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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr had to be restrained from going after the officials after he was ejected in the fourth quarter on Monday, Jan. 5, in a 103-102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The first call that upset Kerr was when guard Stephen Curry made a basket but it was taken off the board after officials said he was fouled on the floor. Minutes later, a missed goaltending call led to a sequence where Curry was whistled for his fifth foul.

That set Kerr off, and he stepped on the court to yell at the officials, earning two quick technical fouls and a game ejection … with Snoop Dogg on the call for Peacock.

After the game, officials admitted the goaltend should have been called, but it did not trigger an automatic review because it occurred outside the final two minutes.

Curry ended up fouling out with 43 seconds remaining, and Jimmy Butler’s potential game-winning 16-foot jumper at the buzzer was off, dropping Golden State to 19-18 on the season.

Kerr did not attend the postgame news conference, with Warriors assistant Terry Stotts, who helped to restrain Kerr when he was ejected, taking his place.

‘I’m up here because I’m saving Steve some money,’ Stotts said.

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One of the most popular kits in U.S. men’s national team history may be returning for the 2026 World Cup.

According to a leak from Footy Headlines, the USMNT will utilize a red and white striped jersey for the tournament on home soil next summer.

The Nike kit is reminiscent of the team’s “Waldo” jersey, which was U.S. Soccer’s primary kit from 2012 until 2014. It has remained a fan-favorite in the intervening years, with many calling for its return.

The new design is a slight departure from the previous look, with a wavy stripe pattern replacing the straight horizontal stripes.

A navy Nike swoosh is on the left side of the jersey with the U.S. Soccer crest on the right.

The jersey is also a callback to the primary kit from the 1994 World Cup, the last time the USMNT served as the tournament’s host. That kit also used a red and white striped pattern, but with vertical stripes instead of horizontal.

The U.S. women’s national team would also wear the new jersey along with the men’s team. The new primary kit is set to be released in early 2026.

The new kit could become a huge hit with the USMNT set to serve as co-host of the World Cup along with Mexico and Canada.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side has been drawn in Group D along with Australia, Paraguay and a European team yet to be determined.

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ATLANTA ― Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo seemingly dreams of creating chaos for opponents.

As Glorilla’s ‘Let Her Cook’ fittingly blares through the speakers at McCamish Pavilion, Hidalgo isn’t hard to spot. Her signature puff is tied up, ever so lightly bouncing, as the junior guard awaits the opening tipoff. Just one minute and 20 seconds into a New Year’s Day matchup against Georgia Tech, Hidalgo does one of the things she does best ― picks her opponent’s pocket.

As the minutes tick away, Hidalgo eventually gets another steal and zooms down the hardwood. With no one around her, she stops on a dime and drains a pull-up triple. It’s a regular day at the office for one of the best two-way players in the country. Hildago leads the nation in steals (5.9 per game) and is second in scoring (25.5 ppg) behind Iowa State’s Audi Crooks. As her junior season unfolds, Hilalgo says she’s matured as a person and player under Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey.

‘My biggest thing was that next play mentality and being able to manage my emotions, and then also be able to manage my teammates’ emotions and not be so worried about myself,’ Hildago told USA TODAY Sports. ‘I feel like I’ve grown a lot in that area, especially from a freshman to now. I still think I have a lot of growth to do … but I think that’s the area I’m most proud of.’

Since her collegiate debut in 2023, Hildago has been the ultimate competitor. She scored 31 points and three steals in her first college basketball game ― against then No. 6 South Carolina. The Notre Dame guard shared she’s had one goal since that day: ‘strike fear into my opponents’ eyes.’ A self-described ‘dawg,’ Hildago has lived up to her objective.

She has added numerous accolades to her name, including an ACC Player of the Year Award, two ACC Defensive Player of the Year trophies and the Dawn Staley award, given to the nation’s best guard. Hidalgo broke the Notre Dame record for consecutive games scoring in double figures (now 81 matchups and counting). She also set the program record for most points in a single game (44 against Akron on Nov. 12) and eclipsed the Division I record for steals in a game with 16. On Dec. 29 in a victory over Pitt, Hidalgo passed her coach on the Notre Dame career steals list. Ivey had 248 career steals from 1996-2001. Hidalgo now has 261 and is within 20 steals of all-time Irish leader Skylar Diggins.

Hidalgo is averaging career highs in nearly every statistical category and quietly carving out her place on the list of candidates for National Player of the Year. Outside of being a scoring threat, she takes pride in making ballhandlers uncomfortable. According to the New Jersey native, after forcing a takeaway, ‘It’s just you and the basket,’ and she enjoys the art of stealing, running into the open court and making plays. Hidalgo’s ability to make game-changing plays, like steals and even passes, which she admits might be one of her more slept-on skills, has become increasingly important for Notre Dame.

She is the only returning starter from and one of three players from last year’s roster. Former Fighting Irish guard and starter Olivia Miles moved on to TCU, and three other starters, including guard Sonia Citron, to the WNBA. The Irish lost back-to-back ACC games over the weekend and fell out of the Associated Press women’s college basketball rankings, ending a run of 85 straight polls ranked ― the third longest active streak.

With a brand new team that’s still figuring it out, Hildalgo’s been thrust into a larger leadership role. The Notre Dame star says while there have been plenty of good moments with a revamped roster, there’s still plenty of work to do.

The Fighting Irish guard is playing some of her best basketball with the support of assistant coach Charel Allen and Ivey, who played point guard at Notre Dame and spent time in the WNBA with the Indiana Fever, Phoenix Mercury and Detroit Shock. The former pro is sharing her knowledge with Hidalgo. Both she and Ivey have ‘point guard minds.’

‘She’s been preaching to me ever since my freshman year … ‘next play mentality,” Hildago said. ‘That’s the biggest thing because I’ve always been a player that’s very emotional, whether it’s high or it’s low. I’ve always been a very emotional player, and so she’s just really been trying to help me with my leadership skills and being able to be frustrated but knowing that my team needs me and they’re watching me.

‘She’s telling me, ‘Be you, but still be able to manage your emotions, manage the team.’ She just lets me play, and that’s the biggest thing for me, is that she allows me to play freely.’

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MILWAUKEE, WI — A fall might have shown more about Jordan Stolz’s potential than anything else he did at the Olympic trials.

Well, maybe not the fall so much as what he did after.

Stolz was pre-qualified in all four of his individual events — the 500 meters, 1,000 meters, 1,500 meters and mass start — because of his dominance on the World Cup circuit. All he had to do was show up at the start line at the Olympic trials, take a few steps and his spot in that distance would be confirmed for Milano Cortina.

He didn’t need to go all out, he didn’t need his usual speed, he didn’t need to finish on the podium. Heck, he didn’t even need to finish the race.

Yet after falling in the 1,000 meters on Saturday night, Stolz’s competitive fire kicked in.

In a sport where every thousandth of a second is precious, a fall is usually disastrous. And this wasn’t a little stumble. Stolz was sprawled on the ice after catching his toe pick a few steps off the start line.

Though Stolz quickly jumped back up, Conor McDermott-Mostowy, the other skater in the pair, was so far ahead it looked as if he was skating his own race. But Stolz gradually closed the gap. Give him another 100 meters or so, and it’s a good bet he could have overtaken McDermott-Mostowy.

As it was, Stolz finished third, skating a 1:07.97 that was 0.36 seconds behind McDermott-Mostowy and 0.24 seconds behind Cooper McLeod.

“It shows that, even being tired and with the cold, he still is a pretty phenomenal skater,” longtime coach Bob Corby said.

“I think he was impressed that he was 1:07 even with a fall. That was like, `Wow.’ That was pretty good.”

To be clear, that wasn’t normal.

Then again, nothing Stolz is doing these days is normal.

Stolz has dominated speed skating the last three years and goes to Milano Cortina as a favorite for gold in all four of his individual events. He won the 1,000- and 1,500-meter races at each of the first four World Cups this season, and five of the seven 500-meter races.

He also made the podium twice in the mass start, an event he only put back in his program this year after a three-year absence.

And that’s with Stolz not even being in peak shape, as he expects to be in Milano Cortina.

“There’s a lot of confidence there. I had some really good races in Heerenveen and Norway,” Stolz said Monday night, referring to the third and fourth World Cups, which were last month. “With what I’d done leading up to that, it wasn’t anything super planned out. Now that I’m actually planning a peak, I think it can get better.

“And even if it’s the same, I think I still have really good chances at the Olympics.”

Stolz’s speed is not a secret. He swept the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters at the world championships in 2023 and 2024, and was the season champion in all three distances last season.

His competitors know very well what he’s going to do. They just can’t catch him.

“By the time we got to the end of the (World Cups) … you could see it in their faces. They were like, `OK, I have six weeks until the Olympics and I don’t think that’s enough time to catch you,’” Corby said. ‘There were a couple of guys that were really down.

“It wasn’t planned,” Corby said, “but it was a psychological benefit for him.”

So, too, what Stolz did at the Olympic trials.

Because his spots were already assured, Stolz did not try and peak for trials. Instead, he used the last two weeks as a heavy training block. He also picked up a cold last week.

Despite that, he pulled off that recovery after the fall in the 1,000 and won the first 500-meter race on Sunday. Largely recovered from his cold on Monday, he demolished the field in the second mass start, finishing first by almost four seconds.

“I’m really pleased with where we are right now,” Corby said. “We’re hoping (the Olympics) are going to be pretty phenomenal.”

If that doesn’t demoralize his competitors, there is also this: Stolz is only 21. Good as he is, he’s got even more in him.

“I think,” Corby said, “he has even more potential than he’s showing right now.”

Stolz’s competitors already know he is scary fast. Pretty soon, the rest of the world will, too.

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Parity is at an all-time high in women’s college basketball, yet a dozen teams remained undefeated nearly halfway through the season. That all changed in the matter of seven days as conference play got underway.

Eight undefeated teams lost for the first time between Monday, Dec 29 and Sunday Jan. 4 No. 5 LSU, No. 6 Maryland, No. 7 TCU, No. 10 Iowa State, No. 24 Alabama, No. 26 Nebraska, in addition to Arizona State and Georgia marking the first time that many teams with a 10-0 or better record lost in that span in 27 years. Only four undefeated teams remain.

Perfection is hard to achieve. Only 10 teams have completed an undefeated season in four decades, most recently the 2024 champion South Carolina Gamecocks. But if you’re going to lose a game, it’s best for it to happen before the postseason and could prove to be beneficial in the long run.

‘You don’t want to play your best basketball in January,’ said Iowa State’s Audi Crooks, who leads the nation in scoring. ‘You don’t want to be a monster in January. You want to be a monster in March, and in order to do that you need to recognize your flaws. You need to recognize your shortcomings.’

Here’s a rundown on where every team stands:

Which undefeated teams lost?

Here’s a timeline of how it all went down:

Dec. 29: Nebraska lost at home against No. 16 USC, the Cornhuskers’ first ranked opponent of the season. Nebraska followed up the loss with a double-digit loss to No. 14 Iowa on Jan. 4.
Jan. 1: Alabama ran into a buzzsaw against No. 3 South Carolina and the Crimson Tide’s 14-game win streak was snapped with a 83-57 loss.
Jan. 1: LSU opened SEC play with a 80-78 loss to No. 12 Kentucky on its home floor. Wildcats guard Tonie Morgan knocked down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to hand LSU its first loss of the season. The Tigers had the opportunity to bounce back on the road on Jan. 4 against No. 11 Vanderbilt, but suffered LSU another loss after surrendering 22 turnovers. Kim Mulkey ripped her team as ‘not tough enough.’
Jan. 1: Georgia faced its first ranked opponent of the season in No. 17 Ole Miss. Dani Carnegie dropped 24 points, but it was not enough as the Bulldogs fell 79-62.
Jan. 1: Maryland’s Yarden Garzon (17 points), Saylor Poffenbarger (15) and Oluchi Okananwa (12) each reached double-digits, but Illinois came out with the win after a fourth quarter surge. The Fighting Illini went on a 10-1 run late in the game to capture the lead and the win.
Jan. 3: Arizona State’s best start in program history ended at 15 consecutive wins after suffering a 71-62 loss at BYU. The Cougars outrebounded the Sun Devils 54-25, leading to a 20-7 second-chance points advantage that proved the difference.
Jan 3: TCU suffered an 87-77 overtime loss at Utah to snap the Horned Frogs’ 14-game win streak to start the season. Olivia Miles had 31 points, seven assists and seven rebounds for TCU, but Utah went on a 7-0 run to secure the win. The Utes held the Horned Frogs to a season-low 37% shooting from the field. 
Jan. 4: Iowa State matched its best start in program history with 14 consecutive wins before falling to Baylor, 72-70. Bears guard Taliah Scotthit a 15-foot jumper with 2 seconds remaining to win the game.

Which undefeated teams remain?

No. 1 UConn (15-0), Big East: The reigning champion Huskies have held down the No. 1 spot in the USA TODAY Sports women’s basketball coaches poll for the entirety of the season and for good reason. UConn’s average margin of victory is by 37 points and that includes four wins over ranked opponents Louisville, Michigan, USC and Iowa. The Huskies’ winning streak is likely to continue as they enter Big East conference play, where UConn is on a 53-game win streak.
No. 2 Texas (17-0), SEC: Texas has the most Quad 1 wins of the remaining undefeated teams with five, including back-to-back victories over No. 4 UCLA and No. 3 South Carolina. Texas has had its fair share of blowout victories, but the Longhorns have also shown their ability to grind out tough matchups, including the team’s dramatic 67-64 win over No. 17 Ole Miss to open SEC play and improve to 17-0 for the first time since the 1985-86 season.
No. 21 Texas Tech (16-0), Big 12: Texas Tech has benefitted from a lighter schedule to reach the program’s best start in school history. The Lady Raiders have only faced one ranked opponent so far, defeating No. 21 Baylor by a point on Dec. 21. The back half of the season won’t be as friendly. Texas Tech will face Big 12 foes Iowa State on Jan. 31 and TCU on Feb. 1, matchups that’ll serve as a barometer for Krista Gerlich’s squad.
No. 12 Vanderbilt (15-0), SEC: Vanderbilt’s best win of the season came against No. 5 LSU, where the Commodores held the nation’s highest scoring offense to 61 points, 45 points under the Tigers’ average. The win marked Vanderbilt’s lone Quad 1 win. Vanderbilt is three wins away from tying the program’s best start in history the 1992-93 Final Four squad started 17-0 but the competition will ratchet up with matchups against SEC powerhouse No. 8 Michigan, No. 3 South Carolina and No. 17 Ole Miss in January.

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It’s time to determine who will be the figure skaters representing the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

American skaters head to the 2026 U.S. figure skating championships in St. Louis for one final chance to prove they belong on Team USA in Milano Cortina. The event won’t solely decide who gets to qualify, but it could be the difference for some Olympic hopefuls.

Although it hasn’t been confirmed yet, favorites like Ilia Malinin, Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn and the team of Madison Chock and Evan Bates are expected to make the roster, and could generate some momentum with a U.S. championship. The competition will start Wednesday and run through Saturday and the week culminates with the reveal of the Olympic roster on Sunday, Jan. 11.

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Here’s how to watch the 2026 U.S. figure skating championships:

Where to watch 2026 U.S. figure skating championships

Dates: Jan. 7-11
Location: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Missouri
TV: NBC, USA Network
Livestream: Peacock

The 2026 U.S. figure skating championships will take place Jan. 7-11 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Some events will air on NBC and USA Network, while the entire event will be streamed on Peacock.

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2026 U.S. figure skating championships schedule, TV/streaming

Here is the full schedule of the U.S. championships, along with broadcast and streaming information.

All times Eastern.

Wednesday, Jan. 7

Pairs short program: 5:30 p.m. (Peacock)
Women’s short program: 8:20 p.m. (USA Network, Peacock)

Thursday, Jan. 8

Rhythm dance: 5 p.m. (Peacock)
Men’s short program: 8:15 p.m. (USA Network, Peacock)

Friday, Jan. 9

Pairs free skate Group 1: 3 p.m. (Peacock)
Women’s free skate Group 1: 3:57 p.m. (Peacock)
Pairs free skate Group 2 and 3: 7:20 p.m. (NBC, Peacock)
Women’s free skate Group 2 and 3: 8 p.m. (NBC, Peacock)

Saturday, Jan. 10

Free dance Group 1: 3:25 p.m. (Peacock)
Men’s free skate Group 1: 4:25 p.m. (Peacock)
Free dance Groups 2 and 3: 7 p.m. (USA Network, Peacock)
Men’s free skate Groups 2 and 3: 8:50 p.m. (NBC, Peacock)

Sunday, Jan. 11

Team USA Olympic announcement: 2 p.m. (NBC, Peacock)

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Hope Walz, daughter of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, shared why her father decided to drop out of the 2026 gubernatorial race in a wide-ranging podcast interview on Monday.

Speaking to ‘One Hour Detours’ host John O’Sullivan just hours after her father announced that he would not seek a third term, Walz said the decision had been made over the winter holidays.

‘I think just with things rapidly changing in the past, you know, month or so, I think my dad kind of started questioning it,’ said Walz.

She explained that she didn’t want to speak for her father, but said the increasing intensity of public scrutiny, particularly on social media and toward her family, prompted him to reassess his campaign.

‘When things started getting really intense for me, like on my social media, and then people even saying things like to Gus and stuff, I think that’s when he was really like, OK, like I need to evaluate what’s best for the state, and then I need evaluate what’s best for my family. And then I think it was just kind of a natural, you know, the past couple weeks have been really intense, kind of a natural conclusion,’ said Walz.

Gov. Walz’s decision to drop out of the gubernatorial race came amid renewed scrutiny over childcare funding following fraud allegations raised in a viral video by independent journalist Nick Shirley and the large-scale federal Feeding Our Future case.

FBI Director Kash Patel said in December that the Feeding Our Future investigation uncovered a $250 million scheme that siphoned federal food aid intended for children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The case has already resulted in 78 indictments and 57 convictions, with prosecutors also charging defendants in a separate alleged plot to bribe a juror with $120,000 in cash, Patel said, adding that the investigation remains ongoing.

Walz has come under pressure from President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers over the Feeding Our Future fraud case, one of the largest pandemic-era fraud schemes in the nation, and broader allegations that state agencies failed to adequately oversee Minnesota-administered social service programs.

He said in a press release announcing the end of his re-election campaign that his decision reflected a desire to prioritize governing and the challenges facing Minnesota.

‘I know this news may come as a surprise. But I’m passing on the race with zero sadness and zero regret. After all, I didn’t run for this job so I could have this job. I ran for this job so I could do this job,’ Walz explained. ‘Minnesota faces an enormous challenge this year. And I refuse to spend even one minute of 2026 doing anything other than rising to meet the moment. Minnesota has to come first – always.’

His daughter added that part of her father’s decision to step away was to get the ‘target’ off Minnesota.

‘I think he believes if he’s not in the race, there’s nothing, they [Republicans] have nothing else because he has that, you know, national profile,’ she said. ‘Trump just hates him for some reason. I think it’s because he’s everything Trump will never be.’

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Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said that President Donald Trump is under the ‘thrall of Lindsey Graham’ following the U.S. operation in Venezuela, according to audio of the remarks by the lawmaker that MeidasTouch’s Acyn Torabi posted on X.

Paul said that after the first presidential debate in 2016, the Trump family told him that they liked him and the ‘idea of not being involved in foreign wars.’ 

‘It was something I liked about Donald Trump,’ Paul said. ‘It was one of the things, whenever I had misgivings about something else, I would always come back and say, ‘Well, he’s the best we ever had.’ Much better than the Bush’s, who were war mad and wanted to be involved in all these crazy wars overseas… ‘We’re gonna make the world safe for democracy.’ I never liked any of that. And I thought Trump was different, and so, it disappoints me, but he’s under the… thrall of Lindsey Graham.’

Paul has described Trump’s move to unilaterally depose Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro without seeking congressional approval for the attack as ‘disdainful.’ 

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a hawkish Republican from South Carolina, has strongly supported the president’s action.

‘This is Lindsey Graham. Lindsey Graham has gotten to the president who expressed — I saw a clip — there’s like 20 clips of [Trump] saying he’s not for regime change and how regime change has always gone wrong. Somehow they’ve convinced him it’s different if it’s in our hemisphere,’ Paul said to reporters Monday, according to The Hill.

Torabi also posted audio on X in which Paul can be heard quipping, ‘There should be a law’ stipulating that Graham may only visit the White House ‘every other week’ and may only meet with ‘mid-level people, not the president. And no more golf outings.’

Graham was with Trump during a recent gaggle aboard Air Force One.

The senator also recently posted a photo on X that showed him giving a thumbs-up while smiling alongside of Trump, who was holding a cap that read, ‘MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN.’

Graham donned such a cap during an appearance on the Fox News Channel.

Trump endorsed Graham for re-election last year.

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The quarterback carousel keeps on churning in the 2026 transfer portal for college football, and it’s getting wacky.

Notre Dame backup quarterback Kenny Minchey flipped his commitment from Nebraska to Kentucky on Jan. 5, according to multiple reports, despite only committing to the Cornhuskers on Jan. 4.

Minchey, a redshirt sophomore, has two seasons of eligibility remaining. He’ll join forces with first-year head coach Will Stein, who coordinated Oregon’s explosive offense the past three seasons and developed Bo Nix and Dante Moore into high-end NFL prospects.

Minchey lost the starting battle to CJ Carr during the offseason and served as his backup during the 2025 season. He completed 20-of-26 passes for 196 yards, adding 84 rushing yards and a score.

The move leaves Nebraska without a quarterback, for now, after second-year starter Dylan Raiola entered the transfer portal after the regular season. The transfer portal opened Jan. 2 and remains open through Jan. 16. 

Kenny Minchey transfer portal, recruiting ranking

Minchey was a 4-star recruit in the 2023 recruiting class, per 247Sports’ Composite ratings, coming out of Pope John Paul II in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He was ranked as the No. 170 overall player and 14th-ranked quarterback in the class.

Stars: 4
National rating: No. 170 overall
Position ranking: No. 14 QB
State ranking: No. 3 player from Tennessee

Kenny Minchey stats

Here’s a look at Minchey’s stats in his three seasons with Notre Dame:

2023: 2-for-2 passing (100%) for 12 yards
2024: 1-for-1 passing (100%) for 4 yards; Two rushes for 12 yards and a touchdown
2025: 20-of-26 passing (76.9%), 196 yards; 17 rushes for 84 yards and a touchdown

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SAINT PAUL, MN — If you had questions about whether Gavin McKenna should be the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NHL draft, they didn’t necessarily get answered here in Minnesota.

The 18-year-old winger, who had four points in Canada’s 6-3 win against Finland at the World Junior Championship on Monday, saved his best performance for last. Unfortunately, it was in the bronze — not gold — medal game.

“We wanted the hardware to go home with,” said Gavin McKenna, a bronze medal hanging around neck. “I thought it was a pretty solid tournament. I’m not focused on the individual stuff in a tournament like this. Without us winning, it honestly doesn’t feel like a good tournament.”

Good, but not great.

With 14 points in seven games, McKenna tied for second among Canadians with 10 assists and 14 points in seven games. In the process, he showcased why he is considered one of the premier playmakers available in this year’s draft. And yet, like the rest of the Canadian team, McKenna often left scouts and fans wanting more.

“I would call it mixed,” TSN’s director of scouting Craig Button said of McKenna’s tournament. “He’s had these peaks and valleys. The play he makes on the goal is a word-class play. But then you watch the game yesterday, he’s on the wrong side of the puck. He looked frustrated. His skills are obvious. But there’s no Connor McDavid out there. There’s no Sidney Crosby, Connor Bedard.”

McKenna might not be the next McDavid, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t possess a special skill-set or that he won’t go No. 1 overall. Few prospects can find the open man like McKenna can. Not many possess his playmaking ability.

In an under-20 tournament where the majority of players are 19 years old, it was easy to forget that McKenna was a year or two years younger than most of the competition. Not that he was sheltered. Or shrunk under the spotlight of expectations.

McKenna was leaned on heavily, while playing on the top line with Michael Hage, who finished with a team-leading 15 points.

“He’s a mature kid,” said coach Dale Hunter. “He came out here with all this pressure and he performed.”

In a semifinal loss to Czechia on Sunday, some fans blamed McKenna for letting his emotions get the best of him, when he took a cross-checking penalty late in the third period and then got ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct. A day later, McKenna quickly turned the page and kickstarted Canada’s offense with assists on two of the first three goals in the first period.

“He did an amazing job,” said Canada captain Porter Martone. “He was unbelievable for us and I expect amazing things in the coming years.”

If there was a knock against McKenna at the tournament — and during his season with Penn State University — it was that going to the NCAA had exposed some areas of his physical game that led some scouts to drop the 6-foot and 183-pound forward in their rankings.

The Hockey News’ draft expert Tony Ferrari, who has McKenna ranked third overall, said ‘There may not be a more talented offensive player in the draft than Gavin McKenna,’ but that ‘His lack of 5-on-5 production has also been a bit of a red flag.’

McKenna heard those criticisms. And while he didn’t silence all of his critics, he did take a big step forward to becoming a player who could work his way back to being the No. 1 overall pick.

“Honestly, I found my compete level in this tournament,” said McKenna. “I think people have talked about my compete level and such, and I thought here I started to compete. I want to bring that back to Penn State.

‘The goal now is to win a national championship.’

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