Bjork’s pair paces USA Nationals past Sweden

Team USA wrapped up the 2015 National Junior Evaluation Camp with a final exhibition contest Aug. 8 at Lake Placid and an impressive 6-1 win against Finland.

Both Finland and Sweden were also using the Lake Placid event as a way to get a late summer look at the hopefuls for their respective National teams that will compete at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship tournament beginning Dec. 26 at Helsinki Finland.

The USA team is blessed with a large contingent of Midwest-bred players and they played a big part in the win againt Finland.

The USA carried a 2-0 lead into the second period before Anders Bjork, a 19-year-old native of Mequon, WI all but put the game away, connecting on two goals in a span of 14 seconds. Bjork is likely heading to his second season at Notre Dame this fall and he was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the Fifth Round (146th Overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

He wasn’t the only Midwesterner to enjoy a big game though. Brock Boeser, an 18-year-old First Round (23rd Overall) pick of the Vancouver Canucks earlier this summer, had one of the first period goals, following Auston Matthews, an Arizona native who is currently rated as the best pick in the 2016 draft. Mathews made news following the tournament when he announced he planned to play pro hockey in Switzerland this season rather than a season of junior hockey in the WHL.

Matthew Tkachuk, also, a top prospect in the 2016 NHL draft and son of former NHL player Keith Tkachuk, collected a goal and assist in the game. The St. Louis native is expected to suit up for the OHL’s London Knights this season.

Jeremy Bracco, a native of New York State and Second Round (61st Overall) selection of the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this summer had the other goal while Scott Eansor, a Colorado native collected two assists.

In goal was another Midwestern product, Brandon Halverson from Traverse City, MI, turning aside 16 of the 17 shots he faced in goal to nail down the win in the event finale. Halverson was selected by the New York Rangers in the Second Round (59th Overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft and he is heading back to the OHL for a third season with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

As of the end of the tournament, Team USA still has 33 players on its roster (31 finished the tournament games in camp with two others leaving for precautionary reasons). Players will now have to let their play on upcoming teams speak for itself as the team will ultimately have to be trimmed — likely in early December, the final roster that will make the trip to Helsinki when the tournament begins Dec. 26.