U.S. NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM GAME NOTES 2016 International Ice Hockey Federation USA (1-0-0-0) vs. Sweden (1-0-0-0) World Junior Championship Group A Play Preliminary Game #2 • Monday, Dec. 28, 2015 • 4 p.m. Local/9 a.m. ET • Helsinki Ice Hall • Helsinki, Finland TODAY’S GAME TIDBITS The United States faces Sweden at Helsinki Ice Hall (capac- Kelly Miller, assistant coach at Michigan State Universi- ity: 8,200) in its second preliminary round game of the 2016 ty, arrived yesterday (Dec. 27) and will be with Team USA IIHF World Junior Championship. This is the first meeting be- throughout the rest of the tournament as an advance scout tween the teams since the U.S. defeated Sweden, 3-1, in the ... A number of family member of Team USA players and staff gold-medal game in the 2013 IIHF World Junior Champion- arrived yesterday … Team USA’s win Saturday was its first ship in Ufa, Russia. The game will be televised live in the U.S. against Canada in the preliminary round of the World Junior on NHL Network. Championship since a 5-2 victory on Dec. 31, 1998 … U.S. Head Coach Ron Wilson on Sweden, “I have a lot of respect THE SERIES VS. SWEDEN for Sweden. We saw them in Lake Placid this summer. They The U.S. is 13-1-0-14-2 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T) against Sweden have a big, mobile defense, so it’ll be tough to find a way to all-time in the IIHF World Junior Championship. Team USA is get through. Our biggest strength is our balance amongst our undefeated (10-1-0-0-1) in its last 12 outings versus Sweden forwards; any line can score. We’re hoping we can wear them with its last loss coming in quarterfinal play on Jan. 1, 1996. down and capitalize on our chances.” …. Ron DeGregorio, The U.S. has outscored Sweden, 46-22, during that span. co-chairman of the board of USA Hockey, is here in Helsinki Three of the last five meetings have been medal games, with and will be here throughout the World Junior Championship the U.S. winning each matchup, including one gold (2013) …. Four U.S. players celebrated birthdays in December, and two bronze (2011, 2007) medals. including Matthew Tkachuk (Dec. 11), Alex DeBrincat (Dec. 18), Will Borgen (Dec. 19) and Charlie McAvoy (Dec. 21) IN GOAL TODAY …. The U.S. has not opened the World Junior Championship Alex Nedeljkovic is the likely starter in goal today. He made against two “big six” countries since 2002 when it faced 25 saves on 27 shots to lead the U.S. to a 4-2 win over Can- Czech Republic (W, 3-1) and Sweden (T, 2-2). ada on Saturday (Dec. 26) night. A second round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes, he was a member of the 2015 U.S. Na- WINNERS LEADING TEAM USA tional Junior Team and helped the 2014 U.S. Men’s Nation- Each member of the 2016 U.S. National Junior Team coaching al Under-18 Team claim a gold medal at the IIHF Under-18 staff has experienced winning at the highest level. Head coach Men’s World Championship. Ron Wilson guided Team USA to the championship in the in- augural World Cup of Hockey in 1996. A three-time Stanley LAST GAME: USA 4, CANADA 2 Cup champion (Montreal 1986; Detroit: 2002, 2006), assistant The four captains - Louie Belpedio, Auston Matthews, coach Chris Chelios skated for Coach Wilson in the inaugural Zach Werenski and Colin White - each scored to lead the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and skated with Team USA gener- U.S. past rival Canada, 4-2, on Saturday night in front of al manager, Jim Johannson, on the University of Wisconsin 6,112 fans at Helsinki Ice Hall. White was named U.S. Player squad that claimed the 1982 NCAA national championship. of the Game. The win was the ninth consecutive in tourna- Assistant coach Danton Cole, in addition to coaching the U.S. ment-opening games for Team USA. Men’s National Under-18 Team to a pair of gold medals at the IIHF Men’s Under-18 World Championship (2012, 2014), as a TEAM USA STAT LEADERS player earned a Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in Auston Matthews (1-1--2), Matthew Tkachuk (0-2--2), 1995 and won an NCAA national title at Michigan State Uni- Zach Werenski (1-1--2) and Colin White (1-1--2) each had versity in 1986. In addition to serving on the coaching staff of multi-point games in Saturday’s win. Including the two exhi- two gold medal-winning U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Teams bition games, Sonny Milano (3-3--6) and Christian Dvorak (2014, 2015), assistant coach Kevin Reiter was the starting (1-3--4) are the only Team USA players to tally points in all goaltender for the Fort Wayne Komets that won the Interna- three games to date. tional Hockey League’s Turner Cup championship in 2007-08. TEAM USA SCHEDULE Exhibition Games Dec. 18 W, 4-0 Dec. 22 W, 3-2 UMASS Mullins Center FINLAND Isku Arena 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship Games* Dec. 26 W, 4-2 Jan. 2 TBA CANADA Helsinki Ice Hall QUARTERFINALS TBA Dec. 28 4 P.M. Local/9 A.M. ET Jan. 4 TBA SWEDEN Helsinki Ice Hall SEMIFINALS Hartwall Arena Dec. 30 8 P.M. Local/1 P.M. ET Jan. 5 4 P.M. Local/9 A.M. ET SWITZERLAND Helsinki Ice Hall BRONZE MEDAL Hartwall Arena Dec. 31 4 P.M. Local/9 A.M. ET Jan. 5 8:30 P.M. Local/3:30 P.M. ET DENMARK Helsinki Ice Hall GOLD MEDAL Hartwall Arena *All games broadcast live on NHL Network (DirectTV 215, Dish 157) worldjuniors.usahockey.com • #USAWJC • 2016 U.S. National Junior Team • @usahockey • @usahockeyscores Team USA Game Notes vs. Sweden • Dec. 28, 2015 • Page 2 MEDAL SUCCESS LEADERSHIP GROUP The United States has reached the medal round in six of Zach Werenski is the captain of the 2016 U.S. National Ju- the last ten IIHF World Junior Championships, taking home nior Team and the second youngest player ever to captain hardware on four occasions (gold: 2010, 2013; bronze: a U.S. National Junior Team behind Jack Eichel, who cap- 2007, 2011). tained the squad last year. Louie Belpedio, Auston Mat- In the 38-year history of the event, Team USA has garnered thews and Colin White are the alternate captains. Werenski eight medals (3 gold, 1 silver, 4 bronze). was an alternate captain for the 2014 U.S. National Under-17 Team that claimed the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge U.S. MEDALS AT THE WJC in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Belpedio served as captain for the 2014 U.S. National Under-18 Team that captured the gold Year Medal Coach Medal-Round Game medal at the IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship in Lap- 2013 Gold Phil Housley W, 3-1 vs. Sweden peenranta, Finland. Additionally, Matthews and White were 2011 Bronze Keith Allain W, 4-2 vs. Sweden alternate captains for the gold medal-winning 2015 U.S. Na- tional Under-18 Team that competed in the IIHF U18 Men’s 2010 Gold Dean Blais OTW, 6-5 vs. Canada World Championship in Zug and Lucerne, Switzerland. 2007 Bronze Ron Rolston W, 2-1 vs. Sweden 2004 Gold Mike Eaves W, 4-3 vs. Canada PRE-TOURNAMENT RECAP 1997 Silver Jeff Jackson L, 0-2 vs. Canada The United States, which arrived in Helsinki the afternoon 1992 Bronze Walt Kyle W, 3-2 vs. Czechoslovakia of Dec. 24, began its journey towards the 2016 IIHF World 1986 Bronze Dave Peterson W, 5-1 vs. Sweden Junior Championship with 27 players convening in Boston for a team meeting the night of Dec. 14. The U.S. had a camp at Boston University from Dec. 15-18 that culminated with RETURN TO HELSINKI a 4-0 victory over UMass in a pre-tour- The U.S. National Junior Team returns to Helsinki for the first nament game at Mullins Center in Am- time since 2004 when it won its very first gold medal in the herst, Massachusetts, on Dec. 18. The IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship. The core of that U.S. then moved to Vierumaki, Finland, team included current NHL stars Ryan Kesler, Zach Parise, on Dec. 19, where it continued prepa- Drew Stafford and Ryan Suter. Parise, whose 11 points led ration for the tournament through Dec. the tournament, joined U.S. goaltender Al Montoya on the 24. The time in Vierumaki included a 3-2 tournament all-star team and took home the awards for best victory over Finland in a pre-tournament forward and tournament MVP. game at Isku Arena in Lahti on Dec. 22. HEAD COACH RON WILSON Games in Nagano, Japan, and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. An assistant coach for the U.S. entry at the 1990 Goodwill Games, Wilson has been involved with USA Hockey since the mid-1970s, having played for the U.S. Men’s National Team at four IIHF Men’s World Championships (1975, 1981, 1983, 1987). He also cap- tained the 1988 U.S. Men’s Select Team that captured the cham- pionship of the prestigious Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland. Wilson, who has coached 1,401 NHL games and has 648 wins to his credit, has 18 years of experience as a head coach in the NHL with stops in Toronto (2008-12), San Jose (2002-08), Wash- Ron Wilson is serving as head coach of the U.S.