As a youngster, Matt Coronato would mostly spend his summer on the diamond. Second base was his specialty.
“A gold medal is definitely the goal. That’s why everyone is so excited, just the chance of doing that, of that end result,” Coronato said before the puck dropped on this do-over edition of the world junior showdown, typically a staple in the holiday season. “We have guys on this team who’ve done it, who won it in 2021, so I think we have a lot of experience.
“For me, even with how exciting this moment is, I think you have to treat it like you’re on any other team — to just play your role and do whatever you can to help the team,” Coronato said prior to the tournament. “It’s definitely a big stage, but I think keeping the game simple and trusting your teammates and being a good teammate is always the most important.
“We know the offensive upside and we know how he shoots the puck, but to me it’s all the stuff that leads to that,” Edwards said. “He’s been excellent on the forecheck. He’s been hard on the puck. He’s been getting pucks back. He’s been able to keep the puck and hang onto the puck longer. One of the things we talked a lot about with Matthew over the course of the year was having the puck more. Because when he has it, he’s a dynamic player.