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Smith selected to play for U.S. national team at upcoming world championships

Avon native Ben Smith was selected to play on the U.S. national team at the upcoming world championship tournament.

Avon native Ben Smith was selected to play on the U.S. national team at the upcoming world championship tournament. (Photo courtesy San Jose Sharks)

Avon native Ben Smith has been named to the 2015 U.S. national hockey team that will compete at the world championships May 1-17 in the Czech Republic. Smith, a forward with the San Jose Sharks, will be playing on the U.S. team for the first time.

Smith, 26, was acquired by San Jose on March 2 from the Chicago Blackhawks and played 19 games with the Sharks, scoring two goals and three assists. Smith scored a goal and had an assist in his first game with San Jose on March 2 against Montreal. For the year, Smith had seven goals and seven assists in 80 games.

Smith has 25 goals and 19 assists in 175 career NHL games, In 27 playoff games, the 5-foot-11 Smith has seven goals and two assists. He was a member of Chicago’s 2013 Stanley Cup championship team. The Sharks didn’t make the NHL playoffs, which begin Wednesday, making Smith available for the U.S. national team.
 
Smith joins a second Connecticut player on the roster. Arizona’s Marc Arcobello, a forward from Milford and Yale University, is also on the squad.

Last year, the Americans finished sixth among 16 teams at the world championships. Team USA went 5-3, winning one game in an overtime shootout. The Americans advanced to the quarterfinals before being eliminated by the Czech Republic.

The last time the Americans won a medal was in 2013 when they took home the bronze medal for finishing third. The Americans’ most recent silver medal was in 1950 and its only gold medal at the world championships came in 1933.

Team USA schedule
All times EST
April 28: Austria (exhibition), 2:30 p.m.
World Championships
May 1: Finland, 10:15 a.m.
May 2: Norway, 2:15 p.m.
May 4: Russia, 10:15 a.m.
May 7: Belarus, 10:15 a.m.
May 8: Denmark, 2:15 p.m.
May 10: Slovenia, 10:15 a.m.
May 12: Slovenia, 10:15 a.m.
May 14: Quarterfinals
May 16: Semifinals
May 17: Medal round

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