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For the first time in the Junior World Championship’s
28-year history, Team USA earned the gold medal after defeating Canada 4-3
Monday in Helsinki, Finland. Wisconsin hockey head coach Mike Eaves led the team
to a 6-0 record in the tournament and Badger defensemen Ryan Suter and Jeff Likens and forward Jake Dowell all competed on the team. Suter and Likens had an
assist apiece while Dowell had two, through the course of the tournament, which
began Dec. 26.
Team USA came back from a two-goal deficit in the third
period to take the gold, with forward Patrick O’Sullivan scoring the
game-winning goal with just more than five minutes left in the game. O’Sullivan
also scored the team’s second goal less than five minutes into the third period.
Forward Zach Parise (University of North Dakota) was named the tournament MVP
and had five goals and six assists in six games and tied Canadian forwards Nigel
Dawes and Anthony Stewart with a tournament-leading 11 points. Only Dawes had
more goals with six, including two of Canada’s three goals against Team USA in
the finals. Canada forward Anthony Stewart also ended the tournament with five
goals and 11 points, adding three points in the final game.
Team USA goalie Al Montoya (University of Michigan) had 27
saves while Canada netminder Marc-Andre Fleury had 24.