Coach Gardiner MacDougall’s Canadians capitalized three times on a five-minute power play after U,S. forward Trevor Connelly was ejected for checking to the head of Ryder Ritchie.
In front of a sold-out Espoo crowd of 5,800, shots favoured the U.S. 35-25. The Americans could have pulled away in the second period, with a 19-5 shots edge, if not for Canadian goalie Carter George’s heroics. It was a stunning defeat for coach Nick Fohr’s troops, who, like Canada, entered the final undefeated and had hoped to defend their crown from 2023.
It’s Canada’s fifth U18 Worlds gold medal ever, moving the motherland of hockey one up on host Finland (four). Canada last won in 2021. The Americans remain tops with 11 gold medals in total.
The U.S.’s James Hagens, named MVP, was held pointless in the final. The 17-year-old centre finished with a tournament-high, all-time record 22 points, followed closely by McKenna, who had 20 points.
Canada signalled its physical intentions in the first minute when blueliner Charlie Elick sent Teddy Stiga sprawling at centre ice. The U.S. assistant captain lay on the ice and then skated off in some discomfort. After a video review, the officials slapped Elick with a tripping minor. George was ready when Cole Eiserman tested him from the right faceoff circle with his patented one-timer.
Nearing the 11-minute mark, Hagens came calling twice in rapid succession, but couldn’t outwit the Canadian netminder. George also said no on lightning solo dashes by top-scoring blueliner Cole Hutson and Max Plante.
Carrying the play with speed, the U.S. drew first blood with 0:52 left in the opening stanza. With the U.S. on the forecheck, defenceman Logan Hensler got the puck down the right wall to Christian Humphreys, who carried it out of the corner to the net front and then tapped in his fourth goal of these U18 Worlds in a scrum.
Ritchie tied up it up at 5:31 of the second period with a nice bit of deception. The Prince Albert Raiders star took a long Matthew Schaefer pass with speed in the neutral zone, blazed down right wing on a 2-on-1 with Tij Iginla, and looked to his linemate before sniping it high past U.S. starter Nicholas Kempf.
The U.S., which came in with the tournament’s top power play (52…
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