Varsity Boys' Hockey to Face U.S. Women's National Team Jan. 21

The Rivers varsity boys’ hockey team will have a unique opportunity later this month when it scrimmages the United States Women’s Olympic Hockey team. Team USA is tuning up for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia and features some of the best collegiate and professional women’s hockey players in the world.

 

The game will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 21 at The Belmont Hill School.

 

This will be Team USA’s fourth scrimmage against a New England prep school after beating Taft and Salisbury in November and St. Sebastian’s on Jan. 6. Team USA will play Dexter-Southfield’s boys’ varsity team on Jan. 12 before closing out their pre-Olympic schedule against the Red Wings.

 

When USA Hockey started looking for games in the Boston area, Rivers coach Shawn McEachern saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for both his players and the program.

 

“The benefit of this game is there for both sides,” McEachern said. “They are looking for good competition and they have had good games against other prep schools to prepare for the Games in Sochi. For us, it’s the women’s national team. They’ve been together for a while, move the puck really well, and it will be a different style of play for us on the Olympic-size surface.

 

“It should be a good challenge and an even better experience for the guys.”

 

Team USA won the first-ever gold medal in women’s hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan and have medaled in every Olympics since including a silver at the 2010 Games in Vancouver.