Today, they’re teammates. On December 26th, they’re enemies. At least until January 6th that is.

Emerson Etem and Tyler Bunz, key cogs for the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers, are well aware that they could very well face each other at some point in the 2012 World Junior Championship.

Bunz will compete with Louis Domingue, Mark Visentin and Scott Wedgewood for one of two spots in Canada’s crease. Etem is as much of a lock as any to represent the Americans for the second straight year in the tournament.

They’ve got no problems putting aside friendship for the sake of national pride. If that means selling the other’s secret to success to their countrymen, both Etem and Bunz are more than willing to do so.

“I think he’s probably going to be telling guys my strengths and maybe I know a bit of his weaknesses, not that he has too many of them,” Etem said. “We both have the mindset of making the team first in camp and going from there. Say we both make it; it’s going to be an exciting time for sure.”

Bunz was a little more complimentary to Etem, who leads the Western Hockey League in goals with 28.

“I don’t know how you stop him,” Bunz said. “He’s got every trick in the book. He’s a great hockey player. I’m glad he’s on my team. If it does come to it where he’s on the US and I’m on Canada, it just gives you that extra motivation, extra jump to compete against one of your good buddies.”

Still, Bunz had one piece of advice in particular to his potential Canadian defense – don’t let Etem behind you.

“You just have to make sure you don’t get roasted wide,” Bunz said. “He’s got speed so you have to play him honest.”

Picture this.

A tie game in a gold medal showdown between the USA and Canada. With the game tied, Etem is on a breakaway. Staring him down from the crease is Bunz. Who wins?

“I think I stop him,” Bunz declared. “He’s not very good on those breakaways. I’m not sure what he is on his career. He might be 2-for-17 or something. He might know my weaknesses so I give him credit for that but I do hope I stop that given the stakes in the game.”

Today, they’re teammates.

On December 26th, they’re enemies. At least until January 6th that is.

Emerson Etem and Tyler Bunz, key cogs for the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers, are well aware that they could very well face each other at some point in the 2012 World Junior Championship.

Bunz will compete with Louis Domingue, Mark Visentin and Scott Wedgewood for one of two spots in Canada’s crease. Etem is as much of a lock as any to represent the Americans for the second straight year in the tournament.

They’ve got no problems putting aside friendship for the sake of national pride. If that means selling the other’s secret to success to their countrymen, both Etem and Bunz are more than willing to do so.

“I think he’s probably going to be telling guys my strengths and maybe I know a bit of his weaknesses, not that he has too many of them,” Etem said. “We both have the mindset of making the team first in camp and going from there. Say we both make it; it’s going to be an exciting time for sure.”

Bunz was a little more complimentary to Etem, who leads the Western Hockey League in goals with 28.

“I don’t know how you stop him,” Bunz said. “He’s got every trick in the book. He’s a great hockey player. I’m glad he’s on my team. If it does come to it where he’s on the US and I’m on Canada, it just gives you that extra motivation, extra jump to compete against one of your good buddies.”

Still, Bunz had one piece of advice in particular to his potential Canadian defense – don’t let Etem behind you.

“You just have to make sure you don’t get roasted wide,” Bunz said. “He’s got speed so you have to play him honest.”

Picture this.

A tie game in a gold medal showdown between the USA and Canada. With the game tied, Etem is on a breakaway. Staring him down from the crease is Bunz. Who wins?

“I think I stop him,” Bunz declared. “He’s not very good on those breakaways. I’m not sure what he is on his career. He might be 2-for-17 or something. He might know my weaknesses so I give him credit for that but I do hope I stop that given the stakes in the game.”