While many babies are born on their feet, Minnesotan babies seem to be born on skates. Thus, it is only natural that Minnesotan natives dominate the 2014 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team.
Of the 25-member team, eight members hail from frigid Minnesota. One of these Minnesota natives, Zach Parise, has even been fortuitous enough to be chosen as the captain of the 2014 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team. Parise hails from Minneapolis, Minnesota and is a forward for the Minnesota Wild.
Dan Bylsma, the coach of the 2014 Olympics U.S. Men’s Ice Hockey Team, reported to TeamUSA.org on Jan. 31 that he chose Parise as the captain because every time his team played Parise in the past he noticed Parise’s “never-quit” attitude, upfront abrasiveness and fierce determination that made Parise a difficult opponent to play against.
Parise told TeamUSA.org on Jan. 31 that he felt very humbled and that it was “extra special” to be chosen to lead the 2014 U.S. Olympics Men’s Ice Hockey Team.
It only seems natural that Parise was chosen as captain due to the myriad of his past achievements. He has served as captain and alternate captain when he played for the New Jersey Devils. Parise was also the alternate captain for the 2004 U.S. National Junior Team and 2008 Men’s National Team. He has gone to the Stanley Cup Playoffs seven times and to the finals once with the New Jersey Devils. In his so-far nine-year NHL career he has accrued up to 482 points in the 591 games he has played. He scored 48 goals in the 2012-13 season with the Minnesota Wild.
In the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, he helped the 2010 Olympic U.S. Men’s Ice Hockey Team to win the silver medal.
Parise was the one to score the tie-breaking goal in the final minutes of regulation, sending the two teams into overtime, where the U.S. was unable to hold on for a win, and fell 3-2 to Canada. Following his Olympic performance in 2010, Parise was named the Tournament All-Star Selection.
Parise hopes to lead this year’s Olympic U.S. Men’s team to its first gold medal in more than 30 years.
As the 2014 Winter Olympics carry on and the Men’s Ice Hockey events start to begin, the excitement will be building. Many fans are highly anticipating the Men’s Ice Hockey game in which the U.S. will face-off against Russia on Saturday, Feb. 15.
Parise isn’t the only Minnesotan who is competing in the 2014 Winter Olympics. There are 18 other Minnesotans competing in this year’s Olympic games and thirty Olympic athletes have ties to Minnesota.
As the “State of Hockey,” it’s no wonder that so many Minnesotans will be competing in the Olympics on the hockey rink. Eleven of the 19 Minnesotan Olympians will attempt to earn a gold medal in ice-hockey.
The other Minnesotan athletes will be competing in curling, speedskating, nordic skiing, and the biathlon.
Curling is the second-most popular sport among Minnesotan Olympians, with five Minnesota-natives competing for gold in curling.