Freshman Charlie Coyle will be donning a USA sweater once again as he was named to the Junior National Team that will defend its World Junior Championship title in Buffalo next week. Coyle assisted on the second goal for Team USA in its 3-2 shootout loss to the Czech Republic in the squad’s second exhibition game in Rochester last night. Last year, Coyle skated for U.S. Under-18 Select team in Slovakia and the Four Nations Cup in Finland. Terrier freshmen Adam Clendening and Matt Nieto were among the final cuts from the roster which was made public today. Clendening, a native of the Buffalo area, was injured during the Czech exhibition game and didn't play the final period and a half. We'll post further news about his injury when it is available.
The World Junior Championships begin on Sunday, Dec. 26, (schedule) with the NHL network carrying all of the U.S. team’s games, starting with Sunday evening’s matchup with Finland.
Terrier co-captain David Warsofsky was on last season's U.S. squad which defeated Canada in overtime for the gold medal.
In a press conference today, USA Coach Keith Allain offered these comments about Coyle's selection:
One of the things in the summer when we were talking about the team is that we're going to be young down the middle. Charlie actually came to us and we weren't sure if he was going to be a centerman or not at BU. We tried him down the middle at Lake Placid and he was just outstanding. He's big, he's strong, he's extremely smart. He's reliable defensively and he can make plays offensively. He had a great camp for us in Lake Placid, and then he went to BU and really kind of took over that first-line center role for Coach Parker. He's had a good fall there. He's a guy we're going to rely on heavily, and we really like him as a hockey player.
• Boston Hockey Blog report
Looking back
Nick Bonino’s return to Boston Garden Monday night was a painful one, despite the Duck’s 3-0 shutout of the Bruins. The former Terrier standout forward suffered a bone bruise to his right foot while blocking a shot. X-rays were negative, but Bonino will be sidelined for a while. His return to Agganis Arena, where Anaheim practiced the previous day, was more enjoyable. Blogging for the Los Angeles Times, teammate George Parros, who played college hockey for Princeton in ancient Hobey Baker Arena, didn’t hide his enthusiasm for the BU facilities.
The team practiced Sunday in Agganis Arena, home of college hockey's Boston University Terriers and former home of our very own Nick Bonino. They just built this new arena for the team, and it is incredible. Their weight room dwarfs any hockey- specific weight room that I have seen before. Their locker room was NHL-quality, and their lounge was ahead of the game, complete with its own ping-pong arena. I was quite jealous of their ping-pong table and was surprised to see that Mr. Bonino is apparently a Hall of Fame ping-pong player (his name was still on the dry erase board -- third on the all-time list). Looks like we will have to have a showdown somewhere along the way this year. I'm taking bets now.
Bleaching Report has moved Kevin Shattenkirk to its #2 ranking among Calder Trophy candidates as the NHL’s top rookie.
Ryan Whitney registered his 25th assist of the season in Edmonton’s 3-2 loss to San Jose. A 2010 U.S. Olympian, the former Terrier blueliner is 6th in the NHL in helpers and has the most of any defenseman.
Looking ahead
USHR Reports that both Terrier Coach Jack Parker and longtime rival Jerry York of BC were in the crowd at when local high school powerhouse Malden Catholic took on—and defeated— defending New Jersey state champ Delbarton at Malden Valley Forum on Saturday.
Yahoo! Canada Sports reporter Neate Sager reports that defenseman Michael Matheson, one of the most highly sought after recruits, is closing in on a decision about his future as a college hockey player. Matheson, who plays for the Lac St. Louis Lions (Midget AAA) in Quebec—the same program that advanced the careers of injured BU freshman Yasin Cissé and Harvard’s Biega brothers, recently visited Dubuque, Iowa, where the Dubuque Saints hold his USHL rights. After letting the QMJHL—which was prepared to make him the #1 pick in last Spring’s draft—know he is intent on playing NCAA hockey, Matheson is weighing his options. He has been offered by BC and Vermont for next season and by BU for 2012, which would follow a season with the Saints.
Women’s team
Freshman goalie Kerrin Sperry has been added to the roster of the 2010 USA Hockey Women’s Winter Training Camp next week in Blaine, Minn.
No comments:
Post a Comment