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Menu NYI Database News
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He was a 5th round pick of the Islanders in 2002. The Islanders 2001 7th round pick, defenseman Jan Holub was selected to play for the Czech Republic squad. Not much is known about Holub and this tournament should help the Islanders gauge what type of player he is and if he has any upside. Of course Bergenheim was selected 22nd overall in last summers draft. - It would be nice to see if Bergenheim can continue to develop offensively as that was one of the knocks on him coming into last summers draft. Scouts commented that Bergenheim could skate like the wind, but offensively was compared to current Ranger minor leaguer Rico Fata. This was definitely an impressive start to the highest level of competition he has faced so far.
- Bergenheim scored eight goals and 12 points in eight games at the 2002 World Under-18 Championship. Some NHL GM’s say Bergenheim was the fastest skater selected in the 2002 draft and has all the tools to become an excellent two-way forward in the NHL.
Jan 5: Finland defeats Team USA 3-2 for the Bronze Medal. Bergenheim does not factor into the scoring for the win. He finishes the tournament 2-4-6 in 7 games. With 5:42 remaining in the game, and with Finland up 3-0, Bergenheim was called for kneeing. Ryan Suter got USA on the board on the ensuing powerplay, with an assist from Long Island's Christopher Higgins. Dustin Brown would score with less than 2 minutes remaining to make it 3-2 with an assist from Zach Parise, but Finland held on for their 4th Bronze all time and 11th medal in WJC's history. Jan 3: Finland loses 4-1 to Russia in the semifinals. With Russia leading 1-0, Finland tied it 1-1 late in the first period on a goal by Jesse Niinimaki. Bergenheim registered an assist on the goal. He is now 2-4-6 in 6 games played. Both teams played a bit of a listless second period with Russia outshooting the Finns 10-2. In the third, Russia got 3 quick goals to advance to the Gold Medal game. Finland will face the loser of tonight's USA-Canada game for the Bronze Medal. Jan 2: Bergenheim notches 2 assists in Finland's 6-0 win over Slovakia in a quarter final game. In 5 games Bergenheim has gone 2-3-5, averaging a point per game. The loss eliminated Slovakia from the tournament. Finland will now face Russia Friday in a Semifinal game. The winner will play for the Gold Medal against the winner of a semifinal match up between Team USA and Canada. Russia had a bye from quarterfinal play thanks to going a perfect 4-0-0 during the round robin. They are led by Alexander Ovechkin, a phenom currently rated to go #1 in the 2004 NHL draft. Dec 31: An exciting match up between Canada and Finland ends in a 5-3 Canada win. Bergenheim does not factor into the scoring as Finland loses it's first game of the tournament. Dec 30: Finland and the Czech Republic skate to a 2-2 tie. Finland improves to 2-0-1 in the tournament. Bergenheim doesn't factor into the scoring. Dec 28: Sean Bergenheim scores the game winning goal in Finland's 3-2 win over Sweden. The Finns completed a bang-bang play to perfection that ended in Sean Bergenheim lifting the puck over a helpless Michal Zajowski, at 14:30 of the third. Finland killed a Swedish power play late to hold on to the narrow 3-2 victory. Bergenheim now has 2 goals and an assist in his two games of the tournament. Finland is considered a favorite in the championships with 5 first round picks in the lineup including goaltender Kari Lehtonen, drafted by Atlanta, and Bergenheim. Dec 26: Sean Bergenheim led the way for team Finland in their first game against Germany as they opened up the 2003 World Junior Championships with a 4-0 shutout. Sean registered a goal and an assist in the win. He assisted on the second goal of the game and then iced the contest in the third period with a goal. Bergenheim set up Jussi Timonen's first goal of the match just 3:17 into the game on the powerplay. With the Finns up a pair in the final period, Bergenheim capped his effort by banging home a rebound four minutes in. He was named first star. Exhibition: Dec 23: Bergenheim goes scoreless in a final tune up game against Canada as Finland falls 6-3. Dec 22: Bergenheim goes scoreless as the Swiss pull off a shocking upset and defeat Finland 6-2.
Jan 4: After surviving a possible upset once again to Belarus, Sweden gets upset by Switzerland 5-3. Marcus Paulsson did not factor into the scoring and finished the tournament with 3 assists in 6 games. Paulsson took a roughing penalty midway through the second period and SUI scored to make it 4-1 on the ensuing powerplay. Sweden goes 2-4 overall and finishes in 8th place, their worst finish since 1997. Jan 3: Belarus almost upsets Sweden once again in a relegation match to determine final place of order. Sweden came back with 2 goals in the third period to defeat Belarus 5-4. Paulsson did not factor into the scoring. Dec 31: Sweden loses their final game 3-1 to the Czech Republic. Paulsson goes scoreless and took a hooking penalty in the third period. The Czechs did not score on the powerplay. Sweden finishes at 1-3-0. Dec 30: Paulsson notches 2 assists over Germany in Sweden's 7-2 win, their only win of the tournament. He now has 3 assists in 3 games. Dec 28: Paulsson notches an assist in Sweden's 3-2 loss to Finland. Sweden drops to 0-2-0 in the tournament. Paulsson assisted on what was at the time a go ahead goal for Sweden as they led 2-1. Sean Bergenheim won the game scoring late in the third period for Finland, 3-2. Dec 26: Canada drubs Sweden 8-2. Paulsson did not factor into the scoring for Sweden. Exhibition Dec 23: Sweden loses to Team USA 6-2. Not sure if Paulsson was released from Saskatoon of the WHL early enough to participate in these preliminary games. Dec 21: Sweden defeats Germany 5-2.
Jan 4: The Czech Republic faced off against rival Slovakia for 5th place in the tournament. Both teams played like it was their final game and there really was no passion. Slovakia went on to win it 2-0. Jan Holub took a double minor for checking from behind late in the second period. Slovakia did not score on the powerplay. In 6 games Holub was a -4 and had 14 PIM's. Jan 2: The Czech Republic is elimated from any chance for a medal as they lose a close game to Team USA 4-3. Holub did not factor into the scoring. USA goes on to face Canada in a semifinal matchup. Dec 31: The Czechs defeat Sweden 3-1 and improve to 2-1-1. They qualify to play a quarterfinal game. Holub did not factor into the scoring. Dec 30: The Czech Republic skate to a 2-2 tie with Finland. Holub does not factor into the scoring. The Czechs are now 1-1-1 as they battle to make the second round. Dec 28: The Czechs fall to Canada 4-0. Holub takes an interference call in the first. Canada did not capitalize on the powerplay. Dec 27: The Czech Republic defeats Germany 3-0 in their opening game of the tournament. Holub does not factor into the scoring. Exhibition Dec 22: Slovakia defeats the Czech Republic 4-2. Holub scores both goals in the third period while down 4-0, but it was little too late for the Czechs. Dec 21: Czech Republic defeat Switzerland 7-5 in shootout. Holub takes a slashing penalty at the 20 minute mark of the first period with Czechs up 2-1. The Swiss score on the ensuing powerplay 20 seconds into the second to tie the game up and then rattle off 3 more goals in the second period to take a 5-2 lead. The Czechs storm back to score 5 times of their own in the third to win it. Holub does not factor into the scoring.
Jan 5: Team USA loses again 3-2 to Finland to once again finish the WJC's tournament in a disappointing 4th place. Finland held a 3-0 lead before USA came back to score 2 late goals, but it wasn't enough. Zach Parise recorded an assist while Eric Nystrom went scoreless. Team USA has only won 3 medals all-time in WJC play, 1 silver and 2 bronze. Jan 3: Team USA loses to Canada 3-2 in the semifinals. USA got a bit of Islander blast from the past when Nystrom scored with an assist to Parise. That's Eric from Zach to tie the game 1-1. The game was tied at 2-2 until Jeff Woywitka won it for Canada with just under 9 minutes left to play. USA will now play Finland for the Bronze Medal Sunday afternoon. Jan 2: Here is my patriotic report for Team USA. They defeated the Czech Republic 4-3 today in a quarterfinal match up that vaults them into a semifinal battle against Canada Friday night. Team USA with a win could play the winner of Russia vs. Finland for the Gold Medal on Sunday. Team USA has never won the Gold. They have one silver medal finish and two Bronze medal finishes all-time. - Leading the way for Team USA are two sons of former New York Islanders. The University of Michigan's Eric Nystrom, son of Bobby Nystrom and 2002 draft choice of Calgary, is Team USA's captain. Nystrom was snubbed from the team last year. Their leading scorer is the University of North Dakota's Zach Parise, son of J. P. Parise. The NCAA's current leading scorer in the nation, Parise is eligible for the upcoming 2003 NHL draft and could move up to become a very high pick.
Nikolai Zherdev: The top rated pick for the 2003 NHL draft has not had a very good tournament thus far playing on a pretty good team. He only has one assist in 4 games as Russia has one 4-0-0 thanks in most part to the next prospect. Alexander Ovechkin: A 17 year old phenom who is destined to go #1 overall in the 2004 NHL draft. He is dominating in this tournament, which is an amazing feat at the age of 17. Not too many 17 year olds dominate in this tournament. His 6 goals in 4 games leads all goal scorers. He has 7 points overall for third in scoring.
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1998-2004 Tom Mascioli
In a very good interview done by Jen McCauley of 