The star-studded American team lived up to billing on Friday, winning the world junior hockey tournament with a dominating 6-2 victory over host Sweden in the championship game.
Isaac Howard scored twice for Team USA which was unbeaten in the meeting of the world’s top under-20 teams in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Gabe Perreault, Ryan Leonard, Zeev Buium and Rutger McGroarty (into an empty net) also scored for the U.S., which included six players from Minnesota.
Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Otto Stenberg had Sweden’s goals. The team’s captain was the Wild’s 2022 first-round pick, winger Liam Ohgren.
U.S. goalie Trey Augustine and Swedish goalie Hugo Havelid both had 14 saves.
Czechia beat Finland 8-5 for the bronze medal.
The American team included Gophers Sam Rinzel (Chaska), Ryan Chesley (Mahtomedi), Oliver Moore (Mounds View) and Jimmy Snuggerud (Chaska); Bemidji State’s Eric Pohlkamp (Brainerd); and Maple Grove’s Danny Nelson, who plays at Notre Dame.
The gold medal was the sixth for the U.S., which was coached by Denver’s David Carle.