Team USA completed the men’s ice hockey tournament by doing something no other team representing the USA had done in the previous editions of the Winter World University Games, they played in the gold medal game and took home the silver medal finishing 5-2-0 in their seven games. They played a better Canadian team today who dominated from the opening puck drop and won gold with a decisive 7-2 win.
The first period was all Canada as they outshot the US by an 18-3 margin forcing goaltender Ryan Kenny (Stevenson) to make several outstanding saves. Canada broke the ice just over six minutes into the first period and followed that with a power play goal from Brett Davis for a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes of play.
The US found their skating legs to start the second period and had some early chances that were turned away by Canadian goaltender Kai Ray Edmonds including a stellar blocker save to rob Matt Hanewall (MSOE) on a 2-on-1 early in the period. The Canadians extended their lead with two goals from Kyle Bollers and Zach Lavigne just over a minute apart midway through the second period for a 4-0 lead before Sam Ruffin (Adrian) got Team USA on the board with a 5-on-3 shorthanded goal set-up by Cooper Swift (Hobart) and Emmett Powell (Wesleyan). The momentum was short lived as Canada answered right back with a power play goal by Adam McCormick with just 12 seconds remaining in the period for a 5-1 lead after two periods of play.
There was absolutely no quit in the USA squad that came out in the third period to a raucous home crowd at Herb Brooks Arena. They pressed hard but were unable to get anything past Edmonds at equal strength or on several power plays until captain Brendan Mark (St. Norbert) sent a bomb from the top of the left face-off circle past Edmonds on a 5-on-3 advantage to make the score 5-2 with just under six minutes remaining in regulation.
Canada would close out the scoring with two more goals for the final of 7-2 outshooting the Americans by a 47-19 margin for the game. Ryan Kenny was outstanding with 40 saves for the game.
The silver medal was a first for Team USA in the World University Games and the roster comprised completely of players at the D-III level won Pool B with a 4-1 record; defeated Japan in the semifinals before losing to Canada in the championship game. It was a great tournament for Team USA and hopefully, a stepping stone for more D-III players in the future to have an opportunity to represent their country in an international tournament.
Hobart’s Luke Aquaro led Team USA in scoring and was third overall in the tournament with six goals and five assists for 11 points. Sam Ruffin was close behind with four goals and six assists for ten points.
“It was very special to be able to wear the USA colors and represent our country in this tournament,” said Ruffin. “It was hard playing those games at 9:30 in the morning but I thought we really came together as a team quickly and this is something that none of us will ever forget.”
Special thanks to the Team USA coaching staff and players for their time during the tournament as well as Peter Lynch who provided game pictures used in the recaps.
