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University of Maine men’s hockey freshmen Jimmy Howard and Greg Moore had a unique opportunity over winter break this year. Both players were selected to play for Team USA at the World Junior Hockey Championships in Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia from Dec. 26-Jan. 5.
“It was truly a learning experience,” Howard said. “I only played in two games altogether, but that stuff happens.”
Howard was the starting goalie in the opening game of the tournament in Sydney against Russia, who eventually won the tournament. Howard surrendered four goals to the Russians by the 10-minute mark of the second period and was pulled by USA coach Lou Vairo for Bobby Goepfert, a freshman at Providence.
Team USA lost that game 5-1, and Goepfert started every game thereafter, until the bronze medal game in Halifax against Finland. Howard played the first period and surrendered two goals before giving way to Goepfert to start the second. USA lost that game 3-2.
“They made the right decision,” Howard said of Vairo’s choice to play Goepfert over him. “In a short tournament, you go with the guy who wins games.”
In the Russia game, Howard gave up three of the four goals to 17-year-old Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin is already being touted as the top draft pick in the 2004 NHL entry draft, when he is old enough to become eligible at age 19.
Howard says Ovechkin was the real deal.
“He has the best shot I’ve ever faced. He one-timed one out of the air on me, the next time he picked the corner over my shoulder. He has one of the best shots in the world. Certainly better than anything I’ve seen in college.”
Some goaltenders who had played as well as Howard before the tournament might have gotten down about bad play. Howard, though, used his struggles at the World Juniors as motivation to play better once he got back to UMaine.
“We always talk about mental toughness,” Howard said. “I wanted to show that I was mentally tough. I was excited to get back here and see the guys [and] the coaches and get to play in a game. I left [the experience] in Halifax, I wasn’t going to bring it back here. We’ve got the second half of the season in front of us and I don’t want to screw it up for us, I want to go as far as we can.”
“[The tournament] experience helped him,” UMaine coach Tim Whitehead said. “It’s helped him focus on what he needs to do to get better. He loves it here and we’re glad to have him. He just wants to play hockey and we’re going to give him that opportunity. He’s picked up right where he left off. He’s consistent in preparation, practices and games. We have tremendous confidence in him.”
Greg Moore also had his struggles at World Juniors, but thinks he also came away better for it.
“It wasn’t easy to get going up there,” Moore said. He had only one assist for the entire tournament, in an 8-2 win over Belarus in the preliminary round. He did play in all seven games for Team USA.
“It was a good experience. It was nice to see everyone again,” Moore said. Both Howard and Moore played with most of the players from the World Junior team in the U.S. National Team Development Program, a two-year intensive hockey training program in Ann Arbor, Mich.
“The level of coaching [at USNDP] is outstanding,” Moore said. “Hockey is your focus. You’re on the ice twice a day. You really become close to your teammates.”
Howard played with two players from the program on his line at World Juniors, with Brian McConnell of Boston University and Gino Guyer of Minnesota. Minnesota’s Barry Tallackson was also shifted in on that line.
Moore has had one multiple-goal game since the tournament, a two-goal showing at Merrimack Jan. 17.
“Greg is a great prospect,” Whitehead said. “He’s been a strong power forward for us from day one. We think he will be major player for us for years to come. World Juniors was a great experience for him.”
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