseman clearly went out of his way to get an elbow to the chin of Zucker. It was away from the play and it came out of nowhere. Zucker seemed to be able to see Marincin coming but had very little time to react. Dan Marouelli, a former NHL ref and the chief disciplinarian has 24 hours to rule if further discipline is needed. Marincin will be out for the next game regardless, due to the fact that he received a match penalty, however that is not enough.

I strongly feel that a message needs to be sent that behavior like this will not be tolerated at the World Junior Championship, especially if the IIHF truly cares about head injuries. Marincin should at the very least be suspended for the remainder of the preliminary round (2 games) and perhaps more appropriately should be suspended for the remainder of the tournament. Never was there a more obvious case of intent to injure by making contact to the head.

As a side note, you may recall this hit delivered by Zucker at last year’s World Junior Championship. The U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team played Slovakia’s under-18 squad in an exhibition prior to last year’s IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Belarus. During that game, it was noticeable  that the Slovakian players were out to get Zucker. One of my fellow Team USA staffers quipped, at the time, that the extra attention was perhaps retaliation for the hit at the WJC. Maybe it was, I can’t be certain. However, Martin Marincin delivered a deliberate knee-on-knee hit to Zucker that earned Marincin a major penalty and  game misconduct (Here’s that game’s box score). So yeah, there’s a history.

Also, just for the sake of reference: Canada’s Zack Kassian is going to be suspended for tomorrow’s game against Norway due to a hit to the head, but that was a different situation. It was a physical play gone wrong, where Kassian’s shoulder clipped the Czech player in the wrong spot. It was a play that wa perhaps a result of the speed of the game.

Marincin took out his frustration on Jason Zucker. There was no need for it and there is no place for it. I will respect whatever ruling Dan Marouelli comes up with as far as additional discipline, but I strongly feel that Martin Marincin does not deserve to continue in the tournament.

UPDATE: Dan Marouelli announced that Marincin will be suspended for three additional games on top of his automatic one-game suspension from his match penalty. That means that Marincin will miss the remainder of the preliminary round and at least two games in the medal or relegation round, whichever Slovakia ends up in. For the most important games Slovakia will play, Marincin will be in the press box. While I think a tournament-long suspension would have been a fair penalty, I’m happy that heavy discipline was handed down and a clear message has been sent. No word yet on the status of Jason Zucker. However, the New England Hockey Journal’s Kirk Luedeke had this to report:

…things got uglier, as wingers Jerry D’Amigo and Jason Zucker both suffered blows to the head. D’Amigo is reportedly OK and expected to play in the next game against Germany. Zucker’s status, is much more in doubt according to sources.

Team USA has kept a tight lid on injuries throughout the tournament, so unless he’s out, we may not hear anything for a little while. I’ll be keeping track of that news as best I can.

Posted in 2011 WJC, Junior Hockey, U.S. National Teams | 2 Comments

USA-Slovakia Preview, Pre-Game Links

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Chris Peters

After a day off, Team USA returns to action against a Slovakian team that is coming off an emotional overtime win against Germany last night. Despite being out shot 34-17 through the first two periods, the Slovaks earned a 2-1 decision when Marek Hrivik converted on a slick feed from Richard Panik at 3:39 of the extra frame.

The story of the game, however, was Dominik Riecicky, who made 47 saves and may have earned a start against Team USA tonight. The Slovakian tender even turned aside a penalty shot in regulation. After seeing Finland goaltender Joni Ortio bring his best game to the table Sunday, Team USA can expect another hot goalie tonight.

However, the opposing ‘tender isn’t all Team USA has to worry about. News broke earlier this afternoon that both Jeremy Morin and Brock Nelson are out for tonight’s contest and are still considered day-to-day. That’s going to force other players, particularly the returnees, to step up their level of play.

Jerry D’Amigo is one that has already said he’ll need to be one of those players. There will also be pressure on Team USA’s three centers, Drew Shore, Nick Bjugstad and Charlie Coyle. Each may find themselves with new linemates at different times tonight. You might even see a few guys like Ryan Bourque or Kyle Palmieri head to the circle a few times. That’s purely speculation on my part, though.

With Morin and Nelson out, Team USA’s bench gets short, quick. No word yet on lines, but we can expect to see something on USA Hockey’s World Juniors blog a little before the game, I’m sure. Mitchell Callahan didn’t see the ice a ton against Finland, but he’ll have to be ready to go tonight. If the U.S. is in need of energy and toughness, he’s got a whole lot of both. Hopefully he can bring some of that edge I thought Team USA lacked against the Finns.

Let’s take a look at tonight’s opponent, shall we?

Slovakia possesses some good speed and skill up front and decent size on the blue line. I’d expect a similar defensive game to what the Finns brought on Sunday. Lots of clogging the lanes and a strong net-front presence.

Richard Panik was a difference maker in last night’s win, scoring a goal and adding an assist.  He was always expected to be a go-to guy for this Slovakian team and also serves as its captain. Team USA will have to keep a close eye on him. If Panik can continue his solid play, he makes Slovakia much more dangerous.

Martin Marincin, the big defenseman (6-4, 190) currently with Prince George in the WHL, had four shots last night and finished with a plus-1 rating. He’s nasty when he wants to be and will try to make life miserable for U.S. forwards cutting across the middle or digging in the corners. Team USA’s offensive unit can’t back down.

With Riecicky likely between the pipes, Team USA just has to pepper him with shots. I’d imagine he’s a little tired from all the work he got last night in 60-plus minutes of hockey. No disrespect to the Germans, but I think the U.S. has a few more guys with that killer instinct to find the net (SEE: Goals one and two from the Finland game).  As good as he was against the Germans, Riecicky has to be that much better tonight.

So here are my keys to victory for Team USA heading into tonight’s game:

– Establish a physical game early to shut down and tire out Slovakia’s top offensive talent.

– Make the Slovakian goaltender work for every save.

– Good leadership from the WJC veterans needs to make up for the loss of Morin and Nelson.

Here are some more links to get you ready for tonight’s match up against Slovakia:

Mike Morreale of NHL.com really gives you a great idea into who Jack Campbell is and why his teammates can be confident when playing in front of him. Fear not, Dallas fans, you’ve got a real gem.

Keith Allain told USAHockey.com that Team USA will look to pressure an overworked Slovakian team. There’s also some good insight on Slovakia’s style of play.

Team USA GM Jim Johannson tells USA Today’s Kevin Allen he’d like to see more creativity out of the players within Keith Allain’s structured system.

IIHF.com takes a closer look at Jerry D’Amigo.

It appears that Emerson Etem’s unfortunate tweet kind of took the Buffalo media and Twitter army by storm. Etem stepped up and apologized for the gaffe earlier today and wants to put it behind him.

Jess Rubenstein of The Prospect Park came to Etem’s defense in light of last night’s backlash.

Sunday’s win has a little more shine to it after Finland downed Switzerland 4-0 today.

Local businesses are liking the flow of new customers thanks to the World Juniors and are working together to make the most of it.

Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News takes a look at how the World Juniors is being followed in the Dallas Stars locker room.

Lastly, Justin Bourne of Puck Daddy has a fun take on nationality in pro locker rooms during the World Juniors.

Enjoy tonight’s game and stay close to The United States of Hockey for more news and notes throughout the week.

Posted in 2011 WJC, American Prospects, Junior Hockey, U.S. National Teams | Comments Off on USA-Slovakia Preview, Pre-Game Links

The U.S. Has Another Title to Defend This Week

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Chris Peters

While the World Juniors rightfully gets all the headlines, there is another major international tournament about to kick off this week. The 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge gets underway officially tomorrow after each team gets an exhibition game tonight. The city of Winnipeg will host the tournament, which should be a great site for it.

If you’re not familiar with the World U-17 Challenge, you’re not alone. The tournament, however, is hugely important in the grand scheme of things for the participating teams. It is in many cases the first opportunity for young players to represent their country on the international stage. It is also the first look for much of the 2012 and 2013 NHL Draft-eligible players against their own age group. So it’s a chance to get a head start with the scouts.

Just a quick crash course in the WU17HC: The event takes place in Canada every year, as it is put on by Hockey Canada. The host country fields five regional teams: Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, West, Pacific. The tournament then is filled out with five other countries, which this year includes the U.S., Germany, Finland, Czech Republic and Slovakia. The European teams occasionally change (Russia and Sweden were part of last year’s tournament), but the U.S. has been attending the event on a fairly regular basis since 1995.

It’s a pretty grueling tournament with seven games (including the exhibition) in eight days. It’s a real test of stamina and resilience. I’ve been to the last two and have thought the tournament to be an outstanding event. It’s really exciting for these kids to get out there and compete for country and region. It’s also an incredible challenge for everyone involved since there is only one day off for each team. Additionally, for the non-Canadian teams, the World Under-17 Challenge is a chance to test their mettle in enemy territory with a passionate and usually loud home crowd.

Since the tournament’s inception in 1986, the Quebec Cup, the tournament’s trophy, has been raised by some notable NHL stars like Illya Kovalchuk, Joe Thornton, J.S. Giguere, Taylor Hall, Ryan Suter and Zach Parise. Team USA has won it three times: 2001, 2002 and 2010.

It’s a proving ground for each player. Last year, Team USA, which annually sends a team composed almost entirely of players from the National Team Development Program, won the championship by going undefeated in Timmins, Ontario. The U.S. had to play every Canadian team except Team West and took on Russia and Sweden. No easy task.

The tournament also served as a coming out party for a number of American players:

Rocco Grimaldi, the 5-foot-6 dynamo that just missed the cut for this year’s World Juniors, led the U17s in scoring last year with 14 points. He was dominant out there and logged a ton of minutes. He proved he was among the elite in North America last year as he was named to the all-tournament team.

Tyler Biggs scored both of Team USA’s goals in its 2-1 victory over Team Ontario for the title. He showed off his size, strength and finish in front of a national audience on TSN and on NHL Network. He even got a shout out from Don Cherry on Hockey Night in Canada. Alongside Grimaldi, Biggs was a force and immediately put his name high up on scout’s lists.

John Gibson, the American goaltender, had struggled early last season in his first year at the National Team Development Program, but shined when the lights were brightest. In the championship bout, Gibson pitched a shutout until the waning seconds of the game, when  Ontario finally popped one in. He was a big reason the U.S. won that tournament, and particularly that championship game.

In 2009 the WU17HC was the first showcase for 2011-Draft eligibles Brandon Saad and Adam Clendening (both named to the all-tournament team) and 2010 draftees Derek Forbort, Jack Campbell, Jason Zucker and Jarred Tinordi.

This year, head coach Danton Cole brings in a U.S. team that has drawn comparisons to the NTDP’s vaunted 1992 birth year that saw several of its players drafted in the first round. I had the pleasure of watching this entire roster play at the 2010 Under-17 Four Nations Cup in Woodridge, Ill. Let me tell you, this is a very special group.

Having taken its lumps in the USHL, the U.S. squad gets its second crack at players their own age. Not knowing fully how deep the Canadian 1994 birth year is, I still think this team has to be considered the favorite for the tournament. They’ll hope to keep the Quebec Cup in Ann Arbor.

So let’s take a look at some of the players to watch, and the names to remember:

The strength of this team is its defensive corps. Most of them are highly skilled and incredibly mobile.

Seth Jones – The son of former NBA player Popeye Jones, Seth is athletic and smart. He makes plays 16-year-olds shouldn’t make. He’s not draft-eligible until 2013, but I have him penciled in as a top-three pick right now. Sure it’s early, but he’s getting bigger (already at or above 6-foot-4) and he’s getting better. Watch him skate and move the puck, you’d think you’re looking at a seasoned pro most times, but its actually just the youngest player on the team.

Jacob Trouba – This guy can shoot. He’s got a pro-like slapper already. Not to mention he’s strong as an ox and can lay a big check. He’s gifted at handling the puck and making plays with his feet. He’s a power-play threat and a steady presence defensively. Without a doubt, a first-round talent.

Brady Skjei – I don’t mince words when I say this, he has one of the most beautiful skating strides I’ve ever seen. He can absolutely fly and it just looks effortless. I think he still has some work to do with various aspects of the game, but he can be a one-man breakout. He can use his feet to get the puck out of trouble spots and before you know it, he’s putting a shot on net. He’s a Minnesota kid that has clearly spent a lot of time on the ice honing his skating.

I could probably say something about each of Team USA’s eight defensemen, but I’ll save that for another time.

Up front, the U.S. has a lot of talent, but is still trying to figure some things out. However, a few players are beginning to stand out:

Miles Koules – The son of former Tampa Bay Lightning owner, Oren Koules, Miles was the talk of the Four Nations because he just produced. He led the team with seven points in four games and just made plays. He doesn’t have great size, but he has a good hockey mind. He’s able to find his teammates and can also fire the puck himself. Five of those seven points were goals. I think he needs a little work in the D-zone, but his offensive ability is undeniable.

Nicolas Kerdiles – Kerdiles has good size and is strong on the puck. He leads the U17s this season overall with 14 points (8g-6a). He can be used in a variety of roles and situations. I still expect a bit more out of him from the last time I saw him. You can kind of tell there’s more to his game that just hasn’t been unlocked yet.

Frankie Vatrano – Vatrano is a big boy (listed at 214 pounds). A big boy that can absolutely wire a puck under the bar. He has seven goals this season and I was told by the coaches, he’s got a natural gift for scoring. He struggled at the Four Nations, but could be a pleasant surprise at this tournament.

Thomas DiPauli – Here’s a guy that’s not very big, but supremely skilled. He has a chance to be one of the more dynamic players on the ice at any given moment. He has eight assists this year and just has a gift for finding his teammates. He’s got good hands and great vision, which helps him get out of tight spots. He makes his teammates better out there. He could shine on this stage.

Other notables: Players with NHL Dads: Henrik Samuelsson (Ulf) and Stefan Matteau (Stephane). Also, Quentin Shore becomes the third Shore brother (Drew and Nick before him) to play in the WU17HC for Team USA.

Lastly, the goaltenders:

Both of these goalies have a ton of ability and I think Team USA is comfortable with either of them in any situation:

Collin Olson – The thing that jumps out at you about Olson is his size. He’s 6-foot-3 and takes up a good amount of the net. He has the ability and athleticism to take away the bottom of the net and the size to keep the top covered when down. I liked what I saw out of him at the Four Nations. He was between the pipes for the championship game against a Russian team full of snipers and got the win.

Jared Rutledge – While smaller than Olson, at 5-foot-11, Rutledge is just a steady, fundamentally-sound goalie. He controls rebounds well and can recover quickly if needed. He also got a look at that Russian team in the Four Nations round robin, so he’s seen elite shooters and prevailed. He’s definitely a goalie to keep an eye on for the future.

There is an awful lot to like about this U.S. squad. I’ll be keeping tabs on the tournament and updating you as it progresses. Also, if you want to check out the tournament yourself, FASTHockey.com is carrying the entire event live, including Team USA’s exhibition against Team West tonight. Also, you can follow along at Hockey Canada’s website.

Don’t worry, I’m getting back to World Juniors coverage this afternoon with a full preview of Team USA’s game tonight against Slovakia.

Posted in American Prospects, NHL Draft, NTDP, U.S. National Teams, World U17 Hockey Challenge | Comments Off on The U.S. Has Another Title to Defend This Week

Why Buffalo Works for the WJC

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Chris Peters

After Team USA’s first game, there was a lot of talk about the game and the excitement of the tournament’s first day. However, much of the discussion shifted to the fact that the Canada game out-drew the American game and even much of the crowd was in maple leaf jerseys for Team USA’s bout with Finland.

Should this be alarming to any of us? It shouldn’t be surprising, that’s for sure. The World Junior Championship is wildly popular in Canada and only in the infancy of becoming part of the American hockey fan’s hockey menu. I’m not happy that there were more red-clad Finland fans at the USA game the other night, but I am happy that there was a very good portion of American fans there. It’s progress.

Of course Canada cares a lot about the WJC. It’s been dominant at this event for a long time. There’s a real sour taste in the mouths of Canadian fans after last year’s defeat. So why shouldn’t they cross the border and cheer on their team? I welcome our neighbors with open arms. The fact that Canadians are coming in droves and Americans are coming in smaller numbers is only an indication of the awareness of the tournament, not the importance. The “Canadian invasion” is not proof that the tournament doesn’t belong in the U.S., as some may lead you to believe.

Another thing I am sick of hearing is: “Well, this doesn’t matter to anyone but Canada.”

If that was true, then why even send a team? The 22 players on Team USA and the rest of the teams care deeply about this tournament. The people who should care most in this country, do. USA Hockey hopes fans latch on to the tournament and get more interested, but the most important thing is seeing a U.S. team win the gold medal. I think success in the tournament standings is far more important in the long run than financial viability or fan support. Success in the medal race will begin to take care of the other parts slowly.

Still I’ve seen a few articles from Canadian media patting themselves on the back for their fellow countrymen showing up the U.S. by buying more tickets, even to U.S. games. Apparently, the event should only ever be held in Canada, since they’re the only ones that truly embrace it. That’s probably the reason I decided to write this post after some inner debate.

Perhaps the most laughable take comes from Mark Sutcliffe of the Ottawa Citizen, who had this to say:

Organizers might delude themselves into thinking that big attendance numbers for this year’s tournament prove the game is digging deeper roots in the United States. But they should face the facts: the world juniors have special meaning in Canada, unlike any other country on the planet. The IIHF should put the tournament in Canada every year, rather than placing it just across the border and pretending it’s an event with international appeal.

First off, no one is deluding themselves into thinking that at all. This event has nothing to do with hockey’s roots in this country. Much of the hockey community in the States is unaware of the tournament. But they are becoming more aware. Which is a start. USA Hockey will point to increased membership as proof that hockey is growing in the States and roots are getting deeper, not the World Juniors.

He’s correct about the tournament having a special meaning to Canada. I think its awesome that Canada is so in love with this tournament. The passion of its fan base and its team makes it fun to watch, but this is not a strictly Canadian event.

Despite a lack of international appeal, the tournament is part of a bigger picture for international hockey. This WJC  is huge for player development and it does help some in spreading the influence of the game worldwide.

The sense of entitlement that Sutcliffe displays is off-putting and borderline pathetic. It’s our game, it’s our tournament. No. It isn’t. Hockey is an international game and is continually growing down here in the United States, whether you want to believe it or not.

For those that think the World Juniors is supposed to be an annual affirmation of Canada’s hockey dominance; of its superiority in the sport: We get it. It’s part of your culture and your traditions. That doesn’t make it purely Canadian. There are some people, no not as many as Canada, but there are some people who give a damn if the U.S. wins or loses. There are people who give a damn if Sweden or Russia or Finland wins or loses.

The World Juniors is the greatest amateur hockey tournament in the world. While it is most financially viable to hold it in or near Canada, hosting it in the same country every year will make the tournament less and less relevant to everyone else. How does that do the tournament any good? It’s a disservice to the players, other international hockey federations and to hockey fans worldwide. It robs other countries of the opportunity to make this tournament matter. I hope to see the event return to Europe, just to give more countries and their cities the chance to make it work.

I am so glad Buffalo was chosen for this event. They put together the best bid and they put in the leg work and they earned the right to host this championship. I heard nothing but great things about Buffalo’s bid package from a few of the folks who were part of the selection process. It’s in the right place in 2011.

At the end of the day, USA Hockey, the IIHF and the host committee want this tournament to make money. However, placing the tournament in the U.S. gives it slightly more visibility in the American media market. That is an added bonus. Buffalo is one of the most consistent hockey markets in the U.S. Still, the tournament has to make money. It is such an expensive event to run for the host country, so putting it in a location that it most likely would make money is just good business. There may be a time when it can go further south, but we’re not quite there yet.

While folks like Sutcliffe will point to empty seats and a sea of red jerseys, I point to the games being on NHL Network in the U.S., the growing Twitter following of the event, the interest on message boards and blogs, and heck… the fact that people read this blog at all. There’s also more interest than ever in the NHL Draft, NCAA hockey, junior hockey and the international game. It’s not all about what’s happening in Buffalo. It’s about progress. And we’re making plenty of progress. Hosting the tournament in the U.S. helps fuel that progress.

Perhaps in 10 more years we’ll see this tournament in LA or Chicago or even Dallas. Maybe that never happens, but the point remains that its more possible that it could happen now than it was 5 to 10 years ago.

It makes me proud that the American hockey fan is evolving into one that cares about hockey in general, as opposed to only being a fan of his/her NHL team. It’s not going to dramatically change overnight, but the process has been underway for a while now.

To my Canadian friends, I hope you do not feel that this is an attack on Canada or its fan base. Be proud of your country, your national team and hockey heritage.

To Mr. Sutcliffe and the like minded I say this with all due respect: This game is not yours. It’s all of ours. Hope you don’t mind sharing.

Posted in 2011 WJC | 2 Comments

Morin, Nelson Injured and Evening Links

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Chris Peters

We can take the news as positive that Jeremy Morin and Brock Nelson are now listed by Team USA as day-to-day, as tweeted by Bob McKenzie. After TSN reported that Morin may have been lost for the tournament, it appeared a bit of panic kind of set in for Team USA fans, based on what I saw on Twitter.

The U.S. team has an outstanding medical staff in Dr. Phil Johnson, and athletic trainers Stan Wong and Jason Hodges. All three have loads of experience in hockey and especially at these types of tournaments. Those are the guys any team would be happy to have on their bench, because the players’ health is first and foremost. However, they are the guys that are going to give the players every opportunity to get healthy enough to play. In short tournaments like these, there isn’t a lot of time to get healthy and rest, so expect these guys to be on top of the injured players and give them all the care they need to get back.

While a day-to-day listing is positive, it still means the players may miss game time. If you’re a U.S. fan, I don’t think you want either out for any amount of time, with each game being as important as they are. So hopefully the pair can come back in some capacity sooner than later.

Until then, Team USA will need a few guys to step up their game a bit, as any team does when a key player goes down.

I thought Jason Zucker was brilliant in last night’s game and will be a good guy to keep up the toughness and scoring touch that the U.S. may lose with Morin potentially out. Nick Bjugstad was very good for much of the game and obviously got the game-winner. He can help pick up the slack for Nelson, if the center remains out. I also think Charlie Coyle could be a big difference maker. I thought he was only OK last night, but has a chance to be really, really good. There’s a lot to like about his game and I think he can bring a lot to the table. The three healthy centers on this team, Drew Shore, Coyle and Bjugstad will need to be adaptable if Nelson can’t play, since the lines may get jumbled.

So since we won’t know more about the status of Morin and Nelson until closer to game time tomorrow, lets get some more news with WJC Links:

Bruce Peter is killing WJC coverage over at Puck Worlds. If you haven’t read his previews for each team yet, you should. In depth and lots of good insight. So check him out.

Another great WJC resource is Buzzing the Net. It’s got great coverage from up North and has a lot of interesting story lines to follow, particularly 2011 Draft-eligible players in the tournament.

It would be un-American to include links without checking in on the boys over at The Sleeping Giant. Thankfully, I’m an American… so enjoy this.

NHL.com keeps its running WJC updates here. It’s always good to check in for breaking news and reports from practices and pre-game skates.

Want to know what the Americans had to say after their game last night? USA Hockey’s World Junior blog’s got you covered with video.

The venerable James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail takes a look at the Canadian invasion in Buffalo.

Tomorrow, we’ll have a preview of the USA-Slovakia game and thoughts on the attendance situation in Buffalo. Particularly, why American fans shouldn’t be alarmed and why our Canadian friends need not chirp. Lastly, I’ll preview the other international tournament beginning this week up in Winnipeg, the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Never heard of it? You’re about to.

Posted in 2011 WJC, American Prospects, Junior Hockey, NCAA, NHL, NHL Draft, NTDP, U.S. National Teams | 1 Comment