Day two in Everett, Wash., saw the U.S. skate from 10 a.m. to noon. The practice started with work on special teams before transitioning into neutral zone drills, small-area games and more.
MEDIA DAY FOR TEAM USA
Following practice, several members of the U.S. National Junior Team took part in a variety of media opportunities with local and national outlets. Among the responsibilities were broadcast obligations for NHL Network, the exclusive television home of the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship. NHL Network will televise all U.S. games of the tournament and 28 games in total as NHL Network's Stephen Nelson will call Team USA games with longtime NCAA hockey analyst Dave Starman and reporter Jill Savage.
U.S. CAPTURES 2018 WORLD JUNIOR A CHALLENGE
After lunch, Team USA's players spent time in the team room watching the championship game of the 2018 World Junior A Challenge in Bonnyville, Alberta. Bobby Brink (Minnetonka, Minn.) scored the game-winning goal for Team USA as the U.S. Junior Select Team topped Russia, 2-0, to win the 2018 World Junior A Challenge. Tonight's win marks the fifth World Junior A Challenge title for the U.S. Junior Select Team over the last seven years. Current U.S. players here in Everett to skate in a World Junior A Challenge include 2016 champions Mikey Anderson and Cayden Primeau and a trio of 2017 runner-ups in Jack Drury, Tyler Madden and Jack St. Ivany.
1996 WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY TIES
Three players on the preliminary roster were at one point coached by prominent U.S. hockey stars who helped the U.S. claim the inaugural 1996 World Cup of Hockey event. Evan Barratt and Mattias Samuelsson played their youth hockey for Team Comcast, which was coached by 2010 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Derian Hatcher, the first American-born captain to win the Stanley Cup (1999). Meanwhile, Jay O'Brien has twice played for a team coached by Tony Amonte, a member of the 2009 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Class, first with the Cape Cod Whalers and then again at Thayer Academy. Amonte made his NHL debut in the 1990-91 Stanley Cup Playoffs with the New York Rangers and skated his first three NHL seasons (1991-94) alongside current U.S. general manager John Vanbiesbrouck.
UP NEXT: MORNING SKATE, AFTERNOON SCRIMMAGE
Tomorrow (Dec. 17), the U.S. will hold an early skate (9:15-10:15 a.m. PT) before re-taking the ice at Angel of the Winds Arena at 3:15 p.m.. The afternoon ice time will see the U.S. split into two teams for a scrimmage. Following the second skate, Team USA will depart Everett for Kamloops, British Columbia.