Here is an article that was written on Team USA. As a Sioux fan it will be fun to watch Kristo at the WJC and see how he performs as one of the top guys. This will be Danny’s second WJC. As a WCHA fan It will also be interesting to see how Jordan Schroeder performs on the ice for Team USA.
There was a lot of disappointment within USA Hockey after the team sent to the 2009 World Junior Championship finished fifth.
One year later, three members from that squad will get a chance to avenge the team's worst finish since placing fifth in 2002. Forwards Jordan Schroeder, Danny Kristo and Tyler Johnson will be counted on to provide some of their less-experienced teammates with the knowledge they gained last year in Ottawa.
"Whether they (returning players) are captains or not, we'll let players vote on captains, and then we'll decide on how they vote," U.S. coach Dean Blais told NHL.com. "It certainly helps Jordan Schroeder especially, who's had success scoring, knows what it takes to be in the medal round and playing for a medal. Whether we have that ability or not we'll see real quick. Before we even start thinking about medals, we have to take care of getting there."
That road starts Dec. 26 against Slovakia (8 p.m., NHLN-US) at the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon, Sask.
"If we have any chance at all, we have to play with a lot of enthusiasm and energy and create turnovers," Blais said.
Schroeder will be at the front of the line leading the team. Playing in his third WJC, the Vancouver Canucks' 2009 first-round pick is just six points shy of Jeremy Roenick's all-time U.S. Under-20 scoring mark. At the 2009 tournament, he led the team with 8 assists and 11 points. This season, the University of Minnesota sophomore is second on the team with 12 points in 18 games.
"He's got to be the energy guy," said Blais. "He's got to be the guy killing penalties, the difference-maker on the power play. He's going to have to play above the checking line of whoever he's out here against. That's what he's going to get, especially when we don't get the last change. We're going to have to make sure he plays with a lot of energy and second-effort in his game. He's going to need it because he's going to be our marked guy."
Kristo had just 1 goal in six games last year, but he'll play a far more prominent role this season. He was impressive at a summer camp in Lake Placid, and the Montreal Canadiens' 2008 second-round pick has kept that pace up in his first season at the University of North Dakota, where he leads the team in scoring with 16 points in 18 games.
[nhl.com]
