we got there about 5ish - just enough time to get some dinner - Keilbasa - it was delicious! while we were sitting outside eating it, a group of teenage boys from Germany arrived singing wit/chanting with beers in hand - oh boy! this was just the beginning :)
TV wanted us to take lots of pics of him - we did our best with the camera's that we have with us... luckily Lance was videoing his shifts and caught him scoring - here's the link (when Lance wakes up i'll try to imbed the video) https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=444164122272648
as i stood there at the beginning of the game, i couldn't help but not get a little emotional - there TV stood with some top players of USA (one of the only kids from the westcoast), looking at the 5 Nation's flag - first listening to the Germany National Anthem and then ours - what a moment! Then came the realization that he was named Asst. Captain on the team - what an honor - i forgot to ask how they were chosen - i plan on doing that today. then came his first goal! I had my camera out ready to take pics but i got so lost in the moment and wanted to soak in the excitement from his first international goal that i forgot to take pics and ended up with a tear in my eye:)
those were probably the best highlights of the game - he played real good and eventually the germany drunk kids we kicked out. it was funny to listen to them at first - they sung quickly to some tunes then they got slower and slower - next thing i know they were gone - haha:) the music that they play in between play are all songs from USA hockey games - although they played "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springstein and i'm not sure i've ever heard that at a hockey game before - haha:) when they announce during the game, they do it in czech and then english:)
we've met most of the USA parents here at the games. they are all real nice people. taylor is rooming with Austin Poganski from MN - we have ended up talking to the MN people the most and will probably meet them for lunch on Friday...
Here's what the USA hockey website had to say about the game:
| Under-17 Select Team Tops Germany in Five Nations Opener | |||||||||||||||
August 8, 2012
CHOMUTOV, Czech Republic – Austin Poganski (St. Cloud, Minn.) and Kyle Connor (Shelby Township, Mich.) scored two goals each as the U.S. Under-17 Select Team defeated Germany, 6-2, in the first preliminary-round game of the 2012 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament.
"We wanted to come out strong and make sure we got pressure on their defense," said Barry Smith, head coach of the U.S. Under-17 Select Team. "I was very happy with our performance tonight. It was a good first game and we'll look ahead to the next one."
Team USA opened the scoring just 2:15 into the game. Cullen Munson (Edina, Minn.) caught the German defense off-guard when he collected a pass from Shane Gersich (Chaska, Minn.) and slammed a shot beneath the German goalie's pads. Less than a minute later, Taylor Vickerman (Kennewick, Wa.) skated down the right side of the ice and blasted a shot past the glove of the German netminder to give the U.S. a 2-0 lead.
In the second period, Germany cut the U.S. lead in half just 1:15 into the period, but Poganski responded for the U.S., scoring a pair of goals in less than a minute. The first came off an odd-man rush, as he was able to bury a rebound in front of the net. He scored his second goal when he received a pass from the corner from Ryan Donato (Scituate, Mass.) and zipped it along the ice under the stick of the German goaltender.
Despite a late second period goal by Germany, Connor netted two goals late in the third to secure the win.
U.S. goaltender Chris Birdsall (Glen Rock, N.J.) was flawless in two of the three periods, posting 15 saves en route to the victory.
Notes: Austin Poganski was named U.S. Player of the Game ... For the complete U.S. Under-17 Select Team roster, click here ... Follow @USAHockey and @USAHockeyScores on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news from the tournament ... The 2012 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament includes teams from the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland and the United States ... Barry Smith (Whitefish, Mont.) serves as head coach, while Pat Mikesch (Hancock, Mich.) fills the role of assistant coach for the 2012 U.S. Under-17 Select team ... The 20 players on the U.S. roster represent 12 different states. Minnesota leads the way with five players, while Michigan and Illinois each have three.
Game Summary
First Period - Scoring: 1, USA, Munson (Gersich), 2:15; 2, USA, Vickerman (Gersich, Nardella), 2:48. Penalties: None.
Second Period - Scoring: 3, GER, Manuel (Rogl), 1:20 (pp); 4, USA, Poganski (Donato, Booth), 8:50; 5, USA, Poganski, (Gersich), 9:45; 6, GER, Raiter (Eder, Quass), 10:12; Penalties: USA, Dudek (tripping), 1:22; GER, Stern (tripping), 2:27; USA, Ford (kneeing), 10:46; USA, Walker (delaying the game), 11:52; GER, Bockmann (holding), 17:04.
Third Period - Scoring: 7, USA, Connor (Pavelek, Dougherty), 10:37; 8, USA, Connor (Fortunato, Siebenaler), 14:07. Penalties: GER, Stettmer (tripping), 0:18; GER, Stern (hitting from behind), 3:28; USA, Siebenaler (interference), 5:40; GER, Rogl (tripping), 8:36; USA, Walker (roughing), 11:45; GER, Stocker (slashing), 14:58.
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