The United States knocked out favorite and unbeaten Canada 2-0 in Edmonton, Alberta, to win the gold medal on Tuesday in the first Junior Ice Hockey World Championship to be played in a bubble.
In a defensive special, Boston College goaltender and Florida Panthers prospect Spencer Knight stopped all 34 shots he encountered to secure the US’s first gold since 2017.
Knight registered his third shutout of the event, the most for an American goalkeeper in the tournament. Forward and Anaheim Ducks draft pick Trevor Zegras led the tournament with 18 points, the second-highest total by any American player in tournament history. Zegras also tied the record for the most points by an American in his youth career with 27 in the past two tournaments.
The US took the lead in the first period after a diversion to the net of Alex Turcotte, prospect of Los Angeles Kings. That goal was the first 5v5 goal that Canada had allowed in the Junior World Cup and the first time it was left behind at any point in the tournament.
Zegras extended the Americans’ lead by 32 seconds in the second period when he took the puck and slid past Canadian goalkeeper Devon Levi, who was leaning in the wrong direction.
That goal earned Zegras the draw with former NHL player Jordan Schroeder for USA Hockey’s all-time highest scoring position in the Junior World Championship with his 27th point collected over the past two tournaments.
Zegras also took second place on the Americans’ scoreboard, posting 18 points to lead all players in the 2021 tournament. He passed Jeremy Roenick and fell one shy of Doug Weight’s record of 19, set in 1991.
Canada had outperformed its opponents 41-4 for Tuesday-evening’s final in its attempt to repeat itself as junior world champion.
The win gave USA Hockey its fourth consecutive victory over Canada in a Junior World Cup final, after taking victories in 2004, 2010, 2017 and 2021. USA is 4-1 all-time in gold medal games against Canada, winning 18 times gold held in the history of the tournament.