Team USA rising stars Alex Tuch (89), Scott Perunovich (15) and Henry Thrun (3) celebrate a goal against Hungary.
Team USA's 3-0 victory over Denmark on Saturday made it five successive victories in Tampere. Only three U.S. teams can match that winning streak at the start of an IIHF tournament, including the 1933 gold medal roster.
What makes 2023's fast start different is the contribution of the U.S. youngsters on the roster. In line with a growing trend, team USA has brought a large group of players who spent all of most of last season playing in the NCAA. The juniors are no passengers on this team, either. The stats show Lane Hutson leading defenders in scoring on the USA roster, while we’ve seen clutch goals from the likes of Sean Farrell and Matt Coronato in the 3-2 win over Germany. All told, seven college players have skated in Tampere, producing 15 points between them.
Team captain Nick Bonino, a two-time World Championship bronze medallist and double Stanley Cup winner, has no doubt about the value his young colleagues bring.
“They're integral parts of the team,” he said. “I think when you watch these young guys, it's really impressive. They're better and better the younger they are! So it's fun for me.”
And there’s a bit of a personal connection for the Boston University graduate. “It’s nice that Lane [Hutson] is going to BU, getting to see him is good. My [old college roommate Joe Pereira] is the coach at BU, so he was already telling me all about him.”
Bonino’s Boston connection isn’t the only link between the kids and the vets on this team. Alex Tuch, 27, got the chance to play on the same team as his brother Luke, 21. Moreover, Luke marked his World Championship debut with a goal – a big moment for the family.
“I’m really proud of him,” said Alex. “It was awesome to be able to play with him. Just watching him out there is a dream come true for both of us. This is a chance, we never know if it will happen again, so we’re just really happy about it.”
The Harvard boys
While Team USA advances on the ice, there’s still time to complete the year’s academic program. Sean Farrell, in his final year at Harvard, already has elite international experience from the 2022 Olympics and World Championship. Between his first two games in Tampere, though, he faced a different test: a three-hour economics exam as he completes his degree.
That didn’t distract him, or Harvard colleague Matt Coronato, from the task at hand. The pair came up with clutch goals in the 3-2 victory over Germany, turning the game around in the third period to keep the winning streak rolling.
Tuch believes their contribution can help Team USA end its long wait for World Championship gold.
“The Harvard boys! It was great to see them score some big goals,” he said “A tying goal, a winning goal, that's really good. They have a lot of skill and they're showcasing it. We just gotta have them keep stepping up and making plays. We've got a good chance at gold if guys like that do that.”
Coronato, who jetted out to Finland after a taste of life with the Flames at the end of the season, isn’t looking that far ahead. But he’s enjoying the opportunity to further his hockey education in the international arena.
“We're just looking to keep getting better,” he said. “For me personally, it's been a ton of fun. I'm looking to keep getting comfortable and play as hard as I can.”
A question of trust
It’s clear that USA Hockey has no worries about trusting the young players emerging through the national development program. And for the rising stars themselves, that vote of confidence is a big deal.
“It means a lot,” said Hutson. “I think that’s true for all the younger guys here. We want to show why we deserve to be here, and to learn as much as we can.”
Gauthier, who added a game-winning goal against Denmark to his list of World Championship achievements, relishes being part of a sizeable cohort of college players. “It’s huge,” he said. "We have a great young core, a bunch of guys who we played against all year.
“That’s fun, and it’s nice to have the older guys with their experience. We can learn from what they’ve had and try to make ourselves better people and better players every day.”
What makes 2023's fast start different is the contribution of the U.S. youngsters on the roster. In line with a growing trend, team USA has brought a large group of players who spent all of most of last season playing in the NCAA. The juniors are no passengers on this team, either. The stats show Lane Hutson leading defenders in scoring on the USA roster, while we’ve seen clutch goals from the likes of Sean Farrell and Matt Coronato in the 3-2 win over Germany. All told, seven college players have skated in Tampere, producing 15 points between them.
Team captain Nick Bonino, a two-time World Championship bronze medallist and double Stanley Cup winner, has no doubt about the value his young colleagues bring.
“They're integral parts of the team,” he said. “I think when you watch these young guys, it's really impressive. They're better and better the younger they are! So it's fun for me.”
And there’s a bit of a personal connection for the Boston University graduate. “It’s nice that Lane [Hutson] is going to BU, getting to see him is good. My [old college roommate Joe Pereira] is the coach at BU, so he was already telling me all about him.”
Bonino’s Boston connection isn’t the only link between the kids and the vets on this team. Alex Tuch, 27, got the chance to play on the same team as his brother Luke, 21. Moreover, Luke marked his World Championship debut with a goal – a big moment for the family.
“I’m really proud of him,” said Alex. “It was awesome to be able to play with him. Just watching him out there is a dream come true for both of us. This is a chance, we never know if it will happen again, so we’re just really happy about it.”
The Harvard boys
While Team USA advances on the ice, there’s still time to complete the year’s academic program. Sean Farrell, in his final year at Harvard, already has elite international experience from the 2022 Olympics and World Championship. Between his first two games in Tampere, though, he faced a different test: a three-hour economics exam as he completes his degree.
That didn’t distract him, or Harvard colleague Matt Coronato, from the task at hand. The pair came up with clutch goals in the 3-2 victory over Germany, turning the game around in the third period to keep the winning streak rolling.
Tuch believes their contribution can help Team USA end its long wait for World Championship gold.
“The Harvard boys! It was great to see them score some big goals,” he said “A tying goal, a winning goal, that's really good. They have a lot of skill and they're showcasing it. We just gotta have them keep stepping up and making plays. We've got a good chance at gold if guys like that do that.”
Coronato, who jetted out to Finland after a taste of life with the Flames at the end of the season, isn’t looking that far ahead. But he’s enjoying the opportunity to further his hockey education in the international arena.
“We're just looking to keep getting better,” he said. “For me personally, it's been a ton of fun. I'm looking to keep getting comfortable and play as hard as I can.”
A question of trust
It’s clear that USA Hockey has no worries about trusting the young players emerging through the national development program. And for the rising stars themselves, that vote of confidence is a big deal.
“It means a lot,” said Hutson. “I think that’s true for all the younger guys here. We want to show why we deserve to be here, and to learn as much as we can.”
Gauthier, who added a game-winning goal against Denmark to his list of World Championship achievements, relishes being part of a sizeable cohort of college players. “It’s huge,” he said. "We have a great young core, a bunch of guys who we played against all year.
“That’s fun, and it’s nice to have the older guys with their experience. We can learn from what they’ve had and try to make ourselves better people and better players every day.”