Nolan Allan is now a member of a rare group of Prince Albert Raiders players that have won a gold medal for Canada at the IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship.
The 18-year-old blueliner from Davidson joined Josh Morrissey, Rejean Beauchemin and Jeremy Colliton in the prestigious club on Thursday night in Frisco, Texas as Canada picked up a 5-3 win over Russia in the tournament final.
The dynamic duo of Connor Bedard (Regina Pats) and Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs) led the way for Canada, who posted a perfect 7-0 record on their way to winning the country’s fourth title and their first since 2013.
Wright, who is the projected top choice in the 2022 NHL Draft, had two goals and an assist in the triumph.
Bedard scored a highlight-reel goal in the opening frame moments after being turned aside on a penalty shot and fed the puck to Wright on an empty-net insurance marker with 40 seconds to go.
Brennan Othmann (Flint Firebirds) and Logan Stankoven (Kamloops Blazers) also scored for Canada, who received a 31-save showing from Benjamin Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting).
Allan, who started the game off by sending Russian captain and Lethbridge Hurricanes import draft pick Nikita Chibrikov flying into the Canadian bench, finished the tournament with two points in seven games.
Matvei Michkov, who is battling it out with Bedard to be the first pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, paced Russia’s offence with a goal and two assists.
Vladimir Grudinin and Dmitri Buchelnikov also scored and Sergei Ivanov turned aside 29 shots in the setback, which was the second in a row for Russia in the final.
Thursday’s bronze medal game was a lopsided affair as Sweden cruised to an 8-0 triumph over Finland.
Isak Rosen potted a pair of goals in the contest and Carl Lindbom stopped all 35 shots he faced to help Sweden win their third straight medal at the tournament.
Final Tournament Stats
Points
- Matvei Michkov (Russia) – 16 points
- Shane Wright (Canada) – 14 points
- Connor Bedard (Canada) – 14 points
- Nikita Chibrikov (Russia) – 13 points
- Mason McTavish (Canada) – 11 points
- Samu Tuomaala (Finland) – 11 points
Defensive Scoring
- Aleksi Heimosalmi (Finland) – 8 points
- Corson Ceulemans (Canada) – 8 points
- Olen Zellweger (Canada) – 8 points
- Brandt Clarke (Canada) – 7 points
- Viljami Juusola (Filand) – 6 points
Goals Against Average
- Benjamin Gaudreau (Canada) – 2.20
- Sergei Ivanov (Russia) – 2.63
- Tikhon Chaika (Belarus) – 2.67
- Kaidan Mbereko (United States) – 2.85
- Kevin Pasche (Switzerland) – 3.04
Tournament Awards
- Best Goaltender: Benjamin Gaudreau (Canada)
- Best Defenceman: Aleksi Heimosalmi (Finland)
- Best Forward: Matvei Michkov (Russia)
- Most Valuable Player: Matvei Michkov (Russia)
Media All-Star Team
- Goaltender: Sergei Ivanov (Russia)
- Defencemen: Aleksi Heimosalmi (Finland)/Brandt Clarke (Canada)
- Forwards: Connor Bedard (Canada)/Matvei Michkov (Russia)/Samu Tuomaala (Finland)
