Former Union Coach Leads U.S. To Junior Hockey World Championship

The United States Junior National Hockey team has become a true world power on the ice! The US beat a strong Canadian team in Edmonton Canada this weekend to win its fifth gold medal in the IIHF World Junior tournament. If you were watching the Junior US team, Capital Region Hockey fans may have noticed a familiar face coaching the team. Former Union men's hockey coach Nate Leaman can add "Gold medal-winning coach" to his resume.

Nate Leaman was the head coach for Union Men's Hockey from 2003 to 2011. Leaman won ECAC Coach of the year twice and lead the Dutchman to a 2011 at large bid into the NCAA tournament. Leaman would leave Union to become the head coach of Providence in 2012 where he coached the Friars to their first NCAA National Championship in the 2014 - 2015 season. It's really awesome to see coaches that spent time here in the 518 leading the country to championships.

Leaman told USAHockey.com “I’m very proud of this group of guys, we really came together as a team over the course of this tournament, We played a great Canadian team today and we’re very fortunate to have beat them. I’m proud of how this team played together. This will be a memory they have forever.”

Here are highlights of the IIHF Championship game where the US team tops Canada 2-0 behind 34 saves from Florida Panthers prospect Spencer Knight in goal.

One of my resolutions for 2021 is to be a better hockey fan. That goal gets a little easier when I see how good the US team is! Now if the New York Rangers can go get the Stanley Cup it'll be A LOT easier!

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