Connecticut Clippers Youth Hockey News

01.03.2006

2006 Viking Cup - Team USA Bronze Medal winners

The 2006 USA Hockey Junior Select 18 & Under Team, Assistant Coached by Bob Crawford, played for and won bronze Jan. 2 at the 2006 Viking Cup game in Camrose, Alberta. Team USA had remained undefeated with wins over Slovakia, Germany, Switzerland and Findland before moving to the playoff round.

The USA Hockey 18 & Under Junior Select Team captured the bronze medal today (Jan. 2) at the 2006 Viking Cup with a 6-2 victory over Switzerland Monday at McLean Arena.

Kyle Okposo (St. Paul, Minn.) scored two goals and Team USA rallied from a brief 2-1 deficit in the second period with four goals in a six-minute span.

Okposo scored his second power-play goal of the tournament at 5:36 of the second period to tie the game at 2-2. The forward from the Des Moines Buccaneers of the United States Hockey League then scored a shorthanded tally at 7:46 to put the United States on top for good.

The lead grew to 4-2 with a goal from Drew Dobson (Palantine, Ill.) at 10:16. Team USA made it 5-2 less than a minute later when Tony Lucia (Plymouth, Minn.) slammed home a rebound off an Okposo shot at 11:04.

Tony Romano (Smithtown, N.Y) scored the lone third-period goal for the United States. Chris Vande Velde (Moorhead, Minn.) also scored on the night, tipping home the first goal of the game at 18:45 of the first period.

"We played a pretty good hockey game today," said Team USA Head Coach P.K. O'Handley (Waterloo, Iowa). "Players can hold their heads high and under tough circumstances did a very good job for their country and USA hockey."

Brian Foster (Pembroke, N.H.) stopped 22 of 24 shots to earn the victory, finishing the tournament with a perfect 3-0-0 record.

"Brian played very well and he made some key stops that were crucial in the game," added O'Handley.

The United States finished with a 5-1-0 record during the tournament, suffering its only loss in the semifinals on Sunday (Jan. 1), 3-2, in overtime to the Albert Junior Hockey League's South All-Stars.

"Guys found the back of the net, but unfortunately it was a day late," said O'Handley. "I'm very honored to be associated with the players and staff of this team."

NOTES: Okposo led Team USA with 10 points (3-7) in six games at the tournament. Five U.S. players averaged over a point per game, including Okposo, Dobson (2-7-9), Romano (3-5-8), Trevor Lewis (Murray, Utah) and Justin Milo (Eden Prairie, Minn.) … The Viking Cup, celebrating its 25th anniversary, occurs biennially and welcomes teams from Canada's Junior A leagues as well as international junior squads.

SUI 0-2-0 -- 2
USA 1-4-1 -- 6

First Period - Scoring: 1, USA, Vande Velde (Bearson, Dobson), 18:45. Penalties: USA, Steffes (cross-checking), 12:53; SUI, Randegger (slashing), 16:32.

Second Period - Scoring: 2, SUI, Bondenmann (Frodidevaux), 1:06; 3, SUI, Lemm (unassisted), 1: 22; 4, USA, Okposo (Lewis, Dobson), 5:36 (pp); 5, USA, Okposo (Lewis, Turek), 7:46 (sh); 6, USA, Dobson (Romano, Kantola), 10: 16; 7, USA, Lucia (Lewis, Okposo), 11:04. Penalties: SUI, Mauer (interference), 4:46; USA, Steffes (roughing), 5:48; SUI, Kienzle (tripping), 15:06.

Third Period - Scoring: 8, USA, Romano (Kantola, Milo), 16:54. Penalties: SUI, Kiensle (roughing), 3:23; USA, Marcou (roughing), 3:23; USA, Steffes (hooking), 10:12; USA, Dehner (roughing), 18:38.

Shots By Period 1 2 3 Total

SUI 7 7 10 -- 24
USA 8 22 14 -- 44

Goaltending (SH-SV) 1 2 3 Total

SUI, Fleuler 60:00 8-7 22-18 14-13 44-38
USA, Foster 60:00 7-7 7-5 10-10 24-22

Power Play: SUI 0-4; USA 1-3

Penalties: SUI 4-8; USA 5-10

Team USA 2006 Viking Cup Results

DATE        OPPONENT                        RESULT
Dec. 26     Slovakia                        USA 8, SVK 4
Dec. 27     Germany                         USA 7, GER 2
Dec. 29     Switzerland                     USA 5, SUI 1
Dec. 31     Finland                         USA 9, FIN 5
Jan. 1      Semifinals vs. AJHL South       AJHL 3, USA 2 (ot)
Jan. 2      Bronze-Medal Game/Switzerland   USA 6, SUI 2