The United States Olympic Committee announced today that both forward Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y.) and the 2018 U.S. Men's National Team have been named Best of May finalists for the Team USA Awards, which recognize the outstanding achievements of Team USA athletes from last month. Fans are invited to vote for their favorite athletes and teams at Awards.TeamUSA.org through midnight Tuesday, June 5.
U.S. captain Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y.) became the first-ever U.S. player to earn Tournament MVP honors and fourth-ever to receive Media All-Star Team recognition when he set U.S. single tournament records in both points (20) and assists (12) while leading the U.S. to a bronze medal at the 2018 IIHF Men’s World Championship. Kane, who tallied at least one point in nine of Team USA's 10 tournament games, finished as the leading point scorer and tied for the tournament lead in assists while ranking second in goals and earning U.S. Player of the Game honors three times.
In IIHF Men's World Championship history, Kane is one of 14 players ever to tally 20 or more points in a single IIHF Men's World Championship. The only U.S. player to accomplish the feat, Kane's 20 points is tied with three other skaters for 11th most all-time. Additionally, Kane's 12 assists are tied for the seventh most by any skater as he became the 15th player ever to tally at least 12 assists in a single tournament.
Kane's performance, which also saw him tabbed one of Team USA's Top 3 players of the tournament, also included a number of accolades that rank among the best in U.S. history. While his points and assists output both established new U.S. records, Kane's eight goals in tournament play tied him for the fifth most in a single tournament by a U.S. player in IIHF Men's World Championship history.
In Team USA's 13-1 win over Korea, Kane became the eighth U.S. player ever to register five points in a single game when he tallied two goals and three assists. Additionally, he is now one of four U.S. players ever to register two power-play goals in a single period when he scored twice in the first period of Team USA's 9-3 win over Norway.
Career-wise, Kane's 30 points in IIHF Men's World Championship play is now tied for third all-time and just three points shy of the U.S. record held by 1980 Miracle on Ice member Mark Johnson. Kane's 19 career assists is also fourth-best by a U.S. player.
Kane put on a historic performance at the 2018 IIHF Men's World Championship
The 2018 U.S. Men's National Team capped the 2018 IIHF Men's World Championship with a bronze medal by defeating Canada, 4-1, in the bronze medal game. The victory gave the United States (6-2-0-2/W-OTW-OTL-L) its third bronze medal (2013, 2015, 2018) and fourth top-four finish in the last six IIHF Men's World Championships, a feat the country has not accomplished since medaling in three of the five tournaments it competed in from 1939-1950. Led by head coach Jeff Blashill (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) for the second straight year, the U.S. has compiled a 12-2-0-2 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record over the last two years, its best stretch ever.
The tournament began in Herning, Denmark, on May 4 with a come-from-behind 5-4 shootout overtime win against rival Canada. Team USA then registered back-to-back shutout wins over Denmark (4-0) and Germany (3-0), marking the first time it accomplished the feat since 2010. With wins over Latvia (3-2, OT), Korea (13-1) and Norway (9-3), the U.S. posted six-straight wins to open tournament play for the first time ever while its six-straight preliminary round wins matched its record from a year ago. After falling to Finland (6-2) in its last preliminary round game, the U.S. finished in second place of Group B entering the quarterfinal round.
In the quarterfinals, the U.S. topped the Czech Republic (3-2) to advance to the semifinal round for the fourth time in the last six tournaments. There, it fell to eventual world champion Sweden (6-0) to push the U.S. into the bronze medal game. With a medal on the line, the United States claimed a ( 4-10 victory, marking the first time a U.S. team has defeated Canada twice in a single IIHF Men's World Championship.
The team's eight wins also tied for the best-ever by a U.S. team in Men's World Championship play as the United States led the tournament in goals scored (46), power-play goals scored (16) and shots on net (342) while ranking second in power play efficiency (34%).
Date | Opponent | Round | Result | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tues., May 1 | Denmark | Exhibition | W, 3-2 | KVIK Hockey Arena Herning, Denmark |
Fri., May 4 | Canada | Preliminary | W, 5-4 (SO) | Jyske Bank Boxen Herning, Denmark |
Sat., May 5 | Denmark | Preliminary | W, 4-0 | Jyske Bank Boxen Herning, Denmark |
Mon., May 7 | Germany | Preliminary | W, 3-0 | Jyske Bank Boxen Herning, Denmark |
Thurs., May 10 | Latvia | Preliminary | W, 3-2 (OT) | Jyske Bank Boxen Herning, Denmark |
Fri., May 11 | Korea | Preliminary | W, 13-1 | Jyske Bank Boxen Herning, Denmark |
Sun., May 13 | Norway | Preliminary | W, 9-3 | Jyske Bank Boxen Herning, Denmark |
Tues., May 15 | Finland | Preliminary | L, 2-6 | Jyske Bank Boxen Herning, Denmark |
Thurs., May 17 | Czech Republic | Quarterfinals | W, 3-2 | Jyske Bank Boxen Herning, Denmark |
Sat., May 19 | Sweden | Semifinals | L, 0-6 | Royal Arena Copenhagen, Denmark |
Sun., May 20 | Canada | Bronze-Medal Game | W, 4-1 | Royal Arena Copenhagen, Denmark |