USA Hockey will play Finland in the gold medal game of the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; TSN,NHL Network). The Americans are on the cusp of winning their fifth WJC gold, a remarkable feat for a country that once struggled to compete to even win bronze. Fifteen years ago to the day, USA Hockey captured its first gold medal in memorable fashion against rival Canada in Finland. Sporting News recently sat down with Devils forward Drew Stafford, who as a member of that groundbreaking team played a pivotal role in that final game. Up until that point, in the 30-year history of USA Hockey participating in the IIHF World Junior Championship, the program had only won two bronze medals (1986, 1992) and one silver (1997). Canada, on the other hand, had 10 gold medals but had not captured gold since 1997. THE HYPE ABOUT JACK HUGHES SPORTING NEWS: We all know Canada is pa sionate about hockey
Eli Manning Jersey , but considering the backdrop, was all the pre sure on Canada in that game? DREW STAFFORD: One hundred percent. We could play a little, not like free, but just kind of the underdog [with] nothing to lose and kind of go. Like I said, you look at that team, that Canadian team, like, [wow]. Between that team and then the yearafterward,actually, my second year in World Juniors...but that team, that [next] Canadian team, ended up winning. But, obviously, they had a lot of pre sure. They've always
Sam Cookman Jersey got pre sure. USA Hockey went undefeated in the preliminary round of the '03-04 tournament, defeating Austria, Slovakia, Sweden and Ru sia by a combined 21-4. Canada also went undefeated and both teams earned automatic byes into the semifinals. In the semis, the U.S. defeated Finland while the Canadians crushed the Czech Republic 7-1, setting up the showdown on Jan. 5, 2004. Canada was leading 3-1 heading into the third period and looked poised to capture gold. After all, future Stanley Cup champion Marc-Andre Fleury was in net. But then the Americans began their comeback. Patrick O'Sullivan netted a goal to make it 3-2, followed by Ryan Kesler's tally to tie it 3-3. Then, one of the strangest game-winning goals you will ever see occurred, sealing the historic come-from-behind win for the Americans. SN: What do you remember from that moment? DS: I had one of the cheesiest a sists. Technically its not even [an a sist]. I dumped the puck out of the zone and I was going for a change and Paddy O'Sullivan was skating after it. Fleury tried to clear it and [banked it off his own defenseman into the net]. Just, you know, bad break, bad luck. I skated in to celebrate. I've got to get mine,
Dwaine Thomas Jersey [as though] I actually did anything about it. But yeah, it was good. That was fun. It was such a cool experience for me. I had played the Under-18s, the Worlds and stuff like that, but to actually make the World Juniors, and that was my first year, too. I was younger [than the other players at 18]. The only reason why I got picked was Dustin Brown got hurt right before the tournament so I was kind of like a last-minute [addition] or like the next guy [up]. I ended up getting bumped up against Canada because, I dont know, maybe [U.S. coach Mike Eaves] wanted to get a little more size or something because of that team. If you look at that Canadian team, its like half of that team is probably going to go into the Hall of Fame someday. What a game, that comeback. Some big goals. Just to finish it off like we did. Its kind of a lucky bounce, but that was one of the coolest hockey experiences, especially for USA Hockey to kind of just put a stamp on not only winning gold but beating Canada, too. That was huge. While Fleury's name will surely be on a plaque at the Hockey Hall of Fame one day, he struggled for a bit after the tournament. The Penguins sent him back to juniors a few weeks after the tournament after going 0-4 with a combined 20 goals against. In 2005-06 he posted a .901 save percentage and 2.52 goals-against average with AHL Wilkes-Barre, which are not great numbers for a goaltender of his stature. He returned to the Penguins the following season but posted some of the lowest numbers of his career with a .898 save percentage and 3.25 GAA. MORE: | SN: As much as playing in the tournament can be positive and help build a young player's career, if something goes wrong, like Fleury's mistake that cost Canada the gold medal, can it stunt a career? DS: Yeah, I mean, if you look at it that way, theres a lot [that can happen]. If you look at how many good things he did that were quickly forgotten just because of maybe one bad-luck mistake it's not like he played bad. We also played pretty good, but that goal, 99 times out of 100 it ends up something different. But looking back I'm sure hes like, "Aw, yeah, whatever," but now hes a Hall of Fame goalie, so there you go. Its all good. I would say the 2003 draft was one of the best drafts of all time and between the Americans [such as Zach Parise] and the Canadians [such as Fleury] that were picked in that first round of that
Isaiah Rutherford Jersey draft, it was pretty much everyone on the ice, so it was pretty cool. For myself, as a younger guy [who would be drafted in 2004], just being a part of that [as] kind of a utility player but then at the end in that game I got bumped up I was playing with OSullivan and [Patrick]
Marshall Few Jersey Eaves. Like I said, it was probably one of my most memorable hockey moments of my life, for sure. Since that gold medal, USA Hockey has captured the title in 2010, 2013 and 2017 and won bronze in 2007, 2011, 2016 and 2018. Before that first gold, it had won three medals; it has earned seven after. SN: What is it like seeing how far USA Hockey hasgrownsince 2004? DS: It's great. You look at some places that might not be your traditional hockey markets as well. Youve got guys coming out of California, Arizona [like Auston Matthews], Florida and what have you. Its pretty cool to see that kind of development getting pooled from areas all over the country instead of just your typical Michigan, Minnesota, Ma sachusetts kind of spots. When I was growing up that was where the majority of guyswerefrom...I'm sure you could look at some of the higher picks [and] where they come from, its pretty cool, and to see them have succe s not only at the Under-20s but Under-17, Under-18 as well. It's come a long way [and] its pretty cool to see.
SN QA with Devils Drew Stafford 15 years after USA Hockeys first gold medal at W
