Canada Defeats USA to Win U18 Men’s Hockey Championship Gold

ESPOO, Finland – In a thrilling match at the Under 18 World Hockey Championship, Thunder Bay‘s Carter George showcased his skills as Team Canada clinched a dramatic victory over the United States to secure the gold medal.

George, hailed as the tournament’s top goaltender, faced a relentless 19-shot onslaught in the second period, making 31 saves in total to help Canada come from behind and defeat the United States 6-4 in an exhilarating final.

Gavin McKenna, a standout player expected to be the first overall pick in the upcoming NHL draft, delivered a stellar performance by netting a hat trick and leading Canada to its first U18 title since 2021.

Notably, George’s exceptional play saw him make crucial saves throughout the game, including denying breakaway attempts by Cole Hutson and Max Plante in the first period, and a remarkable stick save against Hagen late in the second period.

The turning point came in the third period when American forward Trevor Connelly was ejected for a dangerous hit on Canadian Ryder Ritchie, leading to a five-minute power play for Canada.

During this power play, McKenna capitalized with two crucial goals at 10:25 and 13:40, while Cole Beaudoin and Taj Igina also found the net, giving Canada a decisive lead.

Despite a late push from the United States, including a goal from Brodie Ziemer to narrow the gap to 5-4, Canada held on for the historic win with McKenna sealing the victory with an empty-net goal.

In net, George’s stellar performance, including a tournament-average of 2.33 goals against and a .915 save percentage, played a pivotal role in Canada’s undefeated run in the championship.

American goaltender Nicholas Kempf made 19 saves in the final game, with offensive contributions from Cole Hutson, Cole Eiserman, and Christian Humphries.