EDMONTON, Alberta – The U.S. National Junior Team, behind 34 saves from Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.) and goals from Trevor Zegras (Bedford, N.Y.) and Alex Turcotte (Chicago, Ill.), beat Canada, 2-0, here tonight in the gold-medal game of the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship. It was the fifth gold medal for the United States in the tournament and the fifth time in the last six years that Team USA has medaled in the event, the best medal stretch in the nation’s history.

“I’m very proud of this group of guys, we really came together as a team over the course of this tournament,” said head coach Nate Leaman (East Greenwich, R.I.). “We played a great Canadian team today and we’re very fortunate to have beat them. I’m proud of how this team played together. This will be a memory they have forever.”

Now, it’s time to go play. Tomorrow’s game won’t be about practice or pre-scouting Finland on video. It won’t be about replicating the same result, a 3-2 win over Finland, that the U.S. created in a pre-tournament exhibition.

Every player has prepared for this game dating back years. It’s the time at the rink as an 8U player learning how to be creative in small area games. It’s the long drives up the east coast to play a game on Saturday morning. For some, it’s the outdoor rinks in Minnesota that allowed them to go play with friends that got them to this point. And for others, it’s the long summer weather in California that allowed for extra outdoor strength training.

USA Hockey is the gold medal standard, coast to coast. Our volunteers, our coaches, the officials who woke up early to call our games, the parents who encouraged and helped their children grow into who they are today, that’s what has led to the semifinals matchup tomorrow.

They’re ready. Everything has prepared them for this moment. Now it’s time to play.

Perhaps the most important headline of the tournament has been Team USA’s commitment to discipline. Head coach Nate Leaman (East Greenwich, R.I.) has emphasized discipline since the first training camp in October, showing players video of proper stick positioning and body contact throughout previous World Junior Championships.

However, Leaman made it clear following the U.S. 4-0 win over Sweden, both in the locker room and when speaking with media, none of that matters.

All of the success, stats, accolades and everything else that comes with winning Group B, among the likes of Russia, Sweden and Czech Republic, all of that goes away when quarterfinals begin.

Win and you advance. Lose and you go home. That’s all that matters now.

The team celebrated New Year’s Eve with a quick meal after the game, and watched highlights of the tournament on the room’s TV. Most went back to their rooms to watch movies or play video games. A few went to the ping pong table to help unwind. No matter what they did, everyone knew at midnight it was a new year. And in the morning, it started a new tournament.

USA netminders Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.), Dustin Wolf (Gilroy, Calif.) and Logan Stein (Suwanee, Ga.) took time after practice to show off their unique masks made for the 2021 World Junior Championship. All three incorporated USA Hockey crests and bald eagles throughout their paint.

Knight incorporated some of his common themes hidden throughout the mask, including a Squidward inside of the star on the side. Boston College themes are included throughout the mask, and his hometown in Connecticut is represented with a wave on the back of the head. Wolf carried a Captain America theme on his mask that continues throughout his pad design as well, and the back of the mask includes a favorite quote of his: “Be humble. Be hungry. And always be the hardest worker in the room.” Stein prominently displayed his last name on the chin, and has subtle designs of the Statue of Liberty, an eagle, USA Hockey logo and more throughout the paint.

As important as the mask is for safety, and yes there was a time goalies didn’t wear masks, it becomes a fun way to get a peek into the person behind the mask.

293 days. That’s how long Trevor Zegras (Bedford, N.Y.) waited to play a real hockey game between his last game as a Boston University Terrier, and a member of the U.S. National Junior Team in the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship. Zegras scored a goal on the power play against Russia, the opening preliminary game for Team USA, making the game 4-3 in the final minutes.

The following night against Austria, a back-to-back set, Zegras recorded four points including two assists. Zegras now sits at 11 career assists in seven World Juniors games, sitting just one assist shy of the T-3rd all-time marker. Kyle Palmieri, Phil Kessel and Jeremy Roenick all have 12 career assists, and Doug Weight sits at second with 14 assists. Jordan Schroeder holds the all-time assist record for Team USA with 20 in his career, across 19 games. Schroeder played in the 2008, 2009 and 2010 tournaments, winning gold in 2010.

Zegras played against the Czech Republic last year, a 4-3 overtime win for the United States. He assisted on two goals, including a helper on the United States’ third goal that helped force overtime. This year, Zegras is playing a more prominent role for the Americans, and has commented about how he’s more focused on his game in the corners and being a stronger player to go up against.

Of all the stat lines mentioned above, Zegras would admit that the gold medal is what he’s chasing. As fun as stat lines are for fans and media, there is a consensus among all players that only one thing matters: the gold medal standard.

Individual stats can put you in the record books, but the best way to guarantee your name lives on forever is to win a gold medal for your country.

The team was able to add to the celebration, as hotel staff helped accommodate the players in making a birthday cake. Topped with a tealight candle, the chocolate and cream cake didn’t last long after Colangelo began dishing out slices.

Birthdays and goals may be a good omen for the U.S. National Junior Team. Cole Caufield (Stevens Point, Wis.) and Cam York (Anaheim, Calif.) will both be celebrating birthdays soon: Caufield’s Jan. 2 birthday is set to host quarterfinal games, and York’s Jan. 5 birthday is scheduled for medal-round games.

Following birthday celebrations, and back-to-back game days, Team USA took a well-deserved day of rest. Players completed their daily COVID-19 testing, and visited the locker room briefly, before returning back to the hotel. Rest and recovery continue to be a priority for players, as they look to manage themselves through the grind of the tournament.

Team USA took its annual Christmas card, er team photo, early Thursday morning. The American squad has one more practice, one more sleep, until its big first game against Russia Christmas night, with puck drop scheduled for 9:30pm ET, broadcast live on NHL Network.

Players will be served a nice holiday turkey meal for dinner, followed by the team’s annual visit from Stan-ta Claus. Trainer Stan Wong (Boca Raton, Fla.) brought his Santa suit, equipped with medical cotton balls for a beard, to spread Christmas cheer to the team.

One more sleep, one more day. This year’s tournament has been especially unique to prepare for. The extra effort and work to make simple things function, safely, has paid dividends. Twenty-five players begin their journey in hopes of bringing home a gold medal to the United States of America.

A day after Team USA’s first and only pre-tournament game, a 3-2 win, coaches scheduled a short one-hour practice. Following the game, head coach Nate Leaman (Providence, R.I.) mentioned how important last night’s game was for a handful of players that haven’t had the opportunity to start their season yet.

The forward group of Alex Turcotte (Chicago, Ill.), Trevor Zegras (Bedford, N.Y.) and Arthur Kaliyev (Staten Island, N.Y.) are three of those players. As important as a full pre-tournament game is to help players find their pace, perhaps it’s equally as important to recover the following day. The proper maintenance and practice schedule can be crucial for a team’s success in World Juniors, as everyone looks to find and manage their winning groove heading into the quarterfinals round.

Following practice, the locker room blared Christmas music, putting everyone in the holiday spirit. With just two days before their first game, against Russia, many players will enjoy a final 24 hours calling friends and family, wishing them a Merry Christmas.

As the official reminded everyone before the game’s first puck drop, “Santa is still watching boys.”

The most important contest today at camp is for the honors of best hair. Team USA took their team headshots, rotating through a photo station while taking turns fluffing the flow, greasing the locks and prepping the lettuce.

We want you to share who you think takes top honors by leaving a comment on the top-10 buckets on Instagram.

These moments of fun help keep the team loose, and keeps the locker room fun. Hockey can become a grind in short tournaments like this, with compact schedules and quick turnarounds between games. Schedule changes and different practice times each day can throw anyone off their rhythm, so going with the flow becomes even more important, but this kind doesn’t require any gel or pomade. 

That has been an emphasis for Nate Leaman (Providence, R.I.) and his coaching staff, making sure that the players are comfortable with one another. At the end of every practice, players are encouraged to call out a teammate that had a good practice, or fulfilled their role from beginning to end that day. It not only helps everyone stay engaged, but forces players to communicate compliments and criticisms, something that should pay dividends throughout the tournament.

Because that’s how World Juniors works. It’s a quick tournament, and the best teams throughout the history of the tournament have been able to overcome adversity together, knowing that all of their preparation has put them in a position to go out and win.

Those accomplishments, those accolades, were built on the wildest dreams of a few special people at USA Hockey over 50 years ago. It took Team USA 13 years to win its first medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship, a bronze in 1986. It was also the first time USA Hockey broke into the tournament’s top-five teams.

The hockey community, unfortunately, lost one of those special people yesterday in Art Berglund. After accepting his first Olympic assignment as general manager of the 1976 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team, Berglund went on to serve as general manager for eight U.S. National Junior Teams that competed in the IIHF World Junior Championship between 1977 and 1992 (1977, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992), including that 1986 team who won the bronze medal.

A minor setback, like losing a scheduled pre-tournament game against Switzerland, can be seen as a negative. But for a team, that wakes up every morning with a reminder of the Gold Medal Standard, it’s confirmation to the importance of a daily commitment for greatness.

Players are focused on making the most out of practice time, and coaches remain focused on reviewing film in order to help teach and communicate changes in preparation for the team’s first preliminary game, now just six days away.

Eat. Stretch. Work out. Skate. Stretch. Recover. It’s a simple list of items to focus on, but everyone is focused on the daily commitment to make themselves better. That’s what it takes, that’s the standard.

There are fewer things in life that could match the feeling of exuberance and joy as the U.S. National Junior Team left isolation this morning. Possibly the smell of fresh sheets? Walking out to a layer of fresh snow? Maybe when dad sneaks you an extra donut?

Then again, there are few comparisons for the ups and downs we have all felt this year.

Team USA, players and staff, were cleared this morning to leave their hotel rooms and begin hockey activities in Rogers Place. After a final breakfast meeting on Zoom, players grabbed their stick from the hotel room and got their first look at the fresh ice inside the home of the Edmonton Oilers.

Ice schedules are even more important in 2020, as teams are organized into blocks and exact times for locker room access, ice time, meals, and everything else throughout the day. Coaches divided practice up in an effort to allow everyone to find their legs again early, while pushing for power play time at the end of the practice in order to give players the opportunity to re-develop any chemistry lost while staying in the hotel.

A common theme, beginning with the National Junior Evaluation Camp in October, was setting a gold medal standard. It’s a daily choice and focus for the team, to achieve their gold medal standard that day. Made difficult by the isolation quarantine period, players have pushed one another to stay physically active, but staff have also introduced outside influences to convey the gold medal standard that exists throughout USA Hockey.

Former U.S. National Junior Team members Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y.), Charlie McAvoy (Long Beach, N.Y.) and Dylan Larkin (Waterford Township, Mich.) have connected with this year’s team, via Zoom, in order to share their hockey experiences and advice for the tournament. All three conveyed how much they’ve been able to follow this year’s team with the NHL schedule, and how much they’re looking forward to watching games on NHL Network beginning Dec. 25.

Former players and coaches feel attached to this year’s team, and every USA Hockey team for that matter. There’s a sense of pride and accomplishment, of what the past has built for the present, and where the future plans to go. Former coaching greats Lou Vairo (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Jack Barzee (New Haven, Conn.) called in to congratulate the team and push them to find success amongst the adversity presenting itself this year. Barzee, who was an assistant coach for the 1984 U.S. National Junior Team, smiled as he found a team photo featuring Alfie Turcotte (Gary, Ind.) in the top row.

Alfie, like his son Alex Turcotte (Chicago, Ill.), was an offensive playmaker for the squad. Alfie dished out nine assists in 1984, the same total that Trevor Zegras (Bedford, N.Y.) tallied in the 2020 tournament. Despite the jokes that Zegras couldn’t top Alfie’s mark nearly four decades ago, Alex and Trevor continue to focus on the team’s message:

Today, and every day, we set the gold medal standard.

The tournament makes for great entertainment for fans, but what does playing during the holidays mean for players?

Many players have found time during the quarantine to gather in small groups, sharing prayer or religious conversation to help support one another. Others have been in constant contact with family, using FaceTime or Zoom to remain connected to loved ones. There is even a fishing group, yes fishing group, that has shared ice fishing videos and other photos of big catches from back home. All of these smaller communities within the team have been important for players as they attempt to connect to the magic of the holidays, from both within the team and back home.

That’s the most important thing that can get lost inside the bubble, the feeling of being loved.

One holiday tradition has unfortunately been canceled for Hunter Skinner (Pinckney, Mich.). Skinner is heavily involved with outreach at his local St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and would typically have made a handful of visits to the hospital during the holidays. It’s an important moment, to share love and inspiration with children fighting difficult situations, annually for Skinner and his teammates. The pandemic has limited Skinner’s ability to focus on community outreach and activities, but the 19-year-old defenseman has his hopes set high as 2021 begins, and is looking forward to the potential of visiting again in the new year.

Players participate in different Zooms or activities each hour. As hotel staff drop breakfast off, knocking on each room’s door to let them know food is ready to pick up, players and staff log in to a Breakfast Zoom. The same happens for dinner, but during lunch, players are encouraged to FaceTime or Zoom with someone they don’t know.

In between meals, players participate in workouts, stretches and social activities. Derek LaLonde (Brasher Falls, N.Y.) and Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y.) spoke to the team today, sharing what they believed would make for a successful tournament. LaLonde, an assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning, shared moments that he thought were crucial to the Lightning winning the Stanley Cup. Kane, who also played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs inside the bubble in Edmonton, instantly recognized the hotel rooms and encouraged players to make the most of their opportunity.

“Most of you guys only get one, maybe two shots at this thing,” said Kane. “Go win gold.”

Prior to leaving Michigan, players were able to walk around a table and gather snacks into their bags, almost like Halloween. How do you keep a team of teenagers fueled during quarantine? Well, snacks are not optional.

That was especially true for forward Matthew Beniers (Hingham, Mass.), who packed away a snack bag the size of some player’s checked luggage.

Most players enjoyed a full day off Monday, participating in light team activities. General Manager John Vanbiesbrouck (Detroit, Mich.), head coach Nate Leaman (Providence, R.I.) and the staff have focused on keeping the team social with one another during the quarantine period including a virtual breakfast, lunch and dinner. The team will begin to participate in a more rigorous schedule beginning tomorrow, in an effort to keep players ready to hit the ice in just a few days.

Team USA joins the eight other countries flying into Canada today to begin its journey to the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship. Players enjoyed the opportunity to skate one last time before a mandatory four-day quarantine period, in which they will not leave their hotel room or have any contact with the outside world.

That means no skating.

How do you make sure everyone gets the most out of a final practice? You play a game of tag.

That’s right, tag. The same game you probably played on the playground, or in the backyard, and would try to get an extra push into your little brother.

Players lined up one-on-one, with the player skating forward designated as ‘it.’ Many USA Hockey coaches may recognize the lessons learned in a drill like this from their coaching seminars or ADM resources. Tag isn’t just for fun. It forces a player to focus on backward skating, lateral movement, sudden changes in direction, awareness on the ice, and most importantly competition. Bobby Brink (Minnetonka, Minn.) and Landon Slaggert (South Bend, Ind.) were standouts in the competition.

Brink, known for his unique skating ability, was able to remain elusive while skating backwards, making cuts that were both unpredictable and unfortunately for his opponents, impossible to replicate. For Slaggert, the first-time U.S. National Junior Team member purely out-matched his opponents based on competition alone, even if it meant grabbing a jersey or glove subtly to gain an advantage.

Hockey is fun, and that’s why we love it. These players are still having fun playing the sport they love. It’s something that is true in every rink, whether it’s a seven-year-old skating for the first time, or a first-round NHL Draft pick hoping to win gold for his country.

The 25 players sitting in the room knew that they were officially members of the U.S. National Junior Team at that moment. They quickly looked around the room to see their teammates, potential d-partners or linemates, and suddenly everyone knew at the same time that they are a part of something special.

Everyone stopped for a loud applause. Not even the required masks could hide the smiles and happiness in the room.

Practice began with a lot of energy, some loud ‘woos’ from players, as coaches banged sticks against the ice to add to the excitement of the morning. Power play and penalty kill units again practiced together in order to help form team chemistry, but this was the first time all players knew confidently that they would be playing for their country at World Juniors.

As if making the team wasn’t exciting enough, players were informed as they were coming off the ice that they would be enjoying Chipotle for lunch. A favorite in the locker room, players grabbed burrito bowls and plenty of guac as the Chipotle vanished.

Most people believe they can make their Chipotle meal disappear quickly, but a hungry U.S. National Junior Team can consume 40 burrito bowls in record time.

Players and staff will continue to work throughout the day in order to properly prepare for the logistics involved with moving a team into the bubble in Edmonton. Hockey gear, medical tables, luggage, video equipment and more will continue to get packed over the next 24 hours, as the red, white and blue hockey bags begin to stack as high as the walls allow.

One more skate, one more day until the team, now at its final 25 players, boards a plane to Edmonton.

Behind the Scenes

Presented by Chipotle

USA Hockey staff are working diligently to narrow down the U.S. National Junior Team to a final 25-man roster for the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship. General manager John Vanbiesbrouck (Detroit, Mich.) has been happy with what he’s seen early at camp from the 29 players, in addition to the October training camp held in Plymouth, Mich. Head coach Nate Leaman (Providence, R.I.) has been keenly watching during practice for which guys naturally work well together, who can communicate effectively and who can bring the most energy into the bubble.

Ted Donato (Cambridge, Mass.) has been working with the team’s forward and power play units throughout camp. Steve Miller (Columbus, Ohio) has been working with the team’s defensemen, while Kris Mayotte (Ann Arbor, Mich.) has been focused on coaching the team’s three goaltenders. Both Miller and Mayotte team up together for the team’s penalty kill, despite their natural University of Michigan and Ohio State University rivalry. Theresa Feaster (Providence, R.I.) has been collecting video during practice for coaches to review at the end of each day, and notes what coaches should review or highlight during those long film sessions. Ryan Martin (Novi, Mich.) supports Vanbiesbrouck and the staff with player personnel decisions.

Players have enjoyed their fourth consecutive day of practice and film sessions, but the challenges of 2020 have made things look quite different. For one, USA Hockey Arena is lacking its soul and spirit of young kids running around before practice or youth hockey games. It’s typically a humbling sound ringing through the halls, as young athletes on the U.S. National Junior Team walk by and are reminded of their younger selves, hoping one day they’d play in the World Junior Championship.

Making daily activities seem as normal as possible is a small contingency of USA Hockey staff, who are also currently in the team bubble in order to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

Equipment managers Scott Aldrich (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Nate LaPoint (Madison Wisconsin) have assisted with the upkeep of four locker rooms. USA Hockey determined it best practice to split the team up into four large locker rooms in order to help with social distancing before and after practice. Aldrich, also a frequent member of medal-winning teams, coordinates equipment efforts between all of USA Hockey’s national teams. The logistics, shipping, packing and equipment setup was perfected weeks in advance of camp so that players could enjoy a normal camp feeling from Day One. LaPoint, who has worked internationally three times previously for USA Hockey, is familiar with much of the team while working in the Big Ten with the University of Wisconsin.

Marc Boxer (Colorado Springs, Colo.) serves as the director of junior hockey for USA Hockey, and with the recent talent stream from NTDP, United States Hockey League and North American Hockey League, Boxer has seen or scouted many of these players previously. Boxer, serving as director of hockey operations for the U.S. National Junior Team. Working alongside staff, Boxer's role is all about logistics, including ensuring everything that needs to be shipped arrives in Canada and being prepared for the unique four-day quarantine the team will go through upon arrival in Edmonton.

We’ve learned a few things from mic’ing up Knight at practice. First and foremost, he’s got a rocket shot. After going bar down (and calling it beforehand), Knight couldn’t help but reflect on his laser for the rest of practice. Secondly, camp is providing a crucial time for Knight and Dustin Wolf (Darien, Calif.) to break in their new red, white and blue pads.

All three goaltenders on the preliminary roster have spent time with Kris Mayotte (Ann Arbor, Mich.) during camp. Mayotte, a goaltender at Union College from 2002-06, has been tasked with making the netminders feel comfortable in their new USA Hockey digs. This is Mayotte’s third appearance behind the bench of the U.S. National Junior Team, after winning a gold medal in 2017 and bronze in 2018.

The team is looking forward to three full days of camp, including two days featuring practice in the morning and evening, before it leaves for Edmonton Sunday, Dec. 13. Twenty-nine players know they have three days to make their dreams come true, and make the final 25-man roster for the 2021 U.S. National Junior Team.

Players have learned stretches and workouts to complete during this isolation time. GVN Performance hosted players in the morning to review these routines, complete with resistance bands and equipment that can easily be used in a hotel room.

Practice focused on developing good habits, as coaches continue to implement their desired style of play to the group. The two-hour practice today first focused on breakouts through the neutral zone, and then split the team into special teams. With 10 returners, including seven forwards, currently on the preliminary roster, it only took five or so minutes before former teammates began to connect on the power play.

Following practice, media were able to talk with players, through Zoom sessions, for the first time at camp. University of Minnesota defenseman Jackson LaCombe (Eden Prairie, Minn.) was asked about the upcoming Gophers game against the University of Michigan. With three Gophers and five Wolverines in camp, in addition to Michigan assistant coach Kris Mayotte (Ann Arbor, Mich.), they were asked if there were any plans to watch the game tonight.

“We can’t gather in large groups right now with COVID rules,” said LaCombe. “But you better believe we’ll be watching it.”

What’s the difference between a Pod and a Bubble? Three letters.

Three players joined Team USA’s training camp bubble directly from the NCHC pod. Kleven is joined by North Dakota teammate Jake Sanderson (Whitefish, Mont.), while returning forward Bobby Brink (Minnetonka, Minn.) arrived at camp after dishing out three assists in three games with the University of Denver.

Testing was a big topic the first day at camp, but it wasn’t just the health and safety precautions taken to keep players and staff safe from COVID-19. Players have set aside time this week to ensure that their college final exams, presentations and papers are all completed on time.

John Farinacci (Red Bank, N.J.) is currently enrolled at Harvard University after an impressive freshman season with the Crimson. While Harvard has announced the cancellation of their hockey season for this year, Farinacci joined the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League in an effort to play hockey this season. If quickly meeting teammates and fitting into a new team wasn’t hard enough, the Arizona Coyotes prospect has also had to learn how to balance the schedule of a full-time virtual Ivy League curriculum.

Holidays came early for players, as each were greeted with new helmets and gloves upon arrival. Bauer athletes all were on the 2020 “nice” list, as players unwrapped their surprise American flag-inspired skates.

Over the course of the next six days, USA Hockey staff will work diligently alongside their coaching staff, led by head coach Nate Leaman (Providence, R.I.), in order to whittle down the roster from 29 players to its eventual 25-man roster. Make sure to follow USA Hockey on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube for full U.S. National Junior Team coverage.