U.S. wins bronze at WJHC after dramatic overtime win vs. Sweden

The United States returned to the podium at the world juniors after beating Sweden 8-7 in overtime during a dramatic bronze-medal game Thursday.

Chaz Lucius completed the hat trick with the game-winner in the extra frame after Sweden’s Filip Bystedt forced overtime with 21 seconds left in regulation.

Only one of the game’s 15 goals was scored in the first period, with Logan Cooley drawing first blood just under three minutes into the contest.

The floodgates didn’t open until the second frame when the teams combined for nine tallies. Five of those goals came before the midway mark of the period.

Ryan Ufko started the flurry with a power-play goal, and Bystedt responded to get Sweden on the board 1:42 later. Lucius put the Americans up 3-1 with his first marker of the game, only for that multi-goal lead to be squandered with back-to-back goals from Oskar Pettersson and Leo Carlsson.

Team USA restored its two-goal advantage thanks to Cutter Gauthier and another tally from Lucius. The Americans looked primed to hold onto their lead entering the third period, but Milton Oscarson and Liam Ohgren found the back of the net 26 seconds apart in the final moments of the middle frame as Sweden knotted the game at 5-5.

American goaltender Trey Augustine was replaced by Kaidan Mbereko to start the third period.

The Swedes took their first and only lead of the game thanks to a goal from Noah Ostlund early in the final frame, but Team USA captain Luke Hughes scored a dandy from his knees to tie the contest at six apiece soon after.

Sweden’s Carlsson took a tripping penalty in the final minutes of regulation, and Gauthier capitalized on the man advantage with 1:37 left in the game. Bystedt’s last-gasp equalizer extended the drama before Lucius delivered the final dagger in overtime.

Lucius was named player of the game for the Americans, while Ostlund earned the honor for Sweden.

Swedish goalie Carl Lindbom made 28 saves in the losing effort. The team was down a forward early in the game after Fabian Lysell was ejected for an illegal check to the head of Team USA’s Kenny Connors.

Mbereko made 14 saves on 16 shots in relief for the USA.

Prior to Thursday’s frenzied bout, the Swedes had struggled to score goals at the tournament: Their 20 tallies through their first six games were by far the lowest total out of the four teams left standing.

Sweden failed to capture back-to-back bronze medals at the tournament with the loss, while the Americans got some redemption after being eliminated in the quarterfinals during the August edition of the world juniors.