For the first time since arriving in Lake Placid on Friday, the 45 campers invited by USA Hockey to this week's junior evaluation camp got to skate against competition from another country on Monday, as the USA Blue team faced Finland and USA White skated against Sweden.
In the second game, Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Mike Reilly scored the only goal in USA White's 5-1 loss to a Sweden team skating with seven players that won gold medals at the 2012 World Junior Championship.
Garrett Sparks stopped 21 of 23 shots in goal before giving way to Anthony Stolarz, who made 14 saves on 17 shots.
Carolina Hurricanes prospect Victor Rask scored twice for Sweden, and Pontus Aberg, a 2012 seocnd-round pick of the Nashville Predators, had a goal and an assist.
Sweden is an elite team and there is a reason why they won the gold medal last year. But when we did play to our strengths and we did create momentum we were right there in the game."
Team USA will practice for about 90 minutes Tuesday, and then watch Finland face Sweden on Tuesday afternoon. Their next game will be Wednesday against Finland.
Link: http://www.nhl.com/i...s.htm?id=639109
Other returnees from last year's Swedish team are defenseman Oscar Klefbom, and forwards Jeremy Boyce Rotevall, Filip Forsberg, William Karlsson and Victor Rask.
I can't wait to Rask finally makes the jump to the Canes, he is going to be a stud.
