In this NHL Nugget, Brian T. Dessart flashes back to the first NHL goal of Willie O'Ree's career on Jan. 1, 1961. Team USA [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTg2MTg2OTU3NjQwOTY3ODc1/usa.jpg] Team USA GOTHENBURG, SWE - In the end, the Americans were just faster than the Swedes in the 2024 world juniors final. It gave Team USA many of its scoring opportunities and ended a lot of Swedish ones before they got too dangerous. The Americans picked apart Swedish netminder Hugo Havelid and left the ice with gold medals in a 6-2 thrashing that really ramped up in the third period. "It was crazy," said Gabe Perreault. "A lot of atmosphere, a lot of emotion. Being in Sweden, they had a lot of fans going, we knew that going in. We kinda wanted to shush them and that's what we did so it was awesome." With the home crowd obviously bumping, Sweden came out strong, and the early stages of the game were a Tre Kronor shooting gallery. But USA goalie Trey Augustine (DET) held his ground while other Swedish shots were off the mark. The Americans drew first blood late in the first while playing up and man due to a delayed penalty on Sweden: Will Smith (SJ) delivered a slap-pass to Gabe Perreault (NYR), who directed the puck past Havelid from in close. Early in the second, the Swedes gave their faithful something to cheer for when Otto Stenberg (STL) tipped a Mattias Havelid (SJ) point shot through Augustine's legs. But cracks began to show in Sweden's structure: Smith was sprung for a breakaway, and while he shot wide, the Americans wrested back the lead when Drew Fortescue (NYR) found Isaac Howard (TB) with a brilliant stretch pass for a five-hole goal. Meanwhile, Augustine was doing his part, making a crucial stop on Jonathan Lekkerimaki (VAN) in tight after the talented Canucks prospect got loose in front of the net. Howard would torture Havelid again by popping in a bad-angle shot from across the goal line, but Lekkerimaki would not be further denied, blasting in a power-play goal with just five seconds left in the second period. The middle frame was particularly physical, much to the disdain of the Swedish fans, who clearly wanted more penalties called. Captain Rutger McGroarty (WPG) levelled Felix Unger Sorum (CAR) with a big hit, for instance, but no discipline was warranted nor dished out by the refs. The Americans took over in the third. Defenseman Zeev Buium (2024) beat Havelid from the point off a draw two minutes in; the netminder may have been screened/deflected by Liam Ohgren (MIN). To add insult to injury, Ohgren later took a double-minor for high-sticking, and though the Swedes killed it off in full, it wasted valuable minutes that could have been used on a comeback. When Ryan Leonard (WSH) pushed through the Swedish defense to win the puck and bury a wrister, the game was done. Captain Rutger McGroarty (WPG) would then add an empty-netter, sprung by Jimmy Snuggerud (STL). Things got chippy at the end, with Lane Hutson (MTL) and Anton Johansson (DET) even dropping the gloves. But the end result was the same: Team USA on top of the junior hockey world. This was the best team in the tournament, and going undefeated as they did was an impressive feat. Next year in Ottawa, they'll be a threat to repeat. But for now, they'll bask in a mission accomplished in front of a raucous arena full of Swedish fans. "That was probably the most fun game I've ever played in my life," McGroarty said. "When you hear 'world junior final,' that's what you think of: a crowd like that going nuts the whole game. It was awesome."
