Rocco Grimaldi scored twice including the game winner in USA’s 3-1 win over Sweden, making them WJC2013 champs.

Earlier today, Team USA became champions. A collection of teenagers came together after a subpar start to the #WJC2013 U20 Tournament. When the chips were down, coach Phil Housley’s cohesive team reeled off four consecutive wins in elimination games to capture WJC gold.

It started with a resounding 9-3 triumph over Slovakia to qualify for the medal round. Then, they dominated Czech Republic by posting a 7-0 shutout. They stepped up in competition against archrival Canada, using a strong start to upset our neighbors 5-1 to make the championship round. Finally, they dethroned defending champ Sweden 3-1 to win the best hockey tournament.

Rocco Grimaldi scored twice. Vince Trocheck added an empty netter. Tournament MVP John Gibson made 26 saves as Team USA defeated Sweden 3-1 at Ufa Arena in Russia to become #WJC2013 champs. It’s the third time our country has taken gold in the WJC. They also won the tournament in 2003 and 2010. In those victories, they beat Canada. This time, they went through Canada in the semis and got the better of Sweden in the final to claim America’s third World Junior Championship.

Three of the four goals were scored in the second period. Following a scoreless first, Sweden’s Filip Sandberg put his team in front when he got to a loose puck on the power play for the opening goal at 1:09. But six and a half minutes later, Grimaldi responded with his first of the tournament. He surprised Niklas Lundstrom from a bad angle, catching the Swedish goalie napping to tie the game. Less than three minutes later, Grimaldi deflected home a Jacob Trouba shot for his second. It stood up as the clincher.

Gibson kept Sweden from tying it in a tense third with some clutch stops. With 16 seconds remaining, Trocheck scored into an empty net, sealing an exciting Team USA victory. We’ll have much more on a great day in American hockey later.

Russia edges Canada for bronze: In the bronze medal game, host Russia defeated Canada 6-5 in overtime. Valeri Nichushkin scored at 1:36 of OT, clinching the bronze for Russia in a high scoring affair.

With the score tied at five, Nichushkin went around Canadian defenseman Ryan Murphy and scored the winner. He beat Malcolm Subban with a forehand deke to give Russia an exciting bronze medal win. They never trailed.

Like their semifinal loss to USA, Canada fell behind 2-0. Alexander Khokhlachyov and Russian captain Nail Yakupov tallied 1:25 apart. Tournament leading scorer Ryan Nugent-Hopkins replied 2:02 later. The two sides combined for five goals in the first period with Russia taking a 3-2 lead to the locker room.

Canada outscored Russia 2-1 in the second. Murphy’s power play goal tied it 4-4. The Kitchener Ranger (OHL) was set up by Nugent-Hopkins, who had four points (1-3-4) in a losing effort. He was named the Tournament’s top forward. Canada hung in due to their power play, connecting four times.

A minute into the third, Yakupov registered his second of the game. He took a nice feed from Kirill Kasputin in front and beat Subban, who replaced starter Jordan Binnington (3 GA on 5 shots). Halfway through the stanza, Canada drew even again on a goal from forward Brett Ritchie. They hit a couple of posts late in regulation.

In overtime, Nichushkin took a Vladimir Tkachyov pass at center ice and drove by Murphy and outwaited Subban for the bronze clincher. Andrei Makarov (40 saves) was the winning Russian netminder.