2018-19 National Men's U18 Team

CANADA FALLS TO U.S. IN U18 WORLDS FINALE

JASON LA ROSE

ÖRNSKÖLDSVIK, Sweden – Nolan Maier (Yorkton, Sask./Saskatoon, WHL) stood tall with 36 saves, but Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team finished its 2019 IIHF U18 World Championship with a 5-2 loss to the United States in the bronze medal game Sunday.

Dylan Cozens (Whitehorse, Y.T./Lethbridge, WHL) and Nathan Légaré (Montreal, Que./Baie-Comeau, QMJHL) scored the goals for the Canadians, who saw their medal drought stretched to four years.

Back on the ice less than 24 hours after a heartbreaking semifinal loss to Sweden, Canada found itself down a goal when Alex Turcotte converted on a U.S. power play just past the eight-minute mark.

But Cozens responded on a Canadian man-advantage in the final minute of the first period, playing give-and-go with Alex Newhook (St. John’s, N.L./Victoria, BCHL) before beating U.S. goaltender Spencer Knight to the glove side.

The Americans took the lead for good seven minutes into the second when Jack Hughes finished a feed from Cam York, and Bobby Brink and York added power-play goals before the end of the middle frame to make it a 4-1 game after 40 minutes.

York struck again on the power play early in the third, hammering a point blast past Maier.

Légaré netted a consolation goal for the Canadians with just six seconds to go, letting go a quick shot from the side-boards that found its way through bodies and past Knight.

Newhook and captain Peyton Krebs (Okotoks, Alta./Winnipeg, WHL) finished as Canada’s leading scorers with 10 points apiece; Newhook had five goals and five assists, while Krebs scored six goals and added four helpers.