U.S. Women’s National Team’s Keller, Decker visit Red Wings

 

By @MichaelCaples –

DETROIT – During their snowy Sunday evening contest with the Philadelphia Flyers, the Detroit Red Wings had two special guests at Joe Louis Arena – one who was rather familiar with ‘The Joe’ and one first-time visitor.

They both know their way around a hockey rink, however.

USA Hockey Women’s National Team members Megan Keller and Brianna Decker stopped by the Red Wings game on the eve of their winter training camp, which begins tomorrow in Plymouth.

“It’s great, it’s my first time here and it’s what I expected,” said Decker, a native of Dousman, Wis., when asked about her Joe Louis Arena experience. It has a lot of character.”

For Keller, the visit to The Joe was one of many, but a cherished moment. As a member of the Boston College women’s team when not playing for Team USA, the Farmington native has had trouble finding time to visit Hockeytown.

“It’s awesome,” Keller said. “I actually haven’t been here since I went off to school, so to be back here, see a Red Wings game, is a pretty cool experience.”

Arriving to the game as a VIP was a new experience for Keller, who grew up playing for Honeybaked before joining the Eagles’ hockey program out east.

“That’s even cooler,” Keller said. “I think last time I was down here, we were young kids playing before the GLI tournament, so it’s a cool experience.”

The duo were on the Fox Sports Detroit pregame show to talk about their camp and the game against Canada they have at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth on Saturday. After watching some of the game from the press box, Keller and Decker met with Red Wings players Justin Abdelkader and Brendan Smith during the first intermission, then took part in a Score-O competition during the second.

Decker, who played at Wisconsin while Brendan Smith was starring for the Badgers’ men’s team, said it’s an honor to take part in days like Sunday, where she gets to represent USA Hockey and serve as an ambassador for the girls’ game.

“Any time you get a chance to grow the game, it’s a good opportunity to show the young girls that it’s possible to play women’s hockey when you get older. And to represent the USA, any time you can do that, it’s a great honor.”

The day was extra special for Keller, who still remembers being a fan sitting in the stands at The Joe.

“It’s a lot of fun because growing up I looked up to these older girls who I now get to play with,” Keller said. “To be able to return the favor is something special because I know how much they meant to me growing up and to be able to do that for these younger girls in my hometown is a neat experience.”

The girls will begin camp tomorrow at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth – an opportunity for the players who will represent their country at the upcoming World Championship in the same building to bond and reconnect.

“The camp will be great,” Decker said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for us girls to get together again. It doesn’t happen too often throughout the year and hopefully get a chance to play against Canada on the 17th.”

That game against Canada – which will be televised by NBC Sports – is just an exhibition, but whenever those two countries meet on the ice, details like that fall by the wayside.

“We’re excited to host them,” Decker said. “It’s been a while since we’ve been back in the U.S., so to be able to play them, we kind of know what they got and they know what we have, so it’s always going to be a battle, but hopefully we come out with the W on our soil.

“It’s always a grind, I would say, but we’re trying to improve our game every day and strive to pull away a little bit more.”