That includes comprehensive coverage of the United States (3-0-0-1), which will play Germany (1-0-0-3) in the quarterfinals at Avenir Centre on Monday (4 p.m. ET). The United States earned the top spot in Group B with a 6-2 win against Finland on Saturday. Germany finished fourth in Group A following an 8-1 loss to Czechia the same day.
Longtime NCAA hockey analyst Dave Starman, who will handle the broadcasts along with Stephen Nelson and Jon Rosen, will give his three keys to victory for the United States before each of its games during the 11-day tournament.
"Having watched Germany in their games against Canada and Sweden, I can tell you they compete, they have some skill, they love to shoot on the power play, and they play it safe," Starman said. "There is no one area they match up well with the U.S., so this will become one of those 60-minute games where the lower seed must take advantage on the power play, have a hot goalie, and make the favorite chase the game.
"As a special treat for the three keys today, we'll look at what's most important on Monday through the eyes of some of the coaches who have coached in this game before. The gold-medal team from the 2017 WJC survived a scare in the quarterfinals from Switzerland in Toronto. The U.S. played like it was afraid to make a mistake but survived. Coach Bob Motzko told me later: 'You have no amount of stomach bile you build up in that one-off game. You just have to survive it.'"
Here are Starman's 3 keys to victory for the United States against Germany:
1. Ease the pressure
"Dean Blais, who led the United States to the gold medal at the 2010 WJC in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, said to me: "The coach can ease the pressure on themselves and their players by having good preparation for the 3-to-4 games leading up to that Jan. 2 game. You put in the work, now let them go and play. Most importantly, don't beat yourself.'"
2. Discipline
"Mark Osiecki (University of Wisconsin associate head coach), whose team lost to Russia in the quarterfinals in 2015 in Montreal, said: 'Discipline was the key. We were good most of that tournament, and then against Russia we got down early due to penalties.' At the 2014 WJC in Malmo, Sweden, the United States also faced Russia. Don Lucia, who is now the commissioner of the CCHA, was the coach of that team, which had also been playing well heading into Jan 2. 'We lost that game to Russia in a three-minute segment in the second period. We're down 5-on-3, they score, and off the next face-off, we win it, and our defenseman launched one the length of the ice and over the end glass for another penalty as he shot it from our defensive zone. They scored 5-on-3 again, and we never caught up.'"
3. Grab the game early
"Nate Leaman (Providence College head coach), who won gold with the United States in 2021 before losing in the quarterfinals to Czechia in 2022, which took place last August, said chasing the game, especially as the favorite, is not a great recipe for success. 'First goal is big. Goaltending has to be really big. You want the puck, control the dot, own the middle ice and make the first goal a priority.'
"Mike Hastings, who led Minnesota State University, Mankato to the NCAA national championship game last season and won a silver medal with the United States in 2019 in Vancouver, said, 'Focus on those first five minutes and get to your game quickly.' Hastings added that he has liked the way this team has grown in its ability to manage the puck but emphasized, 'Expect and embrace the adversity and earn your breaks, nothing is for free.'"
