Disappointing Inline Worlds for Turcotte

Darren Turcotte (far end) giving instruction to Team USA at the 2006 World Inline Hockey Championships where he led the USA to gold. This year the results weren't so golden. File photo.

The USA Inline National team coached by North Bay’s Darren Turcotte defeated the Czech Republic 8-7 in overtime on Friday in the fifth place game at the World Inline Hockey Championships which were held last week in Germany.

The USA squad which lost in the quarter-finals to Finland had to come back from a three goal deficit to defeat the Czechs.

“We showed a lot of character today in coming from behind,” said Turcotte.

“This was a tough game for us to play because we expected to be in the medal round. Nonetheless, today’s win was an important one.”

The fifth place finish was tough for Turcotte to get excited about too as he led the USA to Inline gold last year in Hungary.

”This year we had more skill but less grit,” Turcotte said about this year’s version of the USA Inline team.

Turcotte, who returned from Germany on Monday, added that a number of his key players from last year like Colorado College’s Bill Sweatt were unable to attend because of the NHL’s draft combine and others couldn’t make the trip due to the American Hockey League playoffs.