Gangwon 2024: United States top Canada 6-5 after shootout to advance to ice hockey gold medal match
Goaltender Xavier Wendt put in a performance for the ages to guide Team USA to the Gangwon 2024 gold medal match against Czechia. Watch the action live on Olympics.com with dedicated feeds, as well as on the official Olympics app for mobile devices.
Ice Hockey
Goaltender Xavier Wendt starred as the United States defeated perennial rivals Canada 6-5 after a penalty-shot shootout in the ice hockey semi-final at Gangwon 2024 on Tuesday (30 January).
Wendt made 37 saves in regulation play and stopped all three Canadian shootout attempts to dramatically conclude the thrilling game and punch Team USA's ticket through to the gold medal match against Czechia.
Reflecting afterwards, US head coach Joe Bonnett said his side were "rewarded" for their tenacity in a game they were out-shot 42-17.
"It feels exhilarating," Bonnett told Olympics.com.
"We've had three ties here, but, you know, it's a great tournament. It's kind of that age level too. Those kids are only 15, they do make a lot of mistakes and you tend to have high-scoring games, but it's a lot of fun. And, they hung in there today and they were rewarded for their efforts.
"They played with a lot of passion and they definitely played for a lot of American pride. And, they hung in there and it was a great outcome for us."
An end-to-end but scoreless opening period was followed by an explosion of goals in the second, with USA captain Parker Trottier striking first for the USA just 1 minute 39 seconds into the period.
It took just 40 seconds for Canadian talisman Alessandro Di Iorio to reply before JP Hurlbert then posted another goal less than a minute later to edge the Americans ahead 2-1.
When Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll struck again for his team to hand the US a 3-1 advantage momentum then truly felt like it belonged to the US with Canadian goal tender Carter Esler, who had been solid all tournament, replaced by Mateo Beites.
But the relentless Canadians were able to claw one back after Americans Abe Barnett and Tyler Martyniuk were sent to the penalty box allowing Zachary Nyman to strike on a 5-on-3 power play.
Just like the second period, the third saw goals galore with Canada quickly off the mark. Mathis Preston fired a rocket to level the score just 29 seconds after the puck was dropped.
When Trottier scored his second of the game to give the US the lead Preston duly responded with his own double to tie things up at 4-4.
A similar exchange occurred deeper into the period when Mikey Berchild scored only for Nyman to find his second of the game to tie things 5-5 at the close of regular time.
In their third penalty-shot shootout in as many games, the Americans held firm under the pressure of the occasion. Wendt delivered a standout performance as he had all game to confirm a rematch against Czechia for a Youth Olympic gold medal, having lost to the Czechs in a shootout in group play.
*"*I felt super relaxed the entire time," the goaltender told Olympics.com in a post-match interview. "We did so much work on shootouts in training camp back in San Jose. So I felt really confident in myself in the shootout."
He continued: "It feels amazing, man. Beating Canada is one of the greatest feelings ever*.* [We've] just got to get some revenge tomorrow, I guess."
The men's ice hockey final at Gangwon 2024 will take place on Wednesday at 20:00 Korea Standard Time (UTC/GMT +9 hours).
The action will be streamed live on Olympics.com with dedicated feeds, as well as on the official Olympics app for mobile devices. You can also watch full replays on demand on Olympics.com and catch highlights across the official Olympics social media accounts.