One win from a 17th gold medal at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship, Canada faced off against the United States on Thursday January 4th after falling in a 3 – 1 loss on New Years Eve day in the preliminary round in Toronto, Ontario to USA. This was the first time since 1978 that a IIHF World Junior Championship medal was handed out in Montreal, Quebec that was won by the Soviet Union. The USA and Canada have met three previous times in 2010, 2004 and 1997 with Canada winning in 1997 and the United States taking gold in 2004 and 2010.
Saint John Sea Dog Thomas Chabot of the QMJHL slides the puck just under USA goaltender Tyler Parsons (London Knights – OHL) to give Canada a 1 – 0 lead at the 4:38 mark of the opening period. Mathieu Joseph (Saint John – QMJHL) and Mathew Barzal (Seattle – WHL) added the contributors on Chabots goal. 58 seconds before the halfway mark of the first period, defenseman Jérémy Lauzon of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of QMJHL fires a shot from the top of the offensive circles to find the back of Parsons net to bring Canada’s lead to 2 – 0 with a pass from Mitchell Stephens of the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL.
On a bad line change for Canada, Charlie McAvoy of the Boston University Terriers pulls the United States within one at 16:56 of the second with Jordan Greenway (Boston University – Hockey East) and Adam Fox (Harvard University – ECAC) had the helpers on McAvoy’s goal for the USA. Tage Thompspn (University of Connecticut – Hockey East) fires a shot from Canada’s blueline with Kieffer Bellows (Boston University – Hockey East) tipping the puck past Canada goaltender Carter Hart to even the game 2 – 2 at 9:30 of the middle stanza. Fox had the other assist on Bellows tying goal for the USA.
With Canada on a power play, Nicolas Roy (Chicoutimi Sagueneens – QMJHL) sinks the go – ahead goal 1:52 into the final period with Jake Bean (Calgary Hitmen – WHL) and Tyson Jost (University of North Dakota – NCHC) adding the helpers on Roy’s goal. Mathieu Joseph gives Canada a two goal lead at 4:05 of the period to bring the lead to 4 – 2 with Michael McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads – OHL) and Chabot setting up Joseph’s goal. Scoring his second of the game and closing the gap to one was Bellows at 4:44 of the period with a pass from McAvoy. Fox and Clayton Keller (Boston University) register the contributors on Colin White’s (Boston College Eagles – Hockey East) goal for the United States to even the game 4 – 4 at the 7:07 mark of the third.
After no scoring in the twenty minute overtime, Canada and the USA headed into a shootout for only the second time in IIHF World Junior Championship history with University of Denver’s Troy Terry had the only goal in the ten player shootout to give the United States a 5 – 4 win over Canada.