Five things USA needs to do to be medal contender at world championships
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Connor Murphy, playing in his third world championships, understands that survival in these tournaments requires winning the right games and not necessarily all of the games.
“The one thing I’ve learned is how long this tournament is and how many things can happen over a series of seven games,” Murphy told Paste BN Sports, via cell phone, from St. Petersburg, Russia. “There is so many different ways to get into the quarterfinals.”
After the Americans’ 1-2 start, here’s Paste BN Sports’ take on what the Americans need to do to be a medal contender.
1. Run the rest of the table. The Americans have to take down France on Thursday (9:15 a.m., NBC Sports Network), followed by Hungary, Germany and Slovakia. If they do that, they will likely have a No. 3 seed heading into the quarterfinals.
2. Avoid a Russia quarterfinal matchup. The Russians look as if they will win the other pool, and the Americans wouldn’t have to face them in the quarterfinal if they finish third.
3. Continued improvement. With an average age of 23, the Americans have the youngest team they've had in at least 12 years. It helps that the Americans have a seasoned captain in Matt Hendricks. He was captain last year when USA won the bronze medal. “You need to get better every game,” Murphy said. “That’s something we need to focus upon, and we have gotten better every game.”
4. Tighten up defensively. You have to limit mistakes in this tournament because every team has enough accomplished scorers to make you pay for every error. The Americans have given up 11 goals in three games. Canada has outscored teams 20-2. The Finns have outscored opponents 14-5.
5. Feed the young lions. At 18, Auston Matthews, projected to be the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft, leads the Americans with four points. Detroit Red Wings rookie Dylan Larkin, 19, has looked dangerous every time he is on the ice. This is the future of America. Give them the baton, and let them run with it.