OTTAWA | The United States did it. For the first time in their history, they are the double champions of the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Teddy Stiga scored the winning goal midway through the first overtime period to allow the Americans to leave Ottawa with the gold medal around their necks, with a 4-3 victory.
They thus put an exclamation point on two years of domination for this group, mainly players born in 2005, who ultimately lost only one match in two years at the World Juniors.
“This whole group put aside their personal goals for the good of the team. I’m really proud of them. They will now be linked forever,” summarized head coach David Carle, who was also behind the bench last year.
Stiga, the hero we didn’t expect
Few people had bet on Teddy Stiga to score the golden goal for the Americans. The 18-year-old striker started the tournament in the stands for the Americans.
He subsequently played in the Americans’ next six games, in a supporting role. His goal in overtime was also scored… on his first shot of the tournament!
“You try to find your role,” he said. I tried to do what I could to help the team win and it wasn’t always by putting points on the board. I think being rewarded with the winning goal is pretty cool,” admitted the hero of the match, gold medal around his neck.
“He gives his all every time he steps on the ice,” added forward James Hagens, his teammate with Boston College in the NCAA. He’s one of the hardest working guys in this locker room and it paid off today.”
A match of two parts
Honestly, we didn’t seem to be heading towards another American conquest during the first half of the match. The only team to beat the Americans in the preliminary tournament, the Finns seemed to have all the answers, while the United States was unrecognizable.
Disorganized and visibly nervous, the Americans conceded the first goal to the Finns after leaving Jesse Kiiskinen completely alone in the crease.
More relentless and structured, the Finns forged a 3-1 lead in the second period, and we could feel the United States becoming more and more frustrated, talk to captain Ryan Leonard who increased the number of acrobatics in an attempt to draw a penalty on him.
Then everything changed. Forward Brandon Svoboda headed a shot on goal, which deflected off a Finnish defender before beating Petteri Rimpinen.
The Real Americans Return
And, suddenly, we saw again the American team which had dominated Canada in the quarter-finals and made short work of the Czechs in the semi-finals. In search of more offensive production, head coach David Carle made some profitable adjustments. In particular, he sent the dangerous sniper Cole Eiserman more onto the ice, five on five, then paired his two big offensive guns at the back, Zeev Buium and Cole Hutson, within the same duo.
And it paid off since it was Hutson who created the tie before the end of the second thanks to a precise shot, which then allowed him to seize sole first place in points in the competition.
“We knew, after tying the match, that it was us who were going to win it,” assured Gabriel Perreault. I’m happy for our 2005 group, we’re a dynasty.”
Perreault was also named to the tournament’s all-star team, along with his teammate Ryan Leonard who also received the MVP title. Forward Jakub Stancl, defensemen Cole Hutson and Axel Sandin Pellikka and goalie Petteri Rimpinen completed the all-star roster voted on by members of the media.
