America Rising: Team USA prepares for World Cup of Hockey
By Scott King
Is Team USA poised for World Cup glory? Fielding one of their more talented teams in recent memory, the Americans are aiming high.
Like astronauts taking off into the abyss, soon we’ll see if Team USA has the right stuff. If their pre-tournament game vs. Canada Friday night was any indication, this is a team out to make a statement in the tournament.
Team USA captain Patrick Kane tallied a goal and an assist in the 4–2 victory over Canada at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. In a game that technically didn’t matter, it definitely seemed to matter to the red, white, and blue, which came out flying and hitting their neighbors to the North.
Team Canada would their revenge the following night in Ottawa, besting USA 5–2 even without team captain Sidney Crosby.
Did the Americans run out of the gas that fueled them the night before? Did Canada played closer to their tournament potential? All questions will be answered at the start of the tournament.
On Tuesday, Team USA proved they could hold a lead against a much improved Team Finland. The Americans were up 3-0 after two periods and although the Fins clawed their way back in, USA was able to close out the game 3-2.
To begin the tournament, the Americans take the ice in the World Cup’s preliminary round against Team Europe on Saturday, September 17.
The 2016 World Cup of Hockey could be the opportunity Team USA has been waiting for on the international stage. Although other nations such as Sweden, Finland, and Russia are on the rise with talent in their own right, the Americans are coming off an undeniable surge in the NHL last season.
With the hockey world watching, Team USA is determined to improve upon a disappointing fourth-place finish to Finland in the 2014 Winter Olympics — not to mention an overtime loss in the gold medal game against Canada in 2010.
Last season, USA alternate captain and Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane became the first U.S.-born player to lead the league in scoring (106 points) and was named the MVP. Meanwhile, American captain Joe Pavelski (San Jose Sharks) finished the 2015–2016 regular season among the top five goal scorers (38). Defensemen James Neal (Nashville Predators) and Ryan McDonough (New York Rangers) were in the top 10 for +/- ratings last season as well. Arguably the strongest last line of defense in the tournament, USA goaltender Ben Bishop posted a league-best goals against average of 2.06 last year.
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Although no Canadian teams made the 2016 playoffs, you can’t write off the nation that’s stacked up the most international hardware and gave birth to hockey. Forwards Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews are no strangers to the international stage. As a matter of fact, with two gold medals each from the Winter Olympics, they conquer it.
The 2016 World Cup has the making of an edge-of-your-seat, can’t-miss sporting event with tremendously competitive parity. Judging by some of the numbers the American forwards and defensemen put up last season, and their netminder coming off an incredible year as well, Team USA has as good a chance as anyone to hoist the World Cup trophy.
Provided the burning flame to prove themselves, they might have the best chance.