Team USA believes 'grit' is key to World Cup gold

Role players and line matchups don't make for the prettiest brand of hockey, but Team USA believes its game plan can lead to a World Cup win.

With its sights set on gold - the Americans won the first World Cup in 1996 - Team USA realizes an all-skill game isn't its path to victory.

Rather, Team USA is lined with an interesting mix of skill and grit, similar to its strategy that nearly led the country to victory at the 2010 Winter Olympics, only to fall to Team Canada in the gold-medal game.

A purpose-built squad, Team USA omitted a handful of talented players from its final roster, like Pittsburgh's Phil Kessel and Tampa Bay's Tyler Johnson, both of whom have posted Conn Smythe-worthy postseasons in recent years.

But Team USA aims to be a big team, one that is difficult to play against and makes it a long night for the opposition. That means some skilled players simply don't fit the mould.

"We're going to have to pressure them all over the ice," Zach Parise told NHL.com. "It's about creating those turnovers, making other teams' (defensemen) uncomfortable and pressuring them, and creating chances that way."

Agitating winger Justin Abdelkader agrees with the sentiment.

"The makeup of this team is that of a team that is going to be strong on the forecheck, hang on to pucks, a gritty-type American game, good goaltending, good defense.

"We're not going to try to go out there and score eight goals. If that happens, it happens. But we're going to play good defense and try to capitalize on our opportunities."

Still, that's not to say Team USA is devoid of talent. That label doesn't fit a squad that features last year's Art Ross and Hart Trophy winner in Patrick Kane, or prolific point producers like Parise and Joe Pavelski.

And as Abdelkader noted, Team USA is strong in net, with arguably the tournament's best group in Jonathan Quick, Ben Bishop, and Cory Schneider. Considering the trio's list of accolades, it's understandable why head coach John Tortorella has not yet decided on his team's starter.

"Make no mistake about it: We're not going to spend a lot of time worrying about other teams, how they play," Tortorella summarized. "We're going to play our game. We're going to try to inflict and put our will into a game and go about it that way. It's not going to be a convoluted message."