The United States beat Canada 2-0 in Edmonton, Alberta, heavily favored and undefeated, to win the gold medal on Tuesday at the first World Junior Ice Hockey Championship in a bubble.
In a special defense, Boston College goalkeeper and Florida Panthers prospect Spencer Knight stopped the 34 shots he faced to get the first U.S. gold since 2017.
Knight recorded his third closing of the test, mostly for an American tournament goalkeeper. Anaheim Ducks striker and winner Trevor Zegras led the tournament with 18 points, the second most by an American player in tournament history. Zegras also tied the record for most points for an American in his world junior career with 27 in the last two tournaments.
The United States took the lead in the first period of a redirect to the goal of Los Angeles Kings prospect Alex Turcotte. That goal was the first 5-on-5 goal that Canada allowed throughout the Junior World Championship and the first time it bounced back at any point in the tournament.
Zegras extended the Americans ’lead by 32 seconds in the second period, when he picked up the puck and passed it past Canadian goalkeeper Devon Levi, who was leaning in the wrong direction.
That goal gave Zegras a draw with former NHL player Jordan Schroeder for the all-time leading scorer in USA Hockey at the Junior World Championships with his 27th point accumulated in the last two tournaments.
Zegras also finished second on the U.S. singles tournament’s list of scores, with 18 points to lead all players in the 2021 tournament. He overtook Jeremy Roenick and dropped a timid Doug Weight record. of 19, established in 1991.
Canada had outscored opponents 41-4 before Tuesday night’s final in their bid to repeat as junior world champions.
The victory gave USA Hockey its fourth consecutive victory over Canada in a Junior World Cup final, after winning in 2004, 2010, 2017 and 2021. The United States has positioned itself 4-1. at all times in gold medal games against Canada, which owns 18 golds in tournament history.