January 3, 2011

By Harry Thompson
USA Hockey Magazine

It will be all hands on deck tonight as the U.S. National Junior Team prepares to navigate the hostile waters of a sea of red when it takes on Canada in a semifinal showdown at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The return of injured forwards Jeremy Morin and Jason Zucker gives the Americans a full lineup for the first time since the tournament opener against Finland.

Zucker has been out since taking a hit to the head from Marek Marincin of Slovakia on Dec. 28, while Morin has missed two of the last three games with a nagging “upper body injury” he suffered against Finland.

The return of the two veteran players should provide experience and depth for this crucial matchup. In their absence, other players have been forced to step up and accept greater responsibilities throughout the tournament.

“It’s going to be good [to have a full squad]. I think we’re going to get a different kind of a flow,” U.S. Head Coach Keith Allain said after a brief morning skate on Monday. “Having said that the guys who have had to step up and change their roles really did a great job for us.” Read more