Photo by: Greg Anderson
Captain America, meet Master Luke
January 04, 2017 | Men's Hockey
Kunin goes for gold on Thursday, continues Wisconsin tradition as Team USA World Junior captain
MADISON, Wis. — When Team USA head coach Bob Motzko announced who the captain for the 2017 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship would be, he made a wise choice.
He picked Wisconsin sophomore forward Luke Kunin for the role, who joined Badgers Jake McCabe, John Ramage and Derek Stepan as Team USA captains in the last eight years.
With nine medals all-time since the event officially began in 1978, Team USA has brought home a medal in each of the last three trips with a Badger as captain. It will be four-straight times in 2017 as the Kunin-led Americans are in Thursday's gold medal game after a seven-round shootout win over Russia on Wednesday.
McCabe led the team to gold in 2013, Ramage directed the squad to bronze in 2011 and Stepan captained the team to gold in 2010.
Throw in Team's USA first-ever gold medal at the event in 2004 — with former Badger Mike Eaves as head coach and Ryan Suter, Jake Dowell and Jeff Likens on the squad — and Badgers have been key to all three gold medal runs in tournament history to this point.
Kunin, who has been among the team leaders in minutes played throughout the tournament, helped set up a pair of goals and fired off 15 shots in three-plus games of pool play. In the elimination round, Kunin has a goal in each contest, scoring in the quarterfinals against Switzerland and a power-play goal against Russia in the semifinals.
That helped Team USA win its first-ever World Junior media round tilt against Russia.
Kunin has been used in all situations, including killing penalties, and has been blocking shots and doing whatever necessary to help Team USA go 6-0 through pool play and the elimination games to get to the gold medal contest.
Wisconsin's leading goal scorer, with 11 goals through the season's first 16 games, could be back in Madison in time to play this weekend when the Badgers take on Michigan State in the team's Big Ten home-opening weekend. UW skates Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m.
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He picked Wisconsin sophomore forward Luke Kunin for the role, who joined Badgers Jake McCabe, John Ramage and Derek Stepan as Team USA captains in the last eight years.
With nine medals all-time since the event officially began in 1978, Team USA has brought home a medal in each of the last three trips with a Badger as captain. It will be four-straight times in 2017 as the Kunin-led Americans are in Thursday's gold medal game after a seven-round shootout win over Russia on Wednesday.
McCabe led the team to gold in 2013, Ramage directed the squad to bronze in 2011 and Stepan captained the team to gold in 2010.
Throw in Team's USA first-ever gold medal at the event in 2004 — with former Badger Mike Eaves as head coach and Ryan Suter, Jake Dowell and Jeff Likens on the squad — and Badgers have been key to all three gold medal runs in tournament history to this point.
Kunin, who has been among the team leaders in minutes played throughout the tournament, helped set up a pair of goals and fired off 15 shots in three-plus games of pool play. In the elimination round, Kunin has a goal in each contest, scoring in the quarterfinals against Switzerland and a power-play goal against Russia in the semifinals.
That helped Team USA win its first-ever World Junior media round tilt against Russia.
Kunin has been used in all situations, including killing penalties, and has been blocking shots and doing whatever necessary to help Team USA go 6-0 through pool play and the elimination games to get to the gold medal contest.
Wisconsin's leading goal scorer, with 11 goals through the season's first 16 games, could be back in Madison in time to play this weekend when the Badgers take on Michigan State in the team's Big Ten home-opening weekend. UW skates Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m.
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Players Mentioned
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