2017 U.S. NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM GAME NOTES 2017 INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP | MONTREAL AND TORONTO, CANADA PRE-TOURNAMENT GAME • USA VS. CZECH REPUBLIC • FRI., DEC. 23, 2016 • 7:00 P.M. ET • KINGSTON, ONTARIO • ROGERS K-ROCK CENTRE TONIGHT’S GAME LAST GAME: USA 4, SWITZERLAND 3 (PRE-TOURNAMENT) The United States faces the Czech Republic tonight in its second and Team USA edged Switzerland, 4-3, in pre-tournament action in Oshawa, final pre-tournament game before the 2017 International Ice Hockey Ontario. Jack Roslovic (Columbus, Ohio/Manitoba Moose) and Erik Federation World Junior Championship. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET Foley (Mansfield, Mass./Providence College) each tallied two points, at the Rogers K-Rock Centre (capacity: 5,700) here in Kingston, Ontario. seven other players collected a point, and Tyler Parsons (Chesterfield, The game will be updated live on Twitter @USAHockeyScores. Mich./London Knights) made 21 saves. 2017 IIHF WJC: TEAM USA OUTLOOK NHL NETWORK TO BROADCAST Team USA will play its preliminary-round games at the Air Canada Centre NHL Network is the exclusive U.S. TV home of the 2017 IIHF World in Toronto against Canada, Latvia, Russia and Slovakia. Quarterfinals will Junior Championship and will provide live telecasts of all U.S. games be split between the Bell Centre in Montreal and Air Canada Centre while and 23 games in total. NHL Now co-host Steve Mears, longtime NCAA the semifinal and medal games will be played at the Bell Centre. For hockey analyst Dave Starman and veteran reporter Jill Savage will more information, visit teamusa.usahockey.com/worldjuniors2017. provide commentary for every Team USA game. ROSTER UPDATES SEVENTH HEAVEN Yesterday (Dec. 22), the 2017 U.S. National Junior Team Roster was Seven players from Boston University are currently on the 2017 U.S. trimmed to 24 players as forwards Logan Brown (St. Louis, Mo./Windsor National Junior Team roster, including goaltender Jake Oettinger (Lakeville, Spitfires) and Alex DeBrincat (Farmington Hills, Mich./Erie Otters) were Minn.); defensemen Charlie McAvoy (Long Beach, N.Y.) and Chad released. For a current roster and player breakdowns, see pages 3 and Krys (Ridgefield, Conn.); and forwards Kieffer Bellows (Edina, Minn.), 4. The updated roster includes three returnees from last year’s bronze- Jordan Greenway (Canton, N.Y.), Patrick Harper (New Canaan, Conn.) medal winning 2016 U.S. National Junior Team and 13 other players who and Clayton Keller (St. Louis, Mo.). Never before have seven players have previously earned IIHF medals with Team USA. The U.S. preliminary from one team represented the U.S. National Junior Team in a single roster was announced on Dec. 5, 2016, by USA Hockey exclusively on tournament. The highest ever was when the University of Minnesota sent NHL Network’s “NHL Now.” Forward Brock Boeser (Burnsville, Minn./ six players -- Aaron Broten, Neal Broten, Bryan Erickson, Jim Jetland, Mike Univ. of North Dakota), who was a member of the 2016 U.S. National Ramsey and Steve Ulseth -- to the 1979 IIHF World Junior Championship Junior Team, was named to the roster but unable to attend due to injury. in Carlsbad and Karlskoga, Sweden. Team USA, coached by 2014 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Lou Vairo, earned sixth place and ST. CLOUD’S BOB MOTZKO LEADING TEAM USA FOR FIRST TIME saw Aaron Broten finished seventh in tournament scoring. Bob Motzko (St. Cloud, Minn.), head coach of St. Cloud State University’s men’s ice hockey program, is making his international head TEAM USA SCHEDULE coaching debut as a Team USA head coach 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 coach for the 2014 U.S. National Broadcast NHL NETWORK EASTERN TIME TV Junior Team at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Malmo, Sweden. All U.S. tournament games to be televised live on NHL Network For a complete bio on Motzko, visit page 4. TOURNAMENT Wed., Dec. 21 SWITZERLAND W, 4-3 KUNIN, WHITE AND MCAVOY TO LEAD TEAM USA Oshawa, Ontario Home; Blue PRE Last Sunday (Dec. 18), head coach Bob Motzko named forward Luke Fri., Dec. 23 CZECH REPUBLIC 7:00 P.M. Kunin (Chesterfield, Mo./University of Wisconsin) captain of the 2017 U.S. National Junior Team. In addition, Motzko tabbed forward Colin Kingston, Ontario White (Hanover, Mass./Boston College) and defenseman Charlie Mon., Dec. 26 LATVIA 3:30 P.M. McAvoy (Long Beach, N.Y./Boston University), two returning bronze ROUND PRELIMINARY medalists from last year’s squad, as alternate captains. To watch the Toronto, Ontario moment, visit teamusa.usahockey.com/worldjuniors2017. Wed., Dec. 28 SLOVAKIA 7:30 P.M. GROUP A PRE-TOURNAMENT CAMPS Toronto, Ontario Today marked the final day of Team USA’s pre-tournament camp in Thurs., Dec. 29 RUSSIA 3:30 P.M. Oshawa, Ontario, that began on Wednesday (Dec. 21). Prior to the three Toronto, Ontario days of practice at Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Team USA Sat., Dec. 31 CANADA 3:30 P.M. spent five days in Buffalo, New York from Dec. 16-20. There, the team Toronto, Ontario took part in daily practices and meetings at Buffalo’s HarborCenter, which will play a role in next year’s tournament along with the KeyBank Mon., Jan. 2 QUARTERFINALS TBD Center, home of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. TBD ROUND PLAYOFF Wed., Jan. 4 SEMIFINALS TBD TEAM USA STAFF RUNDOWN Montreal, Quebec Jim Johannson (Colorado Springs, Colo./USA Hockey) is serving as general manager for the U.S. National Junior Team for the eighth Thurs., Jan. 5 BRONZE MEDAL GAME 3:30 P.M. consecutive time. Bob Motzko (St. Cloud, Minn.), the 2014 National Montreal, Quebec Collegiate Hockey Conference Coach of the Year and two-time Western Thurs., Jan. 5 GOLD MEDAL GAME 8:00 P.M. Collegiate Hockey Association Coach of the Year (2006, 2007) with St. Montreal, Quebec Cloud State University’s men’s ice hockey program, is serving as head SOCIAL coach. Joining Motzko behind the bench are assistant coaches Greg Social Media FOLLOW USA HOCKEY @usahockey Brown (Scituate, Mass./Boston College), Grant Potulny (Minneapolis, Facebook Twitter Instagram YouToube @usahockeyscores Minn./Univ. of Minnesota), Kris Mayotte (Pittsburgh, Pa./Providence College) and Steve Miller (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Force Academy). Ryan Martin (Simsbury, Conn./Detroit Red Wings) and Ben Smith 2017 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (Gloucester, Mass./USA Hockey) will again assist with player evaluation during training camp. Team USA’s support staff includes video GROUP A GROUP A coordinator Matt Chapman (Bloomington, Ind./St. Cloud State Univ.); TEAM W OTW OTL L GF:GA PTS TEAM W OTW OTL L GF:GA PTS equipment managers Scott Aldrich (Colorado Springs, Colo./USA FIN 0 0 0 0 0 0 RUS 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hockey) and Joe Guilmet (San Diego, Calif./Arizona State University); SWE 0 0 0 0 0 0 USA 0 0 0 0 0 0 athletic trainers Jason Hodges (New Baltimore, Mich./USA Hockey CZE 0 0 0 0 0 0 CAN 0 0 0 0 0 0 National Team Development Program) and Stan Wong (Boca Raton, DEN 0 0 0 0 0 0 SVK 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fla./USA Hockey); team physician Dr. Phil Johnson (Fargo, N.D./USA SUI 0 0 0 0 0 0 LAT 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hockey); and communications Jon Gomez (Colorado Springs, Colo./ USA Hockey). USA Hockey’s international council, chaired by Gavin MEDIA CONTACT: Jon Gomez • Manager, Communications • 973.723.5744 • [email protected] Regan (Potsdam, N.Y.), vice president of USA Hockey, has oversight All media availability must be arranged through Jon Gomez. All team members, including head coach Bob Motzko, responsibilities for all U.S. national teams. 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 23, 2016 • @USAHOCKEY • TEAMUSA.USAHOCKEY.COM/WORLDJUNIORS2017 • USAHOCKEY.COM • #USAWJC 1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2017 U.S. NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ GAME NOTES VS. CZECH REPUBLIC ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 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 Last Meeting: Team USA blanked the Czech Republic, 7-0, in the quarterfinals of the 2004 Gold Mike Eaves W, 4-3 CAN 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship. 1997 Silver Jeff Jackson L, 0-2 CAN USA CZE 1992 Bronze Walt Kyle W, 3-2 CZE GF-GA: 70-60 60-70 Series vs. Czech Republic: 11-1-1-7-1 1986 Bronze Dave Peterson W, 5-1 SWE W-L: 12-8 8-12 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T) and has outscored the Czechs, 70-60.