Chaz Lucius hat trick USA beat Sweden overtime bronze medal World Juniors
HALIFAX — Chaz Lucius completed an overtime hat trick as the United States beat Sweden 8-7 in a wild bronze medal game Thursday at the world junior hockey championship.
The Winnipeg Jets prospect scored in the three-on-three sudden-death period when he flipped a backhand over Swedish goaltender Carl Lindbom.
Lindbom had stopped an early chance from Lane Hutson, but the rebound went unanswered until Lucius swooped in and clinched a game in which the U.S., coming off a 6-2 loss to Canada in a semifinal on Wednesday, gave up several leads before finally prevailing.
“We weren’t really happy about losing to Canada. But it is what it is and right when we came out of the locker room (Wednesday) we said, ‘You know what? We have a medal (on the line) ), said USA captain Luke Hughes.
“It’s really important for USA Hockey. It’s really important for us as a team. We all came together and just focused on playing 60 minutes and just leaving it all out there.”
Cutter Gauthier scored twice for the Americans, who have medaled in six of the last eight world juniors. Logan Cooley, Ryan Ufko and Hughes also scored.
“That’s not the game we want to be in,” Lucius said. “But overall, it’s a really memorable experience.”
Filip Bystedt scored twice, including the tying goal with 21 seconds left in regulation, and added an assist for Sweden. Oskar Pettersson, Leo Carlsson, Milton Oscarson, Liam Ohgren and Noah Ostlund had the other goals for Sweden.
It was a second heartbreaking overtime loss for the Swedes in as many days in Halifax after dropping a 2-1 semi-final tie against the Czech Republic on Wednesday.
Kaidan Mbereko picked up the win in goal for the USA after stopping 14 of 16 shots in the third period and overtime. He replaced Trey Augustine, who gave up five goals on 20 shots in the first 40 minutes.
Lindbom made 28 saves on 36 shots.
Cooley opened the scoring barely three minutes into the game. It was the seventh goal of the tournament for the third overall selection of the Arizona Coyotes in the 2022 NHL Draft.
A low-scoring first period gave way to a chaotic second that saw the U.S. build a two-goal lead three times only to exit the period tied 5-5.
Ufko put the Americans up 2-0 with a power play goal in the first two minutes of the period before Bystedt got Sweden on the board less than two minutes later.
Lucius restored the Americans’ two-goal lead with his first of the match until Sweden equalized with goals just over two minutes from Pettersson and Carlsson.
Once again the Americans surged ahead after goals from Gauthier and Lucius. But the Swedes responded with another quick pair as Oscarson and Ohgren scored in the final seconds of the period.
Östlund scored four minutes into the third to put Sweden up 6-5, but the Swedes’ only lead of the game lasted just four minutes and 17 seconds. After being knocked to the ice, Hughes shoveled the puck into the net on his knees and beat a surprised Lindbom.
“We’re not losing this game,” Hughes shouted at the players on the American bench as he celebrated the goal.
Gauthier appeared to have won the game with a power-play goal 97 seconds from the end of regulation when he tucked the puck under a sprawling Lindbom.
The target survived a lengthy review, much to the relief of the Americans. The USA had two disallowed goals in a 6-2 semifinal loss to Canada on Wednesday.
The Swedes would not go quietly. Bystedt snapped the puck past Mbereko with 21 seconds remaining as the USA surrendered a lead for the third time in the game.
American forward Tyler Boucher missed the game with an injury and was replaced by Noah Laba.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on January 5, 2023.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on January 5, 2023.