I quick look back at the USA hockey in 2018

I did not post back in April about the USA U-18 team. The USA came in second and USA Jack Hughs won the MVP for the tournament. Jack Hughes was also the leading scorer. 

USA U-18 National Team.

The U-18 is our national team and this was one of the 3 big hockey tournaments the USA plays in.

The USA has dominated this tournament.

IIHF_World_U18_Championship

• They have the most Championships with 10
• They have reached the finals 9 out of the last 10 times
• They have medaled (1 2nd or 3rd) 16 out of 20 total tournamnets
• They have 10 Championship to Canada's 3

The USA now has the best youth program in a sport and that sport is hockey. Rugby is no where near the program that hockey has. Soccer is still emerging and its been 24 years since we hosted the 1994 World Cup.

USA U-20 National Team

The USA Juniors or the U-20 teams has been seeing the benefit of this youth program. The USA U-20 has medaled in the last 3 World Junior Tournaments. This is the most fun hockey tournament of them all. The IIHF 2018 tournament was hosted in Buffalo USA. The USA can in 3rd after losing to Sweden in the semi-finals. The MVP and leeading scorer was  Casey Mittelstadt. 

The USA Senior side or Team USA

The senior almost mirrored the U-20 team. The USA senior team traveled to Denmark. They came in 2nd in their group and then reached the semi-finals and again Sweden senior side knocked the USA out. The USA did also manage to win the 3rd place game and medal.

The MVP of this tournament was also and American Patrick Kane and he also was the leading scorer.

This was an awesome year to be a USA hockey fan.

The U-18 reached the Finals but lost, they had the MVP and leading scorer in Jack Hughes

The U-20 reached the semi0-finals and got 4rd place, MVP and leading scorer in Casey Mittelstadt.

Team USA came in 3rd place and had the MVP and leading scorer in Partick Kane. 

The good thing is next year 2019 we start all lover and the World Juniors or U20 tournament starts right after Christmas this year.

2018 IIHF World Championship -Denmark

    This tournamnet always starts in early May. Early May is right after the first rounds of the playoffs. All national teams have plently of NHL payers to chose from.

This years tournamnet was in Copenhaggen, Denmark. There are 16 teams in the tournament. The top teams always play hard in the opeing rounds since they all want the easiest game against a #4 seed in the knockout stage.

This year Canada placed 3rd in the group stage round and had to face #2 Russia in the opening knockout round. Canada knocked out mighty Russia early.

Sweden won their second consecutive and eleventh overall title after defeating Switzerland in the final.

This was Switzerlands first time in the final. 

The USA placed 3rd after getting beat bad by Sweden in the Semi-finals. Patrrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks was the MVP and the leading point getter with 20 points.

USA Juniors place 3rd at the World Juniors in Buffalo

I have been neglecting my hockey blog. The USA juniors had high hope of repeating at Champions, however there are quality teams in the top 8 now.

The USA juniors have come a long way, with the youth developement and the NCAA competition.

Buffalo was a good host, since it is drivable from the biggest  and hocky mad city of Toronto.

Attendance was 211, 210 total only slightly behind the 2017 tournamnet in Canada 257,882 and behind 215,229 Finland 2016 tournament.