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2023 Men's Worlds Insider | Record-Breaking Success, But Heartbreak In The End

By USA Hockey, 05/28/23, 8:00PM EDT

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Follow along with Team USA's journey at the 2023 IIHF Men's World Championship

The 2023 IIHF Men's World Championship was played May 12-28, in Tampere, Finland and Riga, Latvia. 

The U.S. finished the preliminary round first in Group B to set up a matchup with Czechia in the quarterfinals. The U.S. advanced to the semifinals for the third straight year with a 3-0 win. Ultimately, Team USA fell to Germany, 4-3, in the semifinals and then dropped the bronze medal game to Latvia to finish the world championship fourth of 16 teams. 

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May 28 | Record-Breaking Success, But Heartbreak In The End

Journey Comes to a Close

As the IIHF Men’s World Championship journey that began in early May comes to a close today, the three-plus week journey was a record-breaking one with the 2023 U.S. Men’s National Team the first-ever to win all seven of its games in the preliminary round and the first eight overall. While the time together ended in heartbreak, with overtime losses in both the semifinals and bronze-medal game, the collection of top-flight athletes part of Team USA represented the United States with pride and determination, and will forever have a special place in U.S. hockey history.

The players, staff, families and guests part of Team USA gathered following the game at the team’s hotel and USA Hockey president Mike Trimboli shared with the group his pride in the effort and accomplishments of the team and also thanked the families and all involved.

Tampere, Finland -- for the second straight year -- was a wonderful host and the local organizing committee, Finnish Ice Hockey Federation and all the volunteers involved were commended for the wonderful tournament that was staged with just 11 months notice. The 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship was originally slated to take place in St. Petersburg, Russia, but was moved due to safety concerns and the on-going war.

Thanks for reading throughout the tournament and until next year from the Czechia – Prague and Ostrava – we bid you adieu. Go USA!!

May 27 | On To The Bronze Medal Game

The U.S. Men’s National Team fell to Germany 4-3 in overtime in the semifinals of the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship here tonight at Nokia Arena.

Team USA will face off in the bronze-medal game against Latvia on Sunday (May 28) at 3:20 p.m. local time/8:20 a.m. ET, with the game broadcast live on NHL Network. 

“We’re obviously disappointed and full credit to Germany,” said David Quinn, head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team. “We came here to get a medal and we’ll be ready for Latvia tomorrow.”

This or That - With Cal Petersen

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA goaltender Cal Petersen.

Beach or Mountain – Beach

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Dinner

Wrist shot or slap shot - Wrist shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Country

Early Riser or Night Owl - Night Owl

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle – Sportscar

Pineapple or no pineapple – Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - College

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - The Office

Chicago, New York, or L.A.- New York

NFL, NBA or MLB - NFL

Burrito or Bowl - Burrito

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - Netflix

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - I

Thin crust or deep dish - Thin crust


May 26 | Getting Set For Semifinals

Getting Set For The Semifinals

For Team USA, it was a day off to rest and relax in preparation for tomorrow’s semifinal game against Germany at the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship. The U.S. is rolling, having won its first eight games with three shutouts, including a 3-0 win over Czechia in the quarterfinals yesterday. Never before has a U.S. team won its first eight games of the men’s world championship. A handful of players were at the rink for treatments, to use the sauna and gym, and just kill a few hours, including working on the latest New York Times crossword puzzle that the players and staff combine to complete each day.

While the “Cinderella” story of the semifinal round is most certainly Latvia’s first-ever appearance in the “final four,” the U.S. success is drawing plenty of media attention and a handful of players -- including Conor GarlandNick BoninoCutter Gauthier and Rocco Grimaldi -- visited with some of the television outlets covering the tournament from across the world, 

The coaching staff was at the rink today busy preparing a game plan to face a German team that the U.S. beat, 3-2, earlier in the tournament, but was perhaps Team USA’s toughest game in the preliminary round. U.S. head coach David Quinn told the news media today his team would have to be at its best tomorrow to have a chance to play for gold.

Another person busy at the rink today was Madison Brown who is leading team services for the U.S. She was inundated with questions from players, staff and team guests relative to final details related to tournament departure, and her pleasant and helpful demeanor had everyone at ease. While many players and guests are heading back to the U.S. after the tournament, many others are taking the opportunity to travel to other destinations in Europe. As you might imagine, that leads to a whirlwind of scenarios for Brown to manage.

Taylor Swierc, who was also at the rink today, and has helped bring fans behind the scenes through USA Hockey’s digital channels during the world championship, was busy collecting thoughts from players and coach Quinn to share with fans ahead of Team USA’s semifinal game tomorrow.

Random Things

Team USA has nine players who played college hockey this season, including goaltender Drew Commesso; forwards Matt Coronato, Sean Farrell, Cutter Gauthier, Carter Mazur and Luke Tuch; and defenseman Lane Hutson, Tyler Kleven and Henry Thrun.

The semifinals in the world championship have not been kind to the U.S. with 11 straight losses. Team USA will try and end that streak tomorrow in hopes of getting to the gold medal game and a chance to earn only the second gold in the nation’s history, the first and only coming in 1933.

Team USA family and friends are often seen on the jumbotron at Nokia Arena here in Tampere during game timeouts participating in varying activities, from playing the bongos to leading the crowd in chants of “U-S-A, U-S-A!”

Seeking Multiple IIHF Medals in One Season

Forward Cutter Gauthier and defenseman Lane Hutson both helped the U.S. to a bronze medal at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship earlier this season in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and are seeking their second IIHF medal this season here at the world championship. Gauthier had 10 points in seven games at the World Juniors, second on the team, and his four goals were third most behind seven from Logan Cooley and five each from Chaz Lucius and Jimmy Snuggerud. Hutson had a goal and three assists in seven contests.

This or That - With T.J. Tynan

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA forward T.J. Tynan.

Beach or Mountain - Beach

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Slap shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Country

Early Riser or Night Owl - Early Riser

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Sportscar

Pineapple or no pineapple - No pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - Pro

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - Game of Thrones

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - Chicago

NFL, NBA or MLB - NFL

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - HBOMax

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - II

Olympic Gold or Stanley Cup title - Stanley Cup

Thin crust or deep dish - Thin crust


May 25 | On To The Semis!

Casey DeSmith (Rochester, N.H.) earned his second shutout of the tournament and Matt Coronato (Greenlawn, N.Y.) scored the game-winner as the U.S. Men’s National Team downed Czechia, 3-0, here today in the quarterfinals of the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

With the win, the U.S. advances to the tournament semifinals and will play Germany on Saturday (May 27) in Tampere, Finland at 6:20 pm local time/11:20 am ET. All U.S. games in the world championship can be seen live on NHL Network.

“This was a tough game and I’m really proud of our team and how we stuck to our game plan,” said David Quinn, head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team. “There’s a real selflessness to our team and that’s been evident from the outset.”

This or That - With Matt Coronato

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA forward Matt Coronato.

Beach or Mountain - Beach

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Slap shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Country

Early Riser or Night Owl - Early Riser

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Truck

Pineapple or no pineapple - Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - College

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - Ted Lasso

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - Chicago

NFL, NBA or MLB - MLB

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - Netflix

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - I

Thin crust or deep dish - Deep dish


May 24 | Getting Set For Quarterfinals

High Drama

After Team USA’s 4-3 overtime win against Sweden yesterday afternoon to clinch the top spot in Group A here in Tampere, the U.S. management went through the scenarios relative to the quarterfinal round, including potential opponents, game location and travel scenarios. The quarterfinals are played in “cross-over” between the top four teams in the two eight-team Groups as per below:

1A-4B

2A-3B

1B-4A

2B-3A

Typically, the top two seeds in each Group stay in the venue and city they played the preliminary round and the three and four seeds travel. The tournament format this year dictated that if Latvia were in the quarterfinal, they would stay and play in Riga, and if Finland were in the quarterfinal, they would remain in Tampere so that certainly created more scenarios than normal.

The U.S. played its final preliminary round game at 4:20 p.m. against Sweden. The 8:20 p.m. game in Riga featuring Switzerland and Latvia ultimately determined the U.S. quarterfinal fate. Team USA knew the only scenario in which it would have to travel to Riga was with Latvia losing in overtime or a shootout. Any other result would mean the U.S. got to stay in Tampere and relieve the U.S. training staff of packing up the entire U.S operation and moving it to Riga (as well as the many other moving parts related to the players, staff and guests packing up and moving). As the game wore on and teams exchanged one-goal leads, the trainers watched from the U.S. locker room anxiously awaiting the outcome. Ultimately, Latvia finally prevailed on a power play goal in overtime as the clock neared 11 p.m., meaning the U.S. would stay in Tampere and play Czechia in the quarterfinal. If the game would have ended with an overtime win for Switzerland, the arduous task of packing and moving the entire operation would have begun in earnest and lasted well into the wee hours of the morning.

Frisbee Golf

U.S. netminder Casey DeSmith is a regular disc golf competitor and brought his bag with 24 discs with him here to Tampere. The Pittsburgh Penguins netminder has been out to play a couple of times while Team USA has been here, once with teammate Mikey Eyssimont and another time with his wife Mollie. DeSmith says he started playing six-and-a-half or seven years ago and in the summer plays three times a week. A round of 18 holes takes approximately an hour and 45 minutes.

Changing Hotels

While Team USA earned the right to stay in Tampere for its quarterfinal game tomorrow, it did have to change hotels. The players and staff packed up luggage and brought it down to the patio just outside the hotel at about 10:45 a.m. this morning. The local organizing committee brought a large truck to the hotel and loaded all the bags to transport them to the new hotel venue, which is the same hotel the U.S. stayed at during last year’s tournament here and a little more than a mile-and-a-half from the rink. The hotel the U.S. utilized for the preliminary round this year was in downtown Tampere, about a 10-minute walk from the rink. The U.S. had a 45-minute skate starting at 1 p.m. today and a handful of players talked to the assembled media after practice. The U.S. got checked into its new hotel just after three o’clock.

The Quarterfinals

The U.S. has advanced to the quarterfinals of the world championship for the 12th straight time. Team USA is 8-3-3-11 (W-OTW-OTL-L) in 25 previous quarterfinal appearances and has won five of its last seven quarterfinal contests. Quarterfinal games have been played in the tournament since 1992 (with the exception of 1997, 1998 and 1999) and the U.S. has qualified all but twice. Team USA has faced Czechia six previous times in the quarterfinals. The U.S. has won the last two match-ups and three of the six contests overall.

This or That - With Sean Farrell

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA forward Sean Farrell.

Beach or Mountain - Beach

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Slap shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Country

Early Riser or Night Owl - Early Riser

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Truck

Pineapple or no pineapple - Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - College

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - Ted Lasso

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - Chicago

NFL, NBA or MLB - MLB

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - Netflix

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - I

Thin crust or deep dish - Deep dish


May 23 | U.S. Beats Sweden in OT; Wins Record 7th Straight

Defenseman Dylan Samberg (Hermantown, Minn.) scored 1:37 into overtime to lift the U.S. Men’s National Team to a 4-3overtime win over Sweden in its seventh and final preliminary round game here today at the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

With the victory the U.S. earned the top spot in Group A, and for the first time ever went undefeated in the preliminary round. The U.S. will play Czechia in Thursday’s quarterfinals in Tampere, Finland, with opening faceoff set for 4:20 p.m. local time/9:20 a.m. ET. The game can be seen live on NHL Network.

“We played a terrific game against an outstanding team and I’m really proud of our effort,” said David Quinn, head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team. “We won seven games in the preliminary round and did it seven different ways. It shifts to one and done now and we’ll re-focus and be ready for our quarterfinal opponent on Thursday.”

This or That - With Patrick Brown

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA forward Patrick Brown.

Beach or Mountain - Beach

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Dinner

Wrist shot or slap shot - Slap shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Country

Early Riser or Night Owl - Early Riser

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Truck

Pineapple or no pineapple - Pineapple, but not on pizza

Watch college sports or pro sports - Pro

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - Game of Thrones

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - New York

NFL, NBA or MLB - NFL

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - HBOMax

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - III

Thin crust or deep dish - Thin crust


May 22 | Getting Ready For Sweden

Day Off For The Most Part

U.S. head coach David Quinn gave the team the day off as it gets set to face Sweden tomorrow in its seventh and final preliminary round game. A handful of players were at the rink for treatments late this morning, and a few players took to the ice for a brief skate on the practice rink. Team USA has won its first six games of the world championship for only the second time ever (2018 team also did) and has secured a spot in Thursday’s quarterfinals and one of the top two spots in Group A. Team USA’s quarterfinal opponent and the location of the game is still up in the air pending the results of the last two days of preliminary round competition. U.S. captain Nick Bonino, who was ill and missed Sunday’s (May 21) game against France, is expected to be back in the lineup tomorrow.

TEAM HOST EXTRAORDINAIRE

Risto Talvio, who works full-time as a security officer at a nuclear power plant in Eurajoki, Finland, is Team USA's host for the world championship. Talvio has served as team host for U.S. teams in all international tournaments in Finland since 1984, including last year at the IIHF Men's World Championship here in Tampere. Talvio’s father, Pauli, was the U.S. team host for the 1965 IIHF Men’s World Championship here in Tampere. If you’re wondering what a team host does, think everything and anything. Team hosts have local knowledge, speak the native language and serve as the interface between the local organizing committee and the team in matters ranging from hotel accommodations and meal times to transportation and team services …. and everything in between.

SHIFTING PLANS

This year’s IIHF Men’s World Championship was slated to be played in St. Petersburg, Russia, but with player safety concerns due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the IIHF had to make alternate plans and had the good fortune of both Finland and Latvia stepping up to the plate to fill the void. The two countries have done a remarkable job in putting on a first-class event with just 11 months to make the event come to life. Tampere, Finland, where Team USA has played its preliminary round games, hosted the tournament last year and Riga hosted in 2021, so both have recent experience.

RANDOM TIDBITS

• Like last year here in Tampere, E-Scooters have been a popular mode of transportation around town for players and staff. The scooters are activated through an App and users are charged a fee initially to access a particular scooter and then a per-minute fee.

• Infront Sports & Media, which owns the worldwide rights to the IIHF Men’s World Championship and provides both the game feed of all tournament games and assorted feature stories to broadcasters around the world, sat down to do a piece with Team USA’s Sean Farrell and Matt Coronato early this afternoon at Team USA’s hotel. Farrell and Coronato played together at Harvard University and are close friends.

• Brian Leetch, one of the greatest defensemen in hockey history, will be arriving in Tampere on Wednesday and enshrined into the IIHF Hall of Fame here on Sunday. Leetch, who is in both the Hockey Hall of Fame and U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, played 18 years in the NHL and has competed for Team USA numerous times, including in three Olympic Games and two men’s world championships.

• USA Hockey president Mike Trimboli and vice president Dwayne Dillinger are slated to arrive in Tampere tomorrow evening for the IIHF Annual Congress, which starts Thursday.

This or That - With Mikey Eyssimont

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA forward Mikey Eyssimont.

Beach or Mountain - Beach

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Slap shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Country

Early Riser or Night Owl - Early Riser

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Truck

Pineapple or no pineapple - Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - College

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - Ted Lasso

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - Chicago

NFL, NBA or MLB - MLB

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - Netflix

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - I

Olympic Gold or Stanley Cup title - Stanley Cup

Thin crust or deep dish - Deep dish


May 21 | U.S. Bests France, Now 6-0

Cutter Gauthier (Scottsdale, Ariz.) had three goals and an assist, T.J. Tynan (Orland Park, Ill.) recorded a goal and three assists and Cal Petersen (Waterloo, Iowa) and Drew Commesso (Norwell, Mass.) finished with a combined 13 saves as the U.S. Men’s National Team bested France, 9-0, here tonight in its sixth preliminary round game of the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

The U.S. is now 6-0 and just the second American team ever to win its first six games in the world championship, joining the 2018 squad.

“I thought we played a solid game overall,” said David Quinnhead coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team. “We’ll enjoy this one and get ready for what will be a big test on Tuesday against Sweden.”

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA forward Rocco Grimaldi.

Beach or Mountain - Mountain

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Wrist shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Tennis

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Rock

Early Riser or Night Owl - Night Owl

Bubble or Cage - Bubble

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Sportscar

Pineapple or no pineapple - Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - College

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - Haven’t seen any of them

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - Chicago

NFL, NBA or MLB - NBA

Burrito or Bowl – Bowl with a side tortilla

Mighty Ducks I, II or III – II

Thin crust or deep dish - Thin crust


May 20 | U.S. Wins 5th Straight

Cutter Gauthier (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Alex Tuch (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) and Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif.) scored third-period goals and Casey DeSmith (Rochester, N.H.) made 22 saves to lift the U.S. Men’s National Team to a 3-0 win over Denmark here today in preliminary round play at the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

The U.S. is now 5-0 and is just the fourth U.S. team ever in the men’s world championship to win its first five contests.

“I thought we played as complete of a game as we have since our opening game against Finland,” said David Quinn, head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team. “It was an important victory and now we need to get some rest and be ready for the next challenge against France tomorrow.”

This or That - With Drew O'Connor

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA forward Drew O’Connor.

Beach or Mountain - Beach

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Wrist shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Country

Early Riser or Night Owl - Depends on the day

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Sportscar

Pineapple or no pineapple - Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - Pro

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - Love all of ‘em

Chicago, New York, or L.A. – New York

NFL, NBA or MLB - NFL

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - II

Thin crust or deep dish - Thin crust


May 19 | Jack Nicklaus and the Team Photo

THE TEAM PHOTO

Team USA took its team picture today at the outset of practice at Nokia Arena. Since the digital age began, the amount of time it takes to accomplish “team photo day” has dwindled from some 45 minutes that included waiting for photographers to change to three different types of film (b/w, color, slide), to today when it takes about 10 minutes to take both the team photo and various groups shots (captains, coaches, goaltenders, various associations of players/staff, etc.). The IIHF’s first-rate crew of photographer Andrea Cardin and editor Steve Poirier were on hand to help facilitate the shoot.

A PERBIX TRIBUTE TO THE GOLDEN BEAR

Jack Nicklaus is one of the most legendary figures in golf. Nicknamed “The Golden Bear,” Nicklaus retired in 2005 after recording a record 18 major golf championships and 117 overall titles in professional tournaments. Jay Perbix, the father of U.S. defenseman Nick Perbix, is a big fan of The Golden Bear and thus the reason for the legal spelling of his son Nick’s first name --- Nicklaus. Nick’s younger brother is named Jack. Both Jay and Jack Perbix arrived here in Tampere yesterday and are here for the duration of the world championship.

THE EQUIPMENT STORY

The “team behind the team” includes Team USA’s dynamic duo of equipment managers in Jamie Healy from the Columbus Blue Jackets and USA Hockey’s Scott Aldrich. The hours are long and tasks varied in keeping U.S. players and staff ready for practices and games throughout the tournament. The video below gives you a glimpse into the U.S. equipment scene, including some special commentary on the steel that is used for the skates of U.S. players.

THINGS...

The U.S. had an up-tempo 35-minute practice here this morning in advance of its game tomorrow against Denmark, which faces off at 12:20 p.m. local time (5:20 a.m. ET live no NHL Network) … Bob Mancini, assistant executive director of hockey development for USA Hockey, arrived in Tampere today for the IIHF Coaching Symposium, which is being held in conjunction with the IIHF Men’s World Championship. He will be part of a panel discussion tomorrow on quality coaching in the future … There’s a lot of daylight in Tampere, Finland, this time of year. The sun is slated to rise here at 4:24 a.m. tomorrow with sunset at 10:18 p.m. … Team USA forward Conor Garland told a Finnish journalist today after practice that the coffee in Finland is likely the best he’s had anywhere (and his wife Meghan agrees) … Rocco Grimaldi is Team USA’s leading point-getter with two goals and three assists after four games. Lane Hutson is second (1G, 3A) and six players have three points each .. Team USA has three different sets of jerseys for the world championship and will wear its navy version for the first time tomorrow against Denmark. The U.S. also has a white set and a royal blue version … The IIHF Men’s World Championship has been hosted in the U.S. on just one occasion, in 1962 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Team USA earned a bronze medal in that year’s championship … Joe Meloni is Team USA’s strength and conditioning coach and uses a wide array of tools to help ensure optimal performance for all 25 players on the U.S. roster. Meloni is in his first year as the head strength coach for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Michigan.

This or That - With Tyler Kleven

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it's Team USA defenseman Tyler Kleven.

Beach or Mountain - Beach

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Dinner

Wrist shot or slap shot - Slap shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Pickleball, but love golf too

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Country

Early Riser or Night Owl - Early Riser

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Truck

Pineapple or no pineapple - No pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - Pro

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - The Office

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - L.A.

NFL, NBA or MLB - NFL

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - Netflix

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - I

Thin crust or deep dish - Thin crust


May 18 | Enjoying An Off Day

Today was an off day for Team USA after yesterday’s 4-1 victory over Austria. It was an overcast and chilly day here in Tampere with temperatures in the mid to high 40s for most of the day. A handful of players were at the rink late this morning to use the sauna or get treatments, however, most stayed away and enjoyed lounging around the hotel, including hanging out in the team room. Families and friends of U.S. players and staff arrived in Tampere late this afternoon and will be here to cheer on Team USA through the duration of the tournament.

THE GOOD DOCTOR

Dr. Charles Popkin is the team physician for the 2023 U.S. Men’s National Team and the Minnesota native is working to ensure the team stays healthy and has also taken the chance to throw on his skates a couple of times and hit the ice here in Tampere. Popkin pens a monthly column for USA Hockey Magazine called Ask Dr. Hockey and this month’s topic is around neck protection in hockey.

TAMPERE IS KNOWN FOR …..

Tampere, Finland, host city for the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship, has a population of just less than 250,000 and is the third largest municipality in Finland next to Helsinki and Espoo. Known as the sauna capital of the world, Tampere has more than 50 public saunas. A local food specialty from Tampere that is regularly on the breakfast buffet at the team’s hotel is mustmakkara (black sausage) which is made by mixing pork, pig’s blood and crushed rye flour and is traditionally eaten with lingonberry jam. In addition, Tampere claims to be the “wings capital of Finland” consuming almost half of the hot wings in Finland. The Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Tampere, which is the home to two professional hockey teams – Tappara and Ilves -- both which play in the Finnish Elite League out of Nokia Arena where the IIHF Men’s World Championship is being conducted.

RANDOMS

The New York Times crossword puzzle can be found most days in Team USA’s dressing room and players hang out in the training room and band together to complete it … John Vanbiesbrouck, who is part of the management group of the U.S. Men’s National Team and works full-time for USA Hockey as assistant executive director, attended a celebratory luncheon hosted by Tampere mayor Kalervo Kummola today that included representatives from all eight teams here in Tampere as well as IIHF and tournament officials … Team USA forward Patrick Brown is playing in his first-ever IIHF world championship at any level. His father, Doug, competed in four IIHF Men’s World Championships, including in 1989 when he played with his brother Greg for Team USA. Greg is the current head men’s ice hockey coach at Boston College. Patrick’s uncle is John Mara, co-owner of the NFL’s New York Giants.

This or That - With Dylan Samberg

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, its Team USA defenseman Dylan Samberg.

Beach or Mountain - Mountain

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Wrist shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Country

Early Riser or Night Owl - Early Riser

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Truck

Pineapple or no pineapple - Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - Depends on time of year

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - The Office

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - Chicago

NFL, NBA or MLB - NFL

Burrito or Bowl - Double-wrapped Burrito

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - Netflix

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - I

Olympic Gold or Stanley Cup title - Stanley Cup

Thin crust or deep dish - Thin crust


May 17 | Another Win; 4-0

Lane Hutson (Chicago, Ill.) and Nick Perbix (Elk River, Minn.) each put up a goal and an assist and Cal Petersen (Waterloo, Iowa) made 18 saves to help the U.S. Men’s National Team improve to 4-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) with a 4-1 win over Austria here today in its fourth preliminary round game of the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

"We started slow but got better as the game moved along," said David Quinn, head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team. "It's a difficult tournament. Every game is tough. We've had a great start but need to continue to get better to accomplish our ultimate goal of bringing home gold."

The U.S. has opened a men’s world championship with four straight wins only five times, including this year. 

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA defenseman Scott Perunovich.

Beach or Mountain - Beach

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Dinner

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Early Riser or Night Owl - Night Owl

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Sportscar

Pineapple or no pineapple - No Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - College

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - The Office

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - L.A.

NFL, NBA or MLB - NFL

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - HBO

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - I

Olympic Gold or Stanley Cup title - Stanley Cup

Thin crust or deep dish - Thin Crust


May 16 | Day Off

Day Off

Team USA had the day off after playing three games in four days. Along with sleeping in and just relaxing, players and staff explored the town, including visits to the mall, famous Finnish saunas, and local cafes among destinations during a largely gray day in Tampere that included constant afternoon drizzle and rain. A handful of players were at the rink in the late morning to get treatments, use the sauna or skate.

Padel Battle

A unique outing today was a game of Padel at a local facility in Tampere with goaltending coach Thomas Speer and captain Nick Bonino handily defeating assistant coach Ryan Warsofsky and alternate captain Conor Garland. Padel is a racket sport typically played in doubles on an enclosed court slightly smaller than a doubles tennis court. Although Padel shares the same scoring system as tennis, the rules, strokes and technique are different. The balls used are similar but with a little less pressure.

Tuch Brothers

InFront, which provides the television feed of games in the world championship to broadcasters across the world, and also produces features which it distributes, sat down with Alex and Luke Tuch today for a fun interview. Along with some serious questions about their hockey careers, the interview also included a segment where Luke asked Alex some fun questions that were provided by InFront, among them … Who crashed more often on skates as a kid? Stranded on a desert island, who would survive longer? Who is the messier one? Who is a better businessman? and Who would get more laughs for a stand-up comedy routine?

A Few Last Items

Captain Nick Bonino has had the nickname “Bones” since his professional playing days, but was known as “Beans” in college … Team USA is staying in downtown Tampere with Team Denmark and some IIHF brass. Its hotel is just more than a 10-minute walk to the rink … Team USA is 3-0 to start the world championship. Only four previous U.S. teams have won their first four games of an IIHF Men’s World Championship … Forward Patrick Brown arrived here in Tampere early this evening.

This or That - With Cutter Gauthier

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA forward Cutter Gauthier, who helped the U.S. to a bronze medal in the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Beach or Mountain - Mountain

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Slap shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Country

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Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Truck

Pineapple or no pineapple - No pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - College

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - Game of Thrones

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - New York

NFL, NBA or MLB - NFL

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - Haven’t seen any of them

Olympic Gold or Stanley Cup title - Olympic Gold

Thin crust or deep dish - Thin crust


May 15 | U.S. Moves To 3-0

U.S. Comes From Behind To Beat Germany, 3-2

Casey DeSmith (Rochester, N.H.) had 30 saves and Matt Coronato (Greenlawn, N.Y.) scored the game-winner on a power play with 5:10 to go in regulation off a picture-perfect feed from Scott Perunovich (Hibbing, Minn.) to lift the U.S. Men’s National Team to a 3-2 comeback win over Germany here today in its third preliminary round game of the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

The U.S. is 3-0 in the world championship, its best start since 2018.

“That was a gutsy effort and I’m really proud of our guys,” said David Quinn, head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team. “That was our third game in four days against a really good German team.”

This or That - With Conor Garland

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA forward Conor Garland, who was the leading point-getter for the bronze medal-winning 2021 Men’s National Team.

Beach or Mountain - Beach

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Slap shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Rock

Early Riser or Night Owl - Night Owl

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Sportscar

Pineapple or no pineapple - No pineapple

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - The Office

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - Boston

NFL, NBA or MLB - NFL

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - Netflix

Thin crust or deep dish - Thin crust


May 14 | Victory over Hungary

U.S. Downs Hungary in Game Two at World Championship

Captain Nick Bonino (Unionville, Conn.) scored twice and Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif.) had a goal and two assists as the U.S. Men’s National Team earned a 7-1 victory over Hungary here today in its second preliminary round game at the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

Full game recap can be read here.

This or That - With Lane Hutson

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA defenseman Lane Hutson, who also helped the U.S. to a bronze medal in January at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Beach or Mountain - Mountain

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Wrist

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Just got into Pickleball

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Mixture of all

Early Riser or Night Owl - Both

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Sportscar

Pineapple or no pineapple - Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - Pro

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - Never seen any

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - Chicago

NFL, NBA or MLB - NBA

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - Hulu

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - I

Olympic Gold or Stanley Cup title - Stanley Cup

Thin crust or deep dish - Deep dish


May 13 | Practice and Sauna

First Time in the Practice Rink

Team USA had its first skate on the practice rink that is within the Nokia Arena complex early this afternoon in preparation for tomorrow’s 12-noon preliminary round game against Hungary. Most players made the trek from the locker room with skate guards, and an elevator delivered them to the underground rink. Goaltender Cal Petersen used a shopping cart to transport his gear. Unfortunately, Team USA was minus Sammy Walker, who was injured in yesterday’s game and on a plane home this afternoon.

What’s In A Nickname

Team USA assistant coach Derek Lalonde, who is the head coach of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings, has long had the nickname “Newsy” after Hockey Hall-of-Famer Edouard “Newsy” Lalonde. When the NHL was formed in 1917, Edouard “Newsy”  Lalonde was the playing-coach and captain of the Montreal Canadiens. As a youth, Lalonde was working in a newsprint plant and that’s where the original Newsy landed his nickname. For Derek Lalonde, it was his teammates at SUNY-Cortland, where he was a standout goaltender, who tabbed him “Newsy,” a nickname that has carried with him since.

Final Exam

Forward Sean Farrell signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Montreal Canadiens in late March, following his second season playing college hockey at Harvard University. While Farrell’s athletic career at Harvard is complete, he’s working on finishing his academic degree, and as part of those efforts is taking his three-hour economics final exam tonight at the team hotel.

Random Riffs

Players had a team outing at Kuuma late this afternoon, a popular sauna in Tampere, and enjoyed dinner afterward. Tampere is the sauna capital of the world with over 55 public saunas available to relax in … Team USA’s coaching staff includes three goaltenders in Derek LalondeScott Gordon and Thomas Speer and two defensemen in David Quinn and Ryan Warsofsky … Team USA’s lockerroom includes a large sauna and cold tub … The 2024 IIHF Men’s World Championship will take place in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia.

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA forward Luke Tuch.

This or That - With Luke Tuch

Beach or Mountain - Beach

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Slapshot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Rock

Early Riser or Night Owl - Both

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Truck

Pineapple or no pineapple - Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - College

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - The Office

Chicago, New York, or LA - New York

NFL, NBA or MLB - MLB

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - HBOMax

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - II

Olympic Gold or Stanley Cup title - Stanley Cup

Thin crust or deep dish - Thin Crust


May 12 | Big Win To Open Worlds Against Host Finland

Alex Tuch (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) scored twice, Drew O'Connor (Chatham, N.J.) had a goal and two assists and Casey DeSmith (Rochester, N.H.) made 23 saves as the U.S. Men’s National Team earned a 4-1 victory over host and defending gold-medalist Finland here today in the opening game of the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

“I thought it was an important win for us against a very good team,” said David Quinn, head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team. “We got better as the game wore on and I’m really proud of the mental toughness we showed throughout the game.”

This or That - With Alex Tuch

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This and That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA alternate captain Alex Tuch, who previously helped the U.S. to a gold medal at the IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship in 2014.

Beach or Mountain - Beach

IPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Wrist shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Rock

Early Riser or Night Owl - Early Riser

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Sportscar

Pineapple or no pineapple - Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - Pro

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - The Office

Chicago, New York, or LA - New York

NFL, NBA or MLB - NFL

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - HBOMax

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - I

Olympic Gold or Stanley Cup title - Stanley Cup

Thin crust or deep dish - Thin crust


May 11 | Say Cheese

Media Day

Players and staff had their official tournament headshots taken today prior to practice. In addition, the players, dressed in their full game gear, took part in a “green screen” shoot with various poses and favorite “celly” in front of the camera. The entire process took just less than an hour to get through all members of the staff and the 23 players currently here in Tampere. Ronnie Attard was the first to take part and the session finished with Anders Bjork.

The Naming of the Sticks

Team USA forward Rocco Grimaldi started a fun tradition of naming his sticks four or five years ago as he remembers. He tries to make sure he doesn’t use the names of people he knows and goes through the alphabet from A to Z with boys and girls names and then back from Z to A in establishing those names. He surmises he’s been up and down the alphabet four times since beginning the tradition. Grimaldi cites Trudy as a great stick and one he scored four goals within a 7-1 win over Detroit back in 2021 when he was playing for the NHL’s Nashville Predators. Oswald, a stick he used playing for San Diego in the AHL, has recorded the most goals. Grimaldi says Romeo was his worst stick, breaking just shortly after starting to use it. “How ironic is it that Romeo, who broke hearts, broke right away,” quipped Grimaldi.  Erica and Fiona are the latest sticks in Grimaldi’s arsenal and got their start during Team USA’s camp in Munich. To date, Erica has seen game action, while Fiona has not.

Random Riffs

Every locker room needs a good DJ and goaltender Cal Petersen is the person for the job for Team USA. Petersen says it’s been country music for practices and he has a playlist that is 11 hours long that he shuffles through for games … Team USA forward Conor Garland, who is a classic rock fan, played goaltender until he was nine years old … Alex Tuch has been to Finland three previous times for international tournaments, including an IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship and for U18 Four Nations and U17 Five Nations Tournaments while part of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. Tuch said he loves Finland, including saunas, reindeer and his new-found favorite discovered last night, the Finnish long drink. The long drink is a famous adult beverage in Finland comprised of gin and grapefruit juice and is gaining steam as a favorite in the U.S. … Casey DeSmith and his wife Mollie are expecting their first child in August … Word on the street: defenseman Dylan Samberg sings a mean version of Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start The First and can also get after Piano Man.

This or That - With Nick Bonino

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA captain Nick Bonino, who has previously helped the U.S. to a pair of bronze medals in the IIHF Men’s World Championship.

Beach or Mountain - Mountain

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Wrist shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Pickleball

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Country

Early Riser or Night Owl - Early Riser

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Sportscar

Pineapple or no pineapple - Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - Pro

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones The Office

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - New York

NFL, NBA or MLB - NFL

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - Netflix

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - II

Thin crust or deep dish - Thin crust


May 10 | Moving To Tampere

The Move To Tampere

Team USA relocated from Munich to Tampere, Finland, where it will begin play in the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship Friday (May 12) at Nokia Arena against host Finland. Team USA and Team Germany shared a plane to take the two-and-a-half-hour journey from Munich to Tampere, departing at approximately 11:45 a.m. from Munich International Airport. With the volume of hockey equipment and personal luggage between the two teams, the back rows of the plane were filled with hockey equipment instead of passengers, with each piece of luggage strapped into its own seat. It was a unique scene that no one could recollect ever seeing before.

For the U.S. training staff, which includes an all-star group comprised of equipment managers Jamie Healy and Scott Aldrich; athletic trainers Chris Strickland and Stan Wong; and massage therapist Jari Jaaskelainen, it’s been long 24-plus hours, with a schedule that included last night’s game with Germany; packing up the entire operation at Olympia Eishalle after the game and returning to the hotel at 1 a.m.; up at 6:30 a.m. for a quick breakfast and then back to the Eishalle to load up the truck with the team’s equipment to transport it to the Munich airport; unloading the approximately 70 pieces of gear, including a variety of heavy trunks, stick bags, player equipment bags and medical supplies, and checking it all in at the airport ticket counter; loading all the gear into a truck after it comes off the plane after landing in Tampere; and finally setting up Team USA’s locker room at Nokia Arena where it will call home for the better part of the next three weeks if all goes well. The exercise includes making the locker room come to life with various décor celebrating past U.S. teams and incorporating inspirational messaging. It isn’t until nearly midnight that the job is finished and then it will be back to the rink early for the training staff to prepare for Team USA’s 10:45 a.m. practice.

Nokia Arena Home

Team USA’s locker room at Nokia Arena is the home locker room of Ilves (pronounced EE-leh-vehs) which won the Finnish Elite League this season and is one of the oldest professional teams in Finland. It is no doubt the nicest home the U.S. has had for a world championship, with many amenities including a large sauna, two cold tubs, spacious dressing room, and changing areas, as well as coaches, equipment, and medical rooms.

Captains Named

In case you missed it, Nick Bonino has been named captain, and Alex Tuch and Conor Garland are alternate captains, of the 2023 U.S. Men’s National Team. Bonino is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins who have played 14 seasons in the NHL. He helped the U.S. to bronze medals in the IIHF Men’s World Championship both in 2018 and 2015. Tuch is making his IIHF Men’s World Championship debut, however, was part of the 2014 gold medal-winning U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team at the world championship. Garland, who was the leading point-getter for bronze medal-winning Team USA at the 2021 IIHF Men’s World Championship, is playing on his second U.S. Men’s National Team.

Quick Hits

Timothy Liston, U.S. consul general in Munich, visited Team USA’s lockerroom last night following its 6-3 win over Germany and thanked the players and staff for the role they play in representing our country. Liston, who graduated from the University of Wisconsin, is a hockey player himself and continues to play goaltender almost weekly in a men’s league in Munich … All Team USA games in the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship will be carried live by NHL Network in the U.S. with Dennis Beyak and Brian Engblom calling the action … Team USA players and staff will have their official tournament headshots and green screen poses taken tomorrow before practice … Team USA’s Alex and Luke Tuch are brothers and are playing together on the same team for the first time in their career … The 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship was originally scheduled to be played in St. Petersburg, Russia, but instead is being conducted in Tampere, Finland, and Riga Latvia. Tampere also was a host city last year, along with Helsinki, Finland. Team USA was in the Tampere group a year ago and has the same locker room it occupied last year.

This or That - With Carter Mazur

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This or That” feature. Today, it’s Team USA forward Carter Mazur, who is making his IIHF Men’s World Championship debut.

Beach or Mountain - Mountain

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Wrist

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Rap

Early Riser or Night Owl - Night Owl

Bubble or Cage - Bubble

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Sportscar

Pineapple or no pineapple - Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - College

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - The Office

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - Chicago

NFL, NBA or MLB - None

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - Netflix

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - I

Olympic Gold or Stanley Cup title - Stanley Cup

Thin crust or deep dish - Thin Crust


May 9 | Pre-Tourney Game vs. Germany

Lone Exhibition Game

Team USA had its lone exhibition game ahead of the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship tonight here in Munich and came out with a 6-3 victory before an energized crowd at Olympia Eishalle. Drew O’Connor, who was named the U.S. Player of the Game with two goals and an assist, led four players who had two or more points, including Conor Garland (1G, 1A), Rocco Grimaldi (1G, 1A) and Carter Mazur (2A). Casey DeSmith and Cal Petersen split time in the U.S. net.

This or That - With Chris Clark

Beach or Mountain - Mountain

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot – Slap shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Country

Early Riser or Night Owl– Early Riser

Bubble or Cage - Bubble

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Truck

Pineapple or no pineapple- Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - College

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones – Game of Thrones

Chicago, New York, or L.A. – New York

NFL, NBA or MLB - NFL

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - Netflix

Olympic Gold or Stanley Cup title – Olympic Gold

Thin crust or deep dish – Thin crust


May 8 | Getting Set To Play Germany

BACK ON THE ICE

Team USA had its third practice here in Munich this afternoon as it continues preparation for the 2023 IIHF Men’s World ChampionshipDavid Quinn, head coach of Team USA, has assistant coach Ryan Warsofsky leading the U.S. penalty kill, while assistant coaches Derek Lalonde and Scott Gordon are responsible for the power play. The U.S. and Germany will play a pre-tournament game here tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. The Germans have been together approximately a month and have already played six pre-tournament contests.

HOCKEY IN MUNICH

Munich is a city of 1.5 million people and has just one sheet of ice with that being Olympia Eishalle where Team USA is practicing. The good news for hockey enthusiasts in Germany is that a new facility is being constructed in Olympia Park that will serve as the home for EHC Red Bull Munich and include four total sheets of ice.

A COUPLE OF RANDOMS

Team USA assistant coach Scott Gordon and John Vanbiesbrouck, who is part of the management group of the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship and serves full-time as USA Hockey’s assistant executive director of hockey operations, were part of the U.S. Men’s National Team as goaltenders for the 1991 IIHF Men’s World Championship. Vanbiesbrouck played in 10 games, while Gordon competed in two contests. Gordon got a tour today of the new EHC Red Bull Munich rink being constructed in Olympia Park in Munich that is slated to open in 2024 … Several members of Team USA visited Dachau concentration camp in Munich after practice today. Dachau was one of the first concentration camps built by Nazi Germany and the longest running one, opening on March 22, 1933. The camp was initially intended to intern Hitler’s political opponents … Stan Wong, Team USA’s Hall of Fame trainer, is working his 16th IIHF Men’s World Championship. Wong has been part of more than 50 U.S. national teams over the course of his storied career.

MEDAL SUCCESS

So far in the 2022-23 season, the U.S. has medals to its credit in all four of the IIHF world championships conducted, including gold medals in both the IIHF Women’s World Championship and IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship. Team USA also has earned bronze medals in the IIHF World Junior Championship and IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship.

This or That - With Henry Thrun

Beach or Mountain - Mountain

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Slap shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Country

Early Riser or Night Owl - Early Riser

Bubble or Cage - Bubble

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Truck

Pineapple or no pineapple - Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - College

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - Game of Thrones

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - New York

NFL, NBA or MLB - NFL

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - Netflix

Olympic Gold or Stanley Cup title - Olympic Gold

Thin crust or deep dish - Thin crust


May 7 | Cheers From The Hofbrauhaus

A BREAKFAST FEAST

The team hotel provides a robust European-type breakfast buffet for all guests, which is a bit different than what the typical American breakfast buffet offers, notably the “charcuterie-like” display of meat and cheese available to start one’s day. Also included is a made-to-order egg station, bacon, sausage, meatballs, hash rounds, pancakes, full array of scrumptious pastries, fresh fruit, assortment of juices, and made-to-order coffee choices including fresh black coffee, lattes and cappuccino.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Rocco Grimaldi arrived this morning and was on the ice for Team USA’s 12:15 p.m. skate today. Grimaldi is playing in his fourth IIHF world championship and in his previous three appearances (2010 and 2011 U18 Men’s Worlds and 2013 World Juniors) has helped the U.S to a gold medal. T.J. Tynan was also on the ice for the first time today with his Team USA teammates after his flight was delayed from Chicago to JFK causing him to miss the group flight to Munich on Friday … It was a beautiful sunny 70-degree day in Munich and many of Team USA’s staff took the opportunity to take the 25-minute walk to the rink and back … John Vanbiesbrouck, who serves on the management group for the U.S. Men’s National Team as part of his full-time role with USA Hockey as assistant executive director of hockey operations, played in four IIHF Men’s World Championship during his Hall of Fame career (1985, 87, 89, 91) … Connor Mackey visited with Team Germany’s Parker Tuomie prior to the team’s practice today. The two played college hockey together at Minnesota State University … A handful of players did virtual interviews with esteemed NHL Network personality J.P. Morosi this afternoon.

HOFBRAUHAUS

A team dinner at the famous Hobrauhaus finished the evening. The group began the festivities with a tour of the property with host Tobias. The original history of the Hofbrauhaus dates back to 1589. Between three floors, the Hofbrauhaus can accommodate up to 3,500 patrons, with space for 1,000 at wooden tables on the main floor, which includes shelves for regulars to lock up their beer mugs. The Hofbrauhaus is an attraction for tourists from all over the world and has up to 35,000 visitors every day. The Hofbrauhaus also includes an inner courtyard that serves as a beer garden in the summer. Team USA’s Nick Bonino was afforded the unique chance to tap a keg of the signature beer of the Hofbrauhaus, which attracted the attention of many of the patrons and was followed by a celebratory song and toast by the oompah band that plays regularly at the Hofbrauhaus. Many of Team USA’s players walked around Munich in the mid-afternoon prior to gathering for the team dinner tonight.

This or That - Connor Mackey

Beach or Mountain - Beach

iPhone or Droid - iPhone

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Breakfast

Wrist shot or slap shot - Slap shot

Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf

Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Country

Early Riser or Night Owl - Early Riser

Bubble or Cage - Cage

Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Truck

Pineapple or no pineapple - Pineapple

Watch college sports or pro sports - College

Lebron or MJ - MJ

Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones – Ted Lasso

Chicago, New York, or L.A. - Chicago

NFL, NBA or MLB - MLB

Burrito or Bowl - Bowl

Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - Netflix

Mighty Ducks I, II or III - I

Olympic Gold or Stanley Cup title - Stanley Cup

Thin crust or deep dish - Deep dish


May 6 | Live in Munich

Players and staff of the 2023 U.S. Men’s National Team arrived at JFK airport in New York throughout the morning and afternoon on Friday (May 5) in preparation for the team’s flight to Munich, Germany, which departed around 6 p.m. The large assortment of the team’s hockey equipment that punctuated the Lufthansa check-in area at Terminal 1 resulted in questions from many curious passengers and also well wishes for Team USA on its quest for gold at the upcoming IIHF Men’s World Championship.

The journey to Munich was relatively seamless. The players and staff enjoyed the exceptional service from the Lufthansa flight crew and in between having dinner, watching movies and general banter, tried to get a little shut eye (there were varying forms of success).

The seven-and-a-half hour flight landed at 7:15 a.m. local time and after clearing customs and gathering all of its personal luggage and hockey equipment, Team USA set off for its hotel headquarters about 8:40 a.m. Upon arrival after a 30-minute bus ride, the team had breakfast and then had a couple hours to relax until a 12 noon bus ride to the rink for practice.

PRACTICE AT OLYMPIA EISHALLE

Team USA is practicing in Munich at Olympia Eishalle through Tuesday. The Eishalle opened in 1967 and has a capacity of 6,256. It is the home of EHC Red Bull Munich, which won its fourth DEL championship in 2022-23. The Eishalle served as the home for boxing during the 1972 Olympic Summer Games and is located within the Olympiapark.

The U.S. had a snappy and upbeat 50-minute ice session that had players energized after a long day of travel. Team USA is led by head coach David Quinn, who coached the U.S. Men’s National Team in the IIHF Men’s World Championship a year ago and also guided the 2022 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team. He is currently the head coach of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks.

Team USA will practice tomorrow and Monday and then face Germany in an exhibition game here on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. local time. The live stream of the game can be found by clicking here.

Team Germany has already played six exhibition contests in advance of the world championship, while Tuesday’s tilt will be the lone pre-tournament game for the U.S. ahead of the Friday's (May 12) start of the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

THE ROSTER 

Team USA -- which has finished in the top four of the IIHF Men’s World Championship in six of the past nine years, with four bronze medals to its credit during that stretch -- has 23 players on its current roster with a unique blend of experience and youth. Nick Bonino from the Pittsburgh Penguins is a two-time Stanley Cup winner and is the elder-statesman of the squad at age 35. The roster is also highlighted by Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres who recorded 73 points, including 36 goals in the 2022-23 campaign. A total of eight players have competed previously in the IIHF Men’s World Championship, including two players who return from last season in forward Sean Farrell and T.J. Tynan. In addition, three members of the 2022 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team are part of Team USA, including Farrell, defenseman Nick Perbix and goaltender Drew Commesso. The youngest player on the squad is 19-year-old defenseman Lane Hutson, who played the 2022-23 campaign at Boston University and in January helped the U.S. National Junior Team to a bronze medal at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.

This or That - Ronnie Attard

Throughout the IIHF Men’s World Championship, you’ll have a chance to learn a bit more about members of Team USA outside their accomplishments on the ice through our exclusive “This and That’ feature. We start with Team USA  defenseman Ronnie Attard, who is making his debut for the U.S. on the international stage.

Beach or Mountain - Beach
iPhone or Droid - iPhone
Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Dinner
Wrist shot or slap shot - Slap shot
Golf, Tennis or Pickleball - Golf
Country, Rock, Rap or Reggae - Rap
Early Riser or Night Owl - Early Riser
Bubble or Cage - Bubble
Sportscar, Truck, Van or Motorcycle - Truck
Pineapple or no pineapple - Pineapple, but not on pizza
Watch college sports or pro sports - College
Lebron or MJ - MJ
Ted Lasso, The Office or Game of Thrones - Game of Thrones
Chicago, New York, or LA - L.A.
NFL, NBA or MLB - NFL
Burrito or Bowl - Bowl
Netflix, HBOMax or Amazon Prime - HBO
Mighty Ducks I, II or III - I
Olympic Gold or Stanley Cup title - Stanley Cup
Thin crust or deep dish - Deep Dish