Canada’s amazing turnaround in the round of 18! The Americans were blown away by the blinker | Hokej.cz

The overseas final of the U18 Championship offered a fantastic spectacle and above all a spectacular turnaround by Canada, who are celebrating their fifth gold in history! The Maple Leafs were losing 1:3, but then they punished American Connelly’s rough foul three times and won 6:4, especially thanks to the hat trick of the prodigious Gavin McKenna.

The overseas rivals met each other only twice in the final and the balance was even. But since Canada’s triumph in 2013, the Maple Leafs have celebrated just one more gold, while the Americans have four; last year

And now? Two-thirds of the time you thought the USA would win its twelfth triumph out of twenty-five championships. That he has nowhere to run to them.

They dominated in shots with a ratio of 31:9, and their pressure gradually increased. Humphreys’ opening goal was answered by Ritchie, but it was more of an isolated cloud. The Americans took a well-deserved 3-1 lead early on, thanks to a hit by sniper Cole Eiserman. With his 127th goal in the development program, he broke the record of his namesake Caufield.

Before the end of the second part, however, the first two turning points came. So far, however, only minor: McKenna cut down from the power play and Hagens’ super chance was pulled from the goal line by goalkeeper George with his hockey stick.

It was not only the best save of the entire championship, but above all the most important.

Everything was definitively broken by the moment from the 50th minute. The American striker Connelly, who shone in the basic group with Michigan, showed a total short circuit when he hit his opponent in the head at the bar. Nothing could follow but a trip to the showers.

By the way – Connelly, as the only player selected, was not a member of the team in the US development program, he did not join it until the championship.

And he blasted gold medals at his temporary sidekicks!

After a minute, McKenna took advantage of the long power play again. Then Canada struggled, but just before the end of the penalty added two more goals and took the lead for the first time: Beaudoin took advantage of a luxurious offer from Luchanko in front of an empty net, and then Iginlo fired beautifully.

Ziemer lowered it still flowing from the air, but the Americans were no longer welcome. Gavin McKenna definitely took away their hope in the power-play with his third goal of the game. The 16-year-old Šikula will go to the draft in two years, yet he scored ten goals and ten assists at the World Cup.

Yes, this should be the new Bedard!

Javorové listy won both top tournaments ending the season in the under-18 category, in August they triumphed at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

The win at the time in the extended final against the home Czech national team was great, but… Only the battle from Espoo will not be forgotten for a long time. Although it doesn’t sound flattering to the other teams, it was a match that, with its level, was totally out of step with all previous matches in the championship. No one better could have completed the international season on the youth scene.

USA – CANADA 4:6 (1:0, 2:2, 1:4)

Goals and saves: 20. Humphreys (Hensler, Connelly), 29. Eiserman (Hutson), 34. Hutson (Vansaghi, Skahan), 56. Ziemer (Emery, Hutson) – 26. Ritchie (Schaefer, Mews), 36. McKenna (Iginla, Mews ), 51. McKenna (Iginla, Martone), 54. Beaudoin (Luchanko, Ritchie), 55. Iginla (McKenna, Mews), 59. McKenna (George).
Referee: Österberg, Wedin – Strömberg (all Sweden), Bedard (Canada).
Exclusion: 3:4, plus Connelly (USA) 5 minutes to the end of the game.
Use: 1:4.
Shots on goal: 35:25 (12:6, 19:5, 4:14).
Spectators: 5800.
The best players: Cole Hutson – Carter George.
USA: Kempf – Emery, Hutson, Hensler, Skahan, Rheaume-Mullen, Laurila, Whipple – Ziemer, Hagens, Stiga – Plante, Bednarik, Eiserman – Mooney, Humphreys, Connelly – Vansaghi, Baker, McMorrow – Van Vliet. Coach: Fohr.
Canada: George – Elick, Schaefer, Mews, Marrelli, Brunicke, Aitcheson, Gill – Martone, Desnoyers, McKenna – Ritchie, Luchanko, Iginla – Massé, Josephson, Vanacker – Wetsch, Beaudoin, Spence – Greentree. Coach: MacDougall.

Final standings of the 2024 U18 World Cup

1. Canada
2. USA
3. Sweden
4. Slovakia
5. Finland
6. Czech Republic
7. Switzerland
8. Latvia
9. Norway
10. Kazakhstan (relegation to Division IA)

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