Wednesday, April 29, 2009

IIHF Men's World Championship: Pav's to team USA

The local Madison fish wraps have awoken from their slumber to inform us that forever Badger great Joe Pavelski has been added to the United States roster at the IIHF Men's World Championship in Bern, Switzerland.

The United States typically leaves a roster spot or two open during the preliminary round games. When NHL squads are eliminated after the first round, players can then be added to the roster to beef it up for a run at the gold.

This will be Pavelski's second time as a member of Team USA. He also suited up for the stars and stripes during the Viking Cup when he was playing for Waterloo in the USHL. He will take the ice for the first time with this current USA squad during Friday's tilt against France.

I'm sure whoever pieced this article together was extremely busy with all the sports news going on this week in Madison, but it would have been nice of them to let us know Pavelski is not the only former Badger playing in the World Championship.

*Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Suter is representing the United States and has not recorded a point in the first 3 games of the tournament but is a +1.

*Goaltender Bernd Bruckler is 0-2 with a 4.50 gaa and an 88% save percentage for Team Austria. According to future Hall of Fame USCHO poster ExileOnDaytonStreet, Bernd signed a free agent deal with the KHL club Torpedo Nishny Novgorod. ExileOnDaytonStreet has done a great job keeping everyone updated on the Championships over on the USCHO Wisconsin thread.

*Ottawa Senators forward Dany Heatley is having a nice tournament for Canada. He currently has 2 goals and 3 assists in 3 games for the mounties. He is also a team high +6.

Photo: Jeff Miller
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