Subject: USA U-18 Team

Well as you know most every team have better talent then the USA so I am not going to be able to beat them in skill. However I am going slightly aggressive in my tactics. Fingers crossed to see if it will work. Slovenia-USA should be a good game. I know the Latvia team will be a good test for your squad so hopefully the USA u18 team can past the test.

The United States lost 6-2 today against Latvia. The RNG referees basically gave the game to Latvia. The United States was assessed 9 penalties to the 2 by Latvia. Latvia outshot the United States 12-1 in power plays. Latvia outshot the United States 41-24 overall. If the power plays had been more even, these numbers would have been pretty close.

Latvia had a slight 35-27 advantage in faceoffs won. In team strength, the teams were close. Latvia had much better defense and the United States had much better goaltending.

The United States opened with a 2-0 lead off two goals by Dowd, assisted by Burkhart and then by Vance and Burkhart. Latvia then scored a goal to make it 2-1. On a 5-3 powerplay, Latvia then took the lead. With another powerplay goal and then 2 more in the last 5 minutes, Latvia won 6-2.

I decided to go with 3 lines today. I anticipated Latvia's tactics and avoided being beaten on tactics.

In the other game, Russia beat Canada 3-2. The United States plays Russia tomorrow. The winner will clinch second place with an outside chance at first. If the United States loses in regulation and Canada wins in regulation against first place Latvia, then Canada would take third because the U.S. has -2 GD and Canada has -3 GD going into tomorrow. If Russia loses in regulation, Canada would take third if one of the games is decided by more than one goal or if Canada scores a lot more goals. If Latvia loses tomorrow, Canada has a good chance at taking third, in which case Latvia would go into the next round with 1 win instead of 2, so Latvia fortunately can't afford to take Canada lightly tomorrow. The winner of Russia and the United States will take a win into the next round. Both the qualifying round and the playoffs are at stake in tomorrow's game.

The United States has better goaltending, defense, and shooting than Russia and weaker offense. While the United States is probably the favorite, either team could take the win.

The best player on the team, goaltender Bradley Kearney, just got injured with a rib fracture. Luckily, the backup is good enough that he would have caught up to Kearney after Kearney played one more game due to energy. Matt Dowell from the Momentum has actually already passed Kearney in ability - Kearney just has slightly more chemistry at the moment. The big loss will be the aiblity to conserve energy by playing both. Dowell is still better than all of the other goaltenders in this group.

Philip Dey, yet another goaltender from the Bombsville Atomics, will take over the backup role. Dey is actually about as good as the average U18 U.S. starter from previous seasons.

The United States lost 3-1 to Russia today but still advanced to the qualifying round thanks to Canada's loss against Latvia.

It was a very close game, but Russia got a lucky break. Shots were even throughout the game with a slight advantage to Russia in the 2nd and 3rd periods. The United States won the majority of the faceoffs for the first time in the tournament. Both teams took 5 penalties.

Russia opened with a goal in the first. Dowd scored once again for the United States in the second, assisted by Arnett (promoted to the first line for this game) and Sharpe. In the third, the United States gave up yet another 5-3, leading to yet another goal. Russia scored an empty net goal in the final minute.

The loss of Kearney was unfortunate, but Dowell turned out to be the better goaltender for today anyway due to energy. Goaltending will be slightly weaker in the 2nd and 3rd games of the next round, but still very good. If the United States makes the playoffs, a well-rested Kearney will be able to take over.

Russia won on tactics, though it's possible that chemistry might have been enough to negate the difference.

Going into the next round, the United States actually has the 4th best team strength. Poland and Germany are only slightly stronger. It isn't unlikely that some other teams that are currently weaker might been conserving energy. The problem is that the United States has to play both Germany and Poland starting with 0 wins and -6 GD. The Czech Republic will also be a difficult opponent.

It's unlikely that the United States will pass Latvia (6 with +6 GD) or Poland (5 with +3 GD). Russia (3 with 0 GD) looks like the weakest team in the group, so the United States could possibly pass them, though Russia isn't a team I would too easily count out, even against the strong group 1 teams. Germany only has 1 point and -3 GD, so the United States could pass them with a win against Germany and similar success in the other games. Even in this case, the United States will not be able to conserve energy (except for in net) and will be at risk of ending up playing against Slovakia in the first round. I believe that 2 wins will be necessary to advance.

Good luck to the U.S. U20 team in their next 3 games. Hopefully the team can pull through.

Good luck to the senior team in the next 2 games.

The United States lost 4-2 against Poland today. Shots were even at 28-28. Poland outshot the U.S. in the second and the the U.S. outshot them in the third. Poland dominated the faceoff circle in the first and the United States did better in the third. Poland won 33/61 overall. The United States took 7 penalties to the 1 by Poland but managed to give up only 1 power play goal (though the time lost to killing penalties was still significant). Burkhart (from Ripper and Dowd) and Hopkins (from Chapman and Vance) scored for the United States.

The United States lost on tactics in the second, and Poland capitalized in shot totals. The United States did the best in the third when it switched tactics and played with 3 lines.

Matt Dowell is the 2nd best goaltender in the tournament behind the Slovakian goaltender and maybe Kearney, the original starter. Even so, he gave up 4 goals, 3 in the first. Poland switched goaltenders in the second after the United states scored 2 in the first; the backup stonewalled the United States for the rest of the game.

The United States probably needs to win 2 more games in regulation for a chance at advancing. It is not impossible with 4 points, assuming a regulation win against Germany, but it is unlikely 4 points would be enough.

The United States plays the Czech Republic tomorrow. The Czech Republic is slightly stronger in three areas with much weaker goaltending. The United States has upset the Czech Republic in the past and can do it again. Russia plays Poland tomorrow - a win by Poland is important. Germany plays Latvia - a win by Latvia is important in this game. Russia plays the Czech Republic (so one of them is guaranteed at least 5 points) and the U.S. plays Germany on the last day. An overtime win against Germany would mean that in the best case scenario, the United States would make the playoffs on goal differential, and that isn't likely at this point.

Good luck to the other U.S. teams tomorrow as well!

So I got Gamblers, Detroit Slackers & San Crispino covered. Now working on Bohemians, Goldfish & Updog Brewer. Let me know if someone else has these covered and I'll go onto something else.

Covering San Crispino right now. Don't have the best scouting so it might take a while.

Ive got 28% per day and Im working on one guy from that got transferred to a Canadian team and then I'm going into san crispino

I've got Bombsville covered if you still need it.

Updated list with covered players removed:

15 year olds:
I.1)
15) Spirit Crushers: Robinson/Gustafson/Fryzel
17) Salt Lake Karma Police: Salmon/Lowery

II.1)
20) Dinamo1983: Langston

II.3)
22) Detroit Red Wings: Chang/Burnside/Lucas
23) Miami Revenants: Burrill
24) Brad’s Icebreakers: Sauvage (t)

II.4)
26) Detroit Slackers: King/Burks/Abernathy

I could still use help with the Bombsville Atomics, especially since I might need to add players within the first few days after the 18 year olds from the U18 national hockey team from this season graduate.

Can you also send: Gates/Sheridan/Williams/Clayton

smithe26 just sent me the rest of the players from San Crispino. Can you cover the Spirit Crushers and Salt Lake Karma Police instead?

I still need the one from the Canadian team though.

yea if crispino are covered just tell me who you need scouted

Here are the links:

1) Ivan Robinson
2) Hans Gustafson
3) Eddie Fryzel
4) Rafael Lowery
5) Chuck Salmon