Werenski has plenty of international experience, but none compares to what he will experience tonight at Bell Centre.
Thursday night in Montréal, Zach Werenski and his U.S. teammates put on a show against Finland.
After somewhat of a sluggish start, the Americans scored four goals in the third period to put the game away quickly.
But now it's time for the big one - The United States versus Canada.
This will undoubtedly be the biggest game in defenseman Zach Werenski's career. It's been a long time since the two rivals have played in a best-on-best tournament, and tonight has a chance to be huge for Team America and Werenski.
Werenski has plenty of international experience. He's played for the U.S. U17, U18, U20, and in the World Championships twice. This past spring, he played in 8 games in the WC and had 7 points. He played alongside teammates Johnny Gaudreau and Gavin Brindley.
Nothing will compare to this game tonight, however.
This game marks the 20th all-time game between the two countries in a best-on-best situation. Currently, Canada holds a 14-4-1 advantage in the series. But Canada has yet to face an American team as stacked as this one. From top to bottom, this USA team has what it needs to beat Canada.
Canada will most likely have Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, and Cale Makar on the ice at the same time, and that is a scary thought. Guys like Zach Werenski, Adam Fox, Charlie McAvoy, and Noah Hanafin will have the daunting task of trying to slow down the Canadiens.
But the Americans are putting a team on the ice that no other USA team can compare to. This is arguably the most talented group of Americans assembled to date. Auston Matthews, Jack Hughes, Matthew Tkachuk, and his brother Brady have a huge advantage against the Canadian defense consisting of Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Travis Sanheim.
The U.S. game against Finland drew a massive TV audience, and this one will most likely be bigger than the first one.
Brady Tkachuk said about this game, “I think it’s going to be the biggest game I’ve ever played in my career." “So I’m really looking forward to that. There’s a big build-up to it. U.S. versus Canada, it’s bigger than just the guys on the ice. It’s so many people—past, present, and future.”
The pressure is on for the Americans to beat Canada, and for Zach Werenski, it will be the biggest game of his career at any stage. Werenski does have the experience of a Calder Cup Finals appearance back in 2016, but that doesn't come close to comparing to what he will go through tonight. The slightest mistake could cost either team the game.
Good Luck to Zach Werenski and Team USA.
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.