McLellan: Team North America 'like a group of wild horses'

"Childhood living is easy to do."

In advance of Wednesday's final pre-tournament game for North America, head coach Todd McLellan likened the under-23 squad to a band of wild horses that need not be overly domesticated in the context of the World Cup.

"We don't want to over-coach this group," he told reporters, per the Pittsburgh Penguins' Twitter account. "We don't want to slow them down. We want them to read and react.

"The young generation has a lot of courage. It's like a group of wild horses. We have to recognize that."

North America boasts a bevy of top-flight young talent, and the makeshift team is perhaps the most buzzworthy aspect of the World Cup.

That kind of coaching philosophy bodes well for an exciting brand of hockey to be played through the group-stage round and perhaps deep into the championship round.