2017 U.S. National Junior Team Game Notes
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2017 U.S. NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM GAME NOTES 2017 INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP | MONTREAL AND TORONTO, CANADA PRELIMINARY ROUND GROUP A • USA VS. LATVIA • MON., DEC. 26, 2016 • 3:30 P.M. ET • TORONTO • AIR CANADA CENTRE (CAPACITY: 18,800) TODAY’S GAME PRE-TOURNAMENT GAMES: U.S. TOPS SUI (4-3), CZE (4-0) The United States faces Latvia today to open Group A play at the 2017 The U.S. National Junior Team claimed both its pre-tournament games IIHF World Junior Championship here in Toronto. The 2016 bronze by defeating Switzerland, 4-3, at the Tribute Communities Centre in medalist in Helsinki, Finland, Team USA enters the tournament seeking Oshawa, Ontario, on Dec. 21, and blanking the Czech Republic, 4-0, back-to-back medal fnishes for the second time ever (2010 - gold, 2011 at the Rogers K-Rock Centre in Kingston, Ontario, on Dec. 23. The U.S. - bronze). Puck drop is set for 3:30pm ET and will be televised in the U.S. outshot opponents, 63-47, went 1-for-7 on the power play and 6-for-6 live on NHL Network. on penalty kill. THE SERIES VS. LATVIA FIRST IMPRESSIONS This is just the third time ever that the United States and Latvia will meet The U.S. National Junior Team is seeking its 10th straight tournament- in IIHF World Junior Championship play. The U.S., who won both games, opening victory today. A year ago, Team USA topped Canada, 4-2, that last faced Latvia in 2012 where it skated to a 12-2 victory. included goals from Colin White, Zach Werenski, Louie Belpedio and Auston Matthews. IN GOAL TODAY Tyler Parsons (Chesterfeld, Mich./London Knights) is the likely starter Last 10 Team USA WJC Openers in goal today. The starter in Team USA’s 4-3 pre-tournament win over Switzerland, Parsons is representing the United States in IIHF Date Opponent Result competition for the frst time. The starting goaltender for the London 12/26/2015 Canada W, 4-2 Knights’ Memorial Cup and J. Ross Robertson Cup championship teams 12/26/2014 Finland OTW, 2-1 last season, Parsons ranks third in the OHL in shutouts (2), fourth in save 12/26/2013 Czech Republic W, 5-1 percentage (.915) and ffth in goals against average (2.49). 12/26/2012 Germany W, 8-0 12/26/2011 Denmark W, 11-3 HOW WE GOT HERE 12/26/2010 Finland OTW, 3-2 The United States began its journey towards the 2017 IIHF World Junior 12/26/2009 Slovakia W, 7-3 Championship with 26 players convening in Bufalo, New York, the night 12/26/2008 Germany W, 8-2 of Dec. 15. There, Team USA held fve days of practices and meetings at 12/26/2007 Kazakhstan W, 5-1 Bufalo’s HarborCenter, which will play a role in next year’s tournament 12/26/2006 Germany OTL, 1-2 along with the KeyBank Center, home of the NHL’s Bufalo Sabres. The U.S. then moved to Oshawa, Ontario, for a three-day camp from Dec. 21-23 . The time in Oshawa included a 4-3 pre-tournamet victory over Switzerland on Dec. 21 and culminated with a 4-0 shutout over the TEAM USA SCHEDULE Czech Republic in Kingston, Ontario on Dec. 23. On Dec. 24, shortly after Team USA arrived in Toronto , the fnal 23-player roster was named. Broadcast NHL NETWORK EASTERN TIME TV ST. CLOUD’S BOB MOTZKO LEADING TEAM USA FOR FIRST TIME All U.S. tournament games to be televised live on NHL Network Bob Motzko (St. Cloud, Minn.), head coach of St. Cloud State University’s Wed., Dec. 21 SWITZERLAND W, 4-3 TOURNAMENT men’s ice hockey program, is making his international head coaching Oshawa, Ontario Blue Jersey PRE debut with the 2017 U.S. National Junior Team. This is the second time Motzko will be behind a Team USA bench after serving as an assistant Fri., Dec. 23 CZECH REPUBLIC W, 4-0 coach for the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team at the IIHF World Junior Kingston, Ontario White Jersey Championship in Malmo, Sweden. For a complete bio on Motzko and Mon., Dec. 26 LATVIA 3:30 P.M. his assistant coaches Greg Brown (Scituate, Mass./Boston College), ROUND PRELIMINARY Grant Potulny (Minneapolis, Minn./Univ. of Minnesota), Kris Mayotte Toronto, Ontario Blue Jersey (Pittsburgh, Pa./Providence College) and Steve Miller (Littleton, Colo./ Wed., Dec. 28 SLOVAKIA 7:30 P.M. A GROUP Air Force Academy), visit page 4. Toronto, Ontario KUNIN, WHITE AND MCAVOY TO CAPTAIN TEAM USA Thurs., Dec. 29 RUSSIA 3:30 P.M. On Dec. 18, coach Motzko named forward Luke Kunin (Chesterfeld, Toronto, Ontario Mo./University of Wisconsin) captain of the 2017 U.S. National Junior Sat., Dec. 31 CANADA 3:30 P.M. Team. In addition, Motzko tabbed forward Colin White (Hanover, Mass./ Toronto, Ontario Boston College) and defenseman Charlie McAvoy (Long Beach, N.Y./ Boston University) as alternate captains. This is the second time Kunin Mon., Jan. 2 QUARTERFINALS TBD will captain Team USA after leading the U.S. Under-18 Men’s National TBD PLAYOFF ROUND PLAYOFF Team to a gold medal at the 2015 International Ice Hockey Federation Wed., Jan. 4 SEMIFINALS TBD Under-18 Men’s World Championship in Zug and Lucerne, Switzerland. Montreal, Quebec Meanwhile, White and McAvoy are Team USA’s two returnees from last year’s bronze medal-winning 2016 U.S. National Junior Team. An Thurs., Jan. 5 BRONZE MEDAL GAME 3:30 P.M. alternate captain last year, White registered seven points (3-4) and was Montreal, Quebec named the U.S. Player of the Game in the tournament-opening 4-2 Thurs., Jan. 5 GOLD MEDAL GAME 8:00 P.M. victory over Canada. To watch the moment coach Motzko named the Montreal, Quebec captains, visit teamusa.usahockey.com/worldjuniors2017. SOCIAL Social Media FOLLOW USA HOCKEY @usahockey POINT-LEADERS REPRESENTING TEAM USA Facebook Twitter Instagram YouToube @usahockeyscores Of the 20 skaters on Team USA, 16 rank in the top fve of their respective teams in scoring, including seven who rank frst. In addition, Jeremy Bracco (Freeport, N.Y./Kitchener Rangers) ranks second in the OHL 2017 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS in assists and third in points; Caleb Jones (Frisco, Texas/Portland Winterhawks) leads WHL defensemen in assists; Tanner Laczynski GROUP A GROUP A (Shorewood, Ill./Ohio State University) sits second among all NCAA TEAM W OTW OTL L GF:GA PTS TEAM W OTW OTL L GF:GA PTS freshmen in assists and points; and Jack Roslovic (Columbus, Ohio/ FIN 0 0 0 0 0 0 RUS 0 0 0 0 0 0 Manitoba Moose) is fourth among all AHL rookies in points. SWE 0 0 0 0 0 0 USA 0 0 0 0 0 0 CZE 0 0 0 0 0 0 CAN 0 0 0 0 0 0 Among the three goaltenders, Tyler Parsons (Chesterfeld, Mich./ DEN 0 0 0 0 0 0 SVK 0 0 0 0 0 0 London Knights) ranks top fve in th OHL in goals against average, save SUI 0 0 0 0 0 0 LAT 0 0 0 0 0 0 percentage and shutouts; Joseph Woll (St. Louis, Mo./Boston College) leads the Hockey East Association in wins while ranking second in the MEDIA CONTACT: Jon Gomez • Manager, Communications • 973.723.5744 • [email protected] NCAA; and Jake Oettinger (Lakeville, Minn./Boston University) is top 10 All media availability must be arranged through Jon Gomez. All team members, including head coach Bob Motzko, in goals against average, save percentage and shutouts in the NCAA. will be available for post-practice interviews in the designated mixed-zone area. Other media requests may be submitted through Jon Gomez. Members of the media are not allowed in the U.S. dressing room. 1 DECEMBER 26, 2016 • @USAHOCKEY • TEAMUSA.USAHOCKEY.COM/WORLDJUNIORS2017 • USAHOCKEY.COM • #USAWJC 1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2017 U.S. NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ GAME NOTES VS. LATVIA ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2017 U.S. IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN NOTABLE TEAM USA STATISTICS SWITZERLAND TALE OF THE TAPE DEC. 21 RECAP USA 4, SUI 3: Team USA edged Switzerland, 4-3, in pre-tournament ALL-TIME MEDALS AT WORLD JUNIORS action in Oshawa, Ontario. Jack Roslovic Year Medal Coach Result Opp. USA SUI and Erik Foley each tallied two points, 2016 Bronze Ron Wilson W, 8-3 SWE Goals 4 3 seven other players collected a point, and Shots: 32 24 Tyler Parsons made 21 saves. 2013 Gold Phil Housley W, 3-1 SWE PP: 1-for-3 0-for-2 Series vs. Switzerland: 20-0-0-0-2 2011 Bronze Keith Allain W, 4-2 SWE PK: 2-for-2 2-for-3 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T). 2010 Gold Dean Blaise OTW, 6-5 CAN 2007 Bronze Ron Rolston W, 2-1 SWE CZECH REPUBLIC TALE OF THE TAPE DEC. 23 RECAP USA 4, CZE 0: Team USA shut out the Czech Republic, 4-0, in 2004 Gold Mike Eaves W, 4-3 CAN pre-tournament action behind a pair of 1997 Silver Jef Jackson L, 0-2 CAN USA CZE goals by Tage Thompson and a 23-save 1992 Bronze Walt Kyle W, 3-2 CZE Goals 4 0 performance from Joseph Woll. Six other 1986 Bronze Dave Peterson W, 5-1 SWE Shots: 31 23 players tallied a point in the win. PP: 0-for-4 0-for-4 Series vs. Czech Republic: 11-1-1-7-1 PK: 4-for-4 4-for-4 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T).