With their victory over Team Sweden this afternoon, Team USA has officially won the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, taking home the gold medal for the sixth time since the tournament’s inception in 1977. The game-winning goal would come in the second period, as Michigan State University product, Isaac Howard, put away the deciding marker relatively early on in the game.
Team USA will now move alone into third place in total gold medals in the tournament’s history after being tied with Finland with five since 2021. Team Russia/Soviet Union is in second place with eight gold medals, while Team Canada is in front by a large margin with a whopping 20 gold medals in the tournament’s history.
After leading Team Czechia in scoring in last year’s tournament, Buffalo Sabres’ prospect, Jiri Kulich, would lead the entire tournament this year, scoring six goals and 12 points in seven games. Tied in the lead with Kulich was Philadelphia Flyers’ prospect, Cutter Gauthier of Team USA, scoring two goals and 12 points in seven games.
Outside of Team USA bringing home the gold, and Team Sweden taking home the silver medal, Team Czechia would go on to defeat Team Finland in a high-scoring game this morning, winning their second bronze medal in tournament history. Now, the players from each respective country will return back to their regular teams, before the exciting tournament returns next year in Ottawa.
Gauthier is going to be a huge difference maker for Flyers, if Tortorella doesn’t ruin him.
Gauthier will be fine. It is the boys that refuse to man-up that Torts breaks. LOL
I was hoping that the Hawks were going to take Gauthier with their 2nd 1st round pick last year. But then Moore fell right in their laps and they had to take him. I don’t remember if the Hawks had a shot at him later and took Gajan instead or he went before that but the dude knows how to shoot the puck.
Gauthier was in the 2022 draft, not 2023. 5th OA!!!
Ethan Gauthier was in 2023, and he is Canadien. 2nd round 2 picks after Gajan.
Oh yeah. Now that I look they’re from 2 different countries. My bad. It was Ethan that got drafted last year. Ooops.
USA….USA….USA!!! :)
Well deserved, USA looked great the entire tournament. Lightning’s prospect Howard stood out to me.