Team USA upends Canada, soars to world juniors gold behind Trevor Zegras and host of local standouts

The United States celebrates its victory over Canada during the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship gold-medal game. (Getty Images)

Spearheaded by a stellar contingent of New York, New Jersey and New England natives, the U.S. National Junior Team, behind 34 saves from Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.) and goals from Trevor Zegras (Bedford, N.Y.) and Alex Turcotte (Chicago, Ill.), beat Canada, 2-0, Tuesday night in the gold-medal game of the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship.

It was the fifth gold medal for the United States in the tournament and the fifth time in the past six years that Team USA has medaled in the event, the best medal stretch in the nation’s history.

Team USA scored the only goal of the opening period at 12:25 when Turcotte deflected one home off Drew Helleson’s shot from the far right point. The goal came after sustained pressure in the Canadian zone by the U.S. that spanned over multiple shifts. The U.S. was outshot 7-4 in the first 10 minutes of the period, but over the next five minutes took control and outshot the hosts by an 8-1 count. Knight, Boston College’s No. 1 goalie, was sharp in the opening stanza and made nine saves, including two on the only power play of the period.