Isaac Howard is the type of player who never misses a big moment.
That’s why the Tampa Bay Lightning forward prospect had no problem being demonized alongside his U.S. teammates in Friday’s 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal game against host Sweden. .
“We accepted it,” Howard said after scoring two goals in the second period as the U.S. won 6-2. “I loved it. It was an electric barn.” [Scandinavium, in Gothenburg]. I loved the boos. We were able to feed off that energy and keep moving forward. ”
Howard tied for the conference lead in goals with seven and was certainly part of the conference’s top line, along with Gavin Brindley (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Frank Nazar (Chicago Blackhawks).
“This is the moment every hockey player dreams of,” Howard said. “I want to step up to bat every time I get this opportunity.”
He scored in five of seven games, including two games in which he scored two goals, and scored one goal in six games. In the qualifying round against the Czech Republic, he scored the opening goal, and in the seventh round of the penalty shootout he scored the winning goal and won the match.
His heroic performance in the gold medal match followed. He used his incredible speed to outrun Swedish defenseman Tom Wilander (Vancouver Canucks) and score from close range, giving the U.S. a 2-1 lead at 9:24 of the second period. He then scored the winning goal at 14:00. :19, when he banked a shot from a sharp angle off goaltender Hugo Havelid’s right skate.
He ended the celebration by pretending to slick his hair back, but then said:
It’s that skill and playfulness that endears Howard to his teammates.
“He took over today’s game,” said U.S. captain Rutger McGroarty (Winnipeg Jets). “We really love him. He scores goals, he plays, he has fun. And he can do that.” [celebrate]. ”
Howard is one of several players who had a memorable tournament. The other four are (listed alphabetically):
Hugo Haverid, G, Sweden (2024 Draft Eligible): Haverid posted a 1.77 points average, .917 save percentage, and two shutouts in five games and was named the tournament’s best goaltender. The 19-year-old, a two-time NHL draft pick, had shutouts in his first two games, including 21 saves in a 2-0 win over Canada in the preliminary round. He extended his shutout streak to 157 minutes and 26 seconds until he allowed a goal in the second period of the quarterfinals against Switzerland.
Haverid opted to transfer to Djurgården of Sweden’s second-highest professional league, Allsvenskan, this season in order to get more playing time and hopefully make a bigger impression on NHL scouts. The World Juniors likely helped in that regard as well.
Lane Hutson, Democrat, United States (Montreal Canadiens): Hutson played a game-high 27:20 in the gold medal game after playing 25:12 in Thursday’s semifinal game against Finland, one second less than defensive partner Ryan Chesley (Washington Capitals). did. He was a plus-5 overall.
Hutson finished the tournament with six assists and a plus-8 rating in 23 minutes, 58 seconds of ice time in seven games, and was selected to the tournament’s All-Star team in a media vote. It wasn’t just his numbers that made the 19-year-old stand out, it was his poise.
“He really controls the tempo of the game, because he’s in the game a lot,” U.S. coach David Karl said. “His decision-making, with and without the puck, affects the game at a very high level. I thought he had very good control tonight and that really influenced us throughout the tournament.” I gave you.”
Jiri Klich, F, Czech (Buffalo Sabers): Czech captain Kulic was once again outstanding in his third WJC. The 19-year-old tied for first in the tournament with 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists) along with U.S. forward Kutter Gauthier, and was instrumental in the Czech Republic’s 8-5 victory over Finland in Friday’s bronze medal game. did.
Kulic scored four points (two goals, two assists) in the win, including the key assist on Ondrej Becher’s tying goal and Tomas Hamara’s winning goal in the third period.
At the 2023 WJC, he scored seven goals, tied for second place, and contributed to the Czech Republic winning the silver medal. But this year, he took on an even more important role as captain, sharing the experience he gained in international hockey and making his NHL debut on Nov. 25.
“He had a great game,” Hamara said Friday. “He scored some really important goals. He’s just a real captain, a real leader.”
Jonathan Lekkerimäki, F, Sweden (Vancouver Canucks): Lekkerimäki was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after tying Howard for the WJC lead with seven points and tied for fourth with 10 points. He led all players in power-play goals and was tied for the lead with Kulich with 34 shots on goal.
Lekkerimäki had five points (four goals, one assist) in three games in the medal round, including an assist on Axel Sandin Pelica’s (Detroit Red Wings) overtime goal in the quarterfinals against Switzerland and a goal against the Czech Republic. This includes the one that scored the winning goal. Semi-finals.
Although he had a disappointing 2022-23 season, he scored one goal in seven games for Sweden at the 2023 WJC. However, expectations remained high for the 19-year-old and he certainly fulfilled them.
Sweden’s coach Magnus Havelid said before the tournament, “He had a tough season last year with a lot of injuries and poor health.” “We are looking at how he played with Orebro.” [Swedish Hockey League], they are very successful. He’s an important player for us and he’s working really hard right now, not just on the power play and offensively. I’m looking forward to meeting him too. ”