World Juniors Medal Round Recap: The McTavish Miracle seals gold for Canada

Mike Gould
Mike Gould
World Juniors Medal Round Recap: The McTavish Miracle seals gold for Canada

Mason McTavish is a natural center, but on Saturday night, he took on the role of Team Canada goaltender — or, should we say, gold-tender.

The Anaheim Ducks prospect and Team Canada captain made a miraculous stick save on Team Finland forward Topi Niemela early in the overtime period of Saturday’s gold medal game at the 2022 IIHF Men’s World Junior Championship.

Call it the McTavish Miracle.

McTavish scored eight goals and 17 points in just seven games at the World Juniors (and was ultimately named tournament MVP), but his immediately iconic defensive play is what will go down in history.

Just moments after McTavish’s critical stop, Kent Johnson converted on an incredible spinning feed from Logan Stankoven to score the overtime golden goal.

Johnson’s OT winner foiled the Finns’ comeback hopes. After Joshua Roy and William Dufour scored in the first 40 minutes to give Team Canada a 2–0 lead, Aleksi Heimosalmi and Joakim Kemell responded in the third period to tie the game.

Team Canada outshot Team Finland by a 33–31 count in the gold medal game. Dylan Garand made 29 saves for the tournament-clinching victory.

While McTavish didn’t directly play a part in the overtime winner, he assisted on both Team Canada goals in regulation — and, of course, Johnson’s goal never would’ve happened if Niemela had scored first.

McTavish scored two goals and three points in his nine-game NHL audition with Anaheim at the beginning of the 2021–22 season. It’s hard to imagine the 2021 No. 3 pick not playing a significant role for the Ducks this upcoming year.

Wallstedt backstops Swedes to bronze

Minnesota Wild prospect Jesper Wallstedt stood tall in goal for Team Sweden in Saturday’s bronze medal game against Team Czechia.

The 2021 No. 20 pick stopped 27 of the 28 Czech shots he faced to help the Swedes take a 3–1 victory at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

While he wasn’t the first goaltender selected at last year’s draft, Wallstedt was undoubtedly the best at his position at this year’s World Juniors.

The 19-year-old from Vasteras, Sweden posted a .940 save percentage in his five appearances at the tournament and was named both the top goaltender and to the media all-star team.

Team Sweden head coach Tomas Monten praised his goaltender’s performance and demeanor after the bronze medal game, remarking: “If you could give the [captaincy] to a goaltender, he would get it.”

Isak Rosen, who went to the Buffalo Sabres six spots ahead of Wallstedt in 2021, scored the eventual bronze-winning goal late in the second period against the Czechs.

Fabian Lysell and Linus Sjodin also scored for the Swedes in the contest, while Michal Gut netted the Czechs’ lone goal.

Medal Round results

Gold: Team Canada 3, Team Finland 2 (OT)

Bronze: Team Sweden 3, Team Czechia 1

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