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University of Massachusets Athletics
Connors And Ufko Set For World Junior Championship With Team USA
December 23, 2022 | Hockey
Action begins for the Americans vs. Latvia on Monday, December 26, in Moncton, New Brunswick.
AMHERST, Mass. - University of Massachusetts freshman forward Kenny Connors and sophomore defenseman Ryan Ufko have earned spots on USA hockey's 25-man roster for the upcoming 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, which will be held in Halifax and Moncton, Canada from December 26 to January 5. It marks the first time that UMass will have two current Minutemen rostered for a World Junior Championship.
The UMass duo has made their presence known, helping USA to two victories in its pre-tournament games, 5-2 over Finland and 5-1 over Sweden earlier this week. Ufko leads Team USA in scoring through pre-tournament action with four points (1g, 3a) over those contests, while Connors scored the game winner against Sweden with Ufko picking up the secondary helper on Wednesday afternoon.
USA will open preliminary round play on Monday, December 26 vs. Latvia and will then face Slovakia on Wednesday, December 28, Switzerland on Thursday, December 29 and close out group play vs. Finland on Saturday, December 31. All games from Avenir Centre in Moncton, New Brunswick, are slated for 4 p.m. ET starts and will air on NHL Network.
Should the Americans advance to the quarterfinal round, those matchups are scheduled for Monday, January 2, with semifinals taking place on Wednesday, January 4, and the Gold and Bronze medal games slated for Thursday, January 5.
Through 16 games this season, Connors currently leads the Minutemen in scoring with 17 points on a team-high seven goals and 10 assists and is +8. He has two power-play goals, one shorthanded goal and two game winners. The two-time Hockey East Rookie of the Week and October Rookie of the Month, is currently second in Hockey East in freshman scoring.
Ufko is tied for third on the squad in points (13) and has a team-best 10 assists alongside Connors. All three of Ufko's goals have come on the power play. Both Connors and Ufko attended USA Hockey's National Junior Evaluation camp this past summer.
Massachusetts hockey has been represented well at World Juniors during Greg Carvel's tenure at UMass with Minutemen earning roster spots at four of the past five IIHF World Junior Championships. Most recently, current sophomore Scott Morrow was named to the U.S. National Junior Team for the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship prior to its postponement last December. Zac Jones made the U.S. squad in 2020, goaltender Filip Lindberg earned a Gold medal at the 2019 tournament with Finland and Cale Makar won Gold with Canada at the 2018 World Junior Championship. Other past WJC participants from UMass include William Lagesson (2016, Sweden) and Stephen Werner (2004, USA). Werner was a Gold medal winner, as well. Director of Equipment Operations Josh Penn earned a Bronze medal on staff with Team USA in 2018.
The UMass duo has made their presence known, helping USA to two victories in its pre-tournament games, 5-2 over Finland and 5-1 over Sweden earlier this week. Ufko leads Team USA in scoring through pre-tournament action with four points (1g, 3a) over those contests, while Connors scored the game winner against Sweden with Ufko picking up the secondary helper on Wednesday afternoon.
USA will open preliminary round play on Monday, December 26 vs. Latvia and will then face Slovakia on Wednesday, December 28, Switzerland on Thursday, December 29 and close out group play vs. Finland on Saturday, December 31. All games from Avenir Centre in Moncton, New Brunswick, are slated for 4 p.m. ET starts and will air on NHL Network.
Should the Americans advance to the quarterfinal round, those matchups are scheduled for Monday, January 2, with semifinals taking place on Wednesday, January 4, and the Gold and Bronze medal games slated for Thursday, January 5.
Through 16 games this season, Connors currently leads the Minutemen in scoring with 17 points on a team-high seven goals and 10 assists and is +8. He has two power-play goals, one shorthanded goal and two game winners. The two-time Hockey East Rookie of the Week and October Rookie of the Month, is currently second in Hockey East in freshman scoring.
Ufko is tied for third on the squad in points (13) and has a team-best 10 assists alongside Connors. All three of Ufko's goals have come on the power play. Both Connors and Ufko attended USA Hockey's National Junior Evaluation camp this past summer.
Massachusetts hockey has been represented well at World Juniors during Greg Carvel's tenure at UMass with Minutemen earning roster spots at four of the past five IIHF World Junior Championships. Most recently, current sophomore Scott Morrow was named to the U.S. National Junior Team for the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship prior to its postponement last December. Zac Jones made the U.S. squad in 2020, goaltender Filip Lindberg earned a Gold medal at the 2019 tournament with Finland and Cale Makar won Gold with Canada at the 2018 World Junior Championship. Other past WJC participants from UMass include William Lagesson (2016, Sweden) and Stephen Werner (2004, USA). Werner was a Gold medal winner, as well. Director of Equipment Operations Josh Penn earned a Bronze medal on staff with Team USA in 2018.
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