from Ryan O'Leary at IIHF.com,

There are 2,246 miles that separate Winnipeg, Manitoba from Miami, Florida. Well, 2,246.3 miles to be exact.

A lot more than just distance divides the two cities, of course. The metropolises couldn't be anymore different in terms of weather, culture, people and sports.

Lying at the bottom of the Red River Valley, Winnipeg averages temperatures around freezing in the winter and it’s most definitely a hockey city.

Miami is America's gateway to the Caribbean – warm and vibrant year round. It's predominantly a three-sport city, and although the Florida Panthers play in nearby Sunrise, the area is a hotbed for football, baseball and basketball.

If you jump in a car and drive halfway between the two cities – traveling 1,150 miles in either direction – you'll find Plymouth, Michigan, and that's where our story takes place.

Plymouth is the new home of the United States National Team Development Program and where Randy Hernandez is currently in residency, playing right wing on the U18 team.

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