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Motzko Back To Business At St. Cloud State After Winning Gold At World Juniors

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The college hockey season has some interesting variables, like players leaving during the holidays to play in the World Junior Tournament.

It applies to coaches as well. St Cloud State's Bob Motzko was tapped to coach Team USA with some Gopher help. As WCCO's Mike Max reports, it was an incredible experience and now it's back to business.

They conquered in Canada. The USA Junior Hockey Team won gold with a head coach from St Cloud State leading the way.

"It was a great experience. I feel so fortunate that I was asked to do it, but then to get there and our staff got along like we have a bond for life," Motzko said.

With a Gopher assistant by his side, they put together a run. With Motzko steering the ship.

"He was just very calm. The whole time he never had any moments where he let anything show to the guys," Grant Potulny said. "And everything that he was selling, they were buying."

See, Motzko has seen his share of success as a college coach. And what he sees in USA Hockey was a bonus baby.

"And the players from day one, you could feel there was a special, it was a special group," Motzko said.

Motzko's focus has now firmly changed to St. Cloud State University and a team that has a chance to make some noise going down the stretch.

There is little hockey hangover for a guy who lives it, and getting back to his Huskies, that's part of the hockey life.

"The big thing is I love our guys. We've got a great group of guys," Motzko said. "We're young, we're coming, we're getting better and it's a fun challenge to be with these guys."

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