Team USA defeated Canada 5-4 in a shootout for a gold medal victory in the 2017 IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) World Junior Championships on Thursday. With the win, this marks the fourth time that the U.S. has won the gold medal and the third time beating Canada in the final round.
Thriller of a game
In what was an incredibly entertaining game, Team USA rallied back twice to overcome two two-goal deficits. Canada jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first period getting goals from Thomas Chabot and Jeremy Lauzon. Despite the early hole the U.S.
found themselves in, the game was far from over, as they answered back scoring a pair of their own in the second period. Charlie McAvoy got the U.S. on the board and then Kieffer Bellows deflected a point shot in to tie the game 2-2.
Once again, Canada struck fast putting up another two goals from Nicolas Roy and Mathieu Joseph not even five minutes into the third period. Unfortunately for Canada, the two goals came quick leaving plenty of time for Team USA to rally yet again. Bellows was able to net another goal shortly after Canada's fourth and Colin White deflected a shot in to tie the game 4-4.
Three periods weren't enough to decide a winner and the games went into overtime. The sudden death overtime period came and went without a winner and it was on to the shootout.
That's right, a shootout would decide the winner of the gold medal. The shootout lasted five rounds and only one goal was scored.
The hero, Troy Terry
The lone shootout goal was scored by Terry and after one more save by Team USA goaltender Tyler Parsons, Team USA was IIHF gold medal champions. The night before, it was Terry who scored three times in the shootout including the game-winner for the U.S.
as they defeated Russia propelling the them into Thursday's gold medal game.
The hero for @usahockey one more time... @tterry28. #USAWJC #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/HgiFYGnSCQ
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) January 6, 2017
With Team USA's win on Thursday, that makes five medals in the last eight years for them. It is also the first gold medal for the U.S. since 2013 and third consecutive win against Canada in gold medal games.
