EP Rinkside's 3 Stars from the 2024 U18 World Hockey Championship Medal Round

The Gold Medal Game

ESPOO, Finland – Sometimes, all it takes is one play to change the course of a hockey game.

Canada found that out time and again as they scratched and clawed their way through the medal round, eking out an auspiciously close 4-0 win over Latvia and besting Sweden by just the one goal in the semifinals.

Then they taught the Americans that lesson today, scoring three times on a five-minute power play after Trevor Connelly was ejected for a hit to Ryder Ritchie's head. 

It was the Americans' game to lose to that point. They entered the period with a 3-2 lead and a 31-11 advantage in shots. And were it not for a couple of goal line saves by Carter George, perhaps they have the cushion necessary to withstand that major. It's a game of inches, after all.

Gavin McKenna spearheaded