2021 U.S. Under-18 Men's National Team Game Notes 2021 Iihf Under-18 Men's World Championship | Frisco & Plano, Texas | April 26 - May 6, 2021
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2021 U.S. UNDER-18 MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME NOTES 2021 IIHF UNDER-18 MEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP | FRISCO & PLANO, TEXAS | APRIL 26 - MAY 6, 2021 PRELIMINARY ROUND GAME #3 • USA (1-0-1-0) VS. CZECH REPUBLIC (1-0-0-1) • FRISCO, TEXAS • COMERICA CENTER • APRIL 29, 2021 TONIGHT'S GAME TOURNAMENT INFO After topping Germany on Tuesday evening, Team USA looks The 2021 International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Men’s to make it consecutive wins in the preliminary round against the World Championship will take place April 26 - May 6, 2021 in Czech Republic. Frisco and Plano, Texas. The U.S. enters the tournament having medaled in ten straight IIHF U18 Men’s World Championships The U.S. holds an all-time record of 13-1-1-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) for the first time in tournament history after earning bronze in against the Czechs in this tournament, including a perfect record 2019, silver in 2018, and gold in 2017. in six preliminary-round games with a 26-8 scoring margin. The two teams last met in the 2018 semifinals, a 4-1 U.S. win. Team USA will play its preliminary round games in Frisco at Comerica Center against Group B opponents Finland, Czech DATE GAME TIME (LOCAL TIME/ET) OPPONENT Republic, Germany and Russia. The quarterfinal round will be Thurs., April 29 8:00 P.M. / 9:00 P.M. Czech Republic split between Frisco and Plano while the semifinals and medal- Watch Live: HockeyTV.com round games will all take place in Frisco. All of Team USA’s games will take place at Comerica Center in Frisco, Group A consists of Canada, Sweden, Latvia, Belarus and Texas, home of the G-League’s Texas Legends and official practice Switzerland and will play their games at Children’s Health facility of the NHL’s Dallas Stars. StarCenter in Plano. TALKING POINTS TICKETING INFORMATION FIRST IIHF WIN Tickets are available for all preliminary-round games and quarter- The U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team never trailed en route to final round games thru Ticketmaster and are sold as day passes, its first win of the 2021 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship, which are valid for all games played that day at Comerica Center. a 5-3 victory over Germany fueled by two power-play goals from Seats will be sold as pod seating groups, featuring between two Ty Gallagher (Clarkston, Mich.). Goaltender Gibson Homer and four seats per pod, and no individual game tickets will be (Grand Rapids, Mich.) picked up his first International Ice Hockey made available. Due to health and safety protocols, there will be Federation win in net, making 25 saves. no public tickets sold for tournament games at Children’s Health StarCenter Plano. HEAR IT FROM COACH WATCH ON HOCKEYTV.COM “As you go through a tournament like this, you’ve got to find different ways to win,” said head coachDan Muse (Canton, Mass.) HockeyTV.com will televise all tournament games from both after Tuesday’s win over Germany. “We found a way tonight and groups at Comerica Center in Frisco and Children’s Health that’s something to build off of heading into Thursday.” StarCenter in Plano. RECORD SETTER U.S. GAME SCHEDULE After scoring two power-play goals in Tuesday’s 5-3 win over Germany, defenseman Ty Gallagher (Clarkston, Mich.) now sits in DATE OPPONENT TIME (LOCAL/ET) sole possession of first place for most career goals by a National Team Development Program blueliner with 24. Gallagher passed SAT., APRIL 24 SWEDEN* W, 5-1 the previous mark of 22 set by Cam York (Anaheim Hills, Calif. Frisco, Texas Comerica Center / Philadelphia Flyers) during his two seasons from 2017-2019. MON., APRIL 26 RUSSIA OTL, 7-6 Twenty-three of the 24 players on Team USA’s roster come from Frisco, Texas Comerica Center USA Hockey’s NTDP. TUES., APRIL 27 GERMANY W, 5-3 Frisco, Texas Comerica Center SAVAGE IN THE DOT THURS., APRIL 29 CZECH REPUBLIC 8:00 PM/9:00 PM Team USA forward Red Savage (Scottsdale, Ariz.) has been Frisco, Texas Comerica Center tremendous in the faceoff circle through two games, winning 21 of the 32 draws he has taken, good for a 74.4% clip. The SAT., MAY 1 FINLAND 8:00 PM/9:00 PM U.S. captain’s 32 opportunities ties for second most chances Frisco, Texas Comerica Center throughout the tournament. Additionally, teammates Jack MON., MAY 3 QUARTERFINALS 8:00 PM/9:00 PM Hughes (Westwood, Mass.) and Logan Cooley (West Mifflin, Pa.) Frisco, Texas Comerica Center in the top six of the tournament’s faceoff win percentage list. WED., MAY 5 SEMIFINALS 4:00 PM/5:00 PM Frisco, Texas Comerica Center LEADERSHIP GROUP THURS., MAY 6 BRONZE-MEDAL GAME 4:00 PM/5:00 PM Shortly after arriving in Texas, Team USA announced its leadership Frisco, Texas Comerica Center group, headlined by 2021 captain Red Savage (Scottsdale, Ariz.). THURS., MAY 6 GOLD-MEDAL GAME 8:00 PM/9:00 PM The forward will be assisted by a pair of blueliners named as Frisco, Texas Comerica Center alternate captains in Sean Behrens (Barrington, Ill.) and Aidan Hreschuk (Long Beach, Calif.). *Pre-tournament game All U.S. preliminary round games will be televised live on HockeyTV.com KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE The U.S. has medaled at the IIHF Under-18 Men’s World MEDIA INFORMATION Championship in 16 consecutive tournaments, the longest streak U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team players and staff, including head coach Dan Muse, will be available for interviews in designated media in program and tournament history. Team USA has collected slots via Zoom following all tournament games. Members of the media nine golds, four silvers and three bronze medals over the life of are not allowed in the U.S. dressing room at any time. that span. The country’s 10 all-time gold medals is a tournament record, last winning in 2017 in Poprad & Spisska Nova Ves, MEDIA CONTACT: JON EDWARDS Slovakia. 845.665.4151 [email protected] All media availability with U.S. team members must be arranged through Jon Edwards, who is on-site with Team USA throughout the event. HOMEPAGE TEAMUSA.USAHOCKEY.COM/2021U18MENSWORLDS Team USA information, including bios, team schedule, news and team history are available at the official website of USA Hockey's national teams. @USAHOCKEY • TEAMUSA.USAHOCKEY.COM/2021U18MENSWORLDS • USAHOCKEY.COM • #U18MENSWORLDS 1 2021 U.S. UNDER-18 MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM NOTES PRELIMINARY ROUND GAME VS. CZECH REPUBLIC • APRIL 29, 2021 ADDITIONAL NOTES PRELIM VS. RUSSIA The U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team earned a point, but fell to Russia in overtime, 7-6, in the first preliminary-round matchup of the 2021 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship. Sean Behrens (1-2-3), Lane Hutson (0-3-3) and Sasha Pastujov (1-2-3) all recorded a trio of points for Team USA. PRE-TOURNAMENT WIN Team USA used five unanswered goals to take down Sweden, 5-1, in the team’s lone pre-tournament game of the 2021 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship Saturday evening. Aidan Hreschuk, Liam Gilmartin, Dylan Duke, Lane Hutson and Ty Gallagher all scored for the U.S. in the win. Goaltenders Kaidan Mbereko and Gibson Homer split the game in net while Homer picked up the W. GROWING THE GAME Two of Team USA’s players will become the first players to represent their states at the U18 Men’s World Championships. Liam Gilmartin (Falls Church, Va.) is the first player to don the red, white and blue in this tournament from Virginia whileRutger McGroarty (Lincoln, Neb.) will be the first skater to make the team from the Cornhusker State. In addition, Team USA boasts a pair of players each from California (Hreschuk & Murchison) and Florida (Pastujov & Straky), and one skater apiece from Montana (Holt), Ohio (Duke) and Arizona (Savage). MVP STATUS In his last game prior to coming to Texas, forward Sasha Pastujov (Bradenton, Fla.) was named the BioSteel All-American Game Player of the Game on April 7 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. The University of Notre Dame commit scored a pair of goals and added an assist for a game-high three points. The BioSteel All-American game showcases the top American-born players in the United States Hockey League eligible for the 2021 NHL Draft. Both of Sasha’s older brothers, Nick and Mike, played in the all- star game as well as the Under-18 Men’s World Championship for Team USA. FAMILY TIES Team USA features a trio of skaters with some recognizable surnames from previous NHL playing careers. Red Savage is the son of Brian Savage, who played 674 NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers. Ryan St. Louis’ dad, Martin, was a Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018. He registered more than 1,000 points in his 16-year NHL career with the Calgary Flames, Lightning and New York Rangers. Marek Hejduk learned from his father, Milan, who played his entire 1020 game NHL career with the Colorado Avalanche, retiring with 805 career points (375-430-805) and as the franchise’s all-time leader in games played. NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING Thirteen players on the U.S. roster were named to the NHL Central Scouting rankings list, last updated in January. The team features one A-rated prospect, indicating a projected 1st-round draft pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, in forward Sasha Pastujov (Bradenton, Fla.).