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Team USA wins gold at Youth Olympic Games

MiHockey Staff
Photo from the Lillehammer 2016 official website
Photo from the Lillehammer 2016 official website

 

By @MichaelCaples –

With a 5-2 victory over Canada, Team USA has won gold at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

The American squad – featuring five Michigan natives – posted a 5-0-0-1 record in the prestigious youth tournament in Norway, and they had quite a run in the final stretch. The U.S. beat Russia in the final round-robin game, then beat them again in the semifinals before taking on Canada in the finals.

Fenton native Drew DeRidder led Team USA between the pipes for both the semifinals and the finals, recording his fourth win of the tournament in the gold-medal game.

“It was an outstanding win for USA Hockey and our team,” said Scott Paluch, head coach of the U.S. Youth Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team, who also serves as a USA Hockey American Development Model Regional Manager. “To win the gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games is a tremendous achievement, and one that these young men will remember for a long time.”

Photo from the Olympics live YouTube broadcast
Photo from the Olympics live YouTube broadcast

 

The victory gives Team USA their first-ever medal at the tournament.

Novi native Christian Krygier scored the decisive third goal for the U.S. squad, while all five Michigan natives – DeRidder, Krygier, Jonathan Gruden, Jacob Semik and Will MacKinnon – played important roles in capturing gold in Lillehammer, Norway.

Congrats to all five of the Michigan natives:

Jonathan Gruden – Forward – Rochester – Honeybaked
1 goal, 3 assists, 4 points, +2, 9 shots

Christian Krygier – Defenseman – Novi – Little Caesars
2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points, +4, 7 shots

Jacob Semik – Defenseman – Canton – Honeybaked
3 assists, 3 points, +1, 7 shots

Will MacKinnon – Defenseman – Plymouth – Honeybaked
3 assists, 3 points, +4, 5 shots

Drew DeRidder – Goaltender – Fenton – Oakland Jr. Grizzlies
4 games played, 4 wins, 2 shutouts, 94.94 save percentage, 1,00 goals-against, 75 saves on 79 shots


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