They say in hockey the most dangerous lead is the two-goal lead and it showed tonight in Montreal as for the second straight year the gold medal game in the IIHF World Junior Championship went to overtime. Unlike last year’s result that saw Finland win in overtime, this showdown between the United States and Canada went to a shootout.
For the second straight day, Anaheim prospect Troy Terry won the game in the shootout. In Wednesday’s semifinal vs Russia, he scored three goals in the shootout. He scored in the fourth, sixth and seventh rounds. Similar to T.J. Oshie’s shootout performance in the 2014 Olympics, IIHF rules permit shooters to shoot again after the fifth round.
In tonight’s final, he scored what turned out to be the game winner in the fourth round when he put the puck through the legs of Canadian goalie Carter Hart. American goalie Tyler Parsons still had to make two saves after Terry’s goal. The first coming in the fourth round as he turned away a backhander from Tampa Bay prospect Anthony Cirelli.
The save that brought the gold to the United States wasn’t much of a save at all. Carolina prospect Anthony Roy skated toward the goal, made a shot fake with his forehand but as he tried to bring the puck back toward his body the puck got away from him and fluttered off Parson’s blocker.
It was the fourth time the United States has won gold at the annual Under-20 tournament. And it was the third time they defeated Canada in the final. This was the ninth silver medal for Canada, with the other six occurrences coming at the hands of the Soviet Union/Russia.
The final was a wild scoring contest that saw the Canada blow a two-goal lead twice. They led 2-0 after the first period and led 4-2 early in the third period after scoring two goals in the span of 2:13.
In the first period, Ottawa prospect Thomas Chabot scored his fourth goal of the tournament 4:58 into the game. Canada tacked on a second goal 4:02 later when Boston draft pick Jérémy Lauzon scored an even-strength goal.
The Americans didn’t go down without a fight, as they scored twice in the second period. The first came from Boston prospect Charlie McAvoy at 3:04. His goal was assisted by Jordan Greenway and Adam Fox.
Team USA took advantage of a too many men penalty and equalized at 9:30 when New York Islanders prospect Kieffer Bellows equalized.
It was a Bellows penalty for tripping 55 seconds into the third that allowed Canada to take the lead when Roy scored on the power play at 1:52.
Canada regained a two-goal lead when Mathieu Joseph scored at 4:05, but the lead was short lived when Bellows scored his second of the night 39 seconds later.
Team USA equalized the game for the second time when Colin White scored at 7:07.
The game then went to overtime which saw many stellar saves from Hart and Parsons. In the 20 minute extra session, Canada had the lone power play when the United States were called for too many men at 6:44.
Hart finished the game with 31 saves while Parsons turned away 46 shots.
