On Thursday, January 5, the USA World Junior hockey team defeated Canada for the gold medal in the Annual World Junior Hockey Championship. This international tournament officially started in 1977. Since then  number of players from this tournament have played in the NHL; this is the premier stage for the top players who hope to move past the amateur leagues.

The event took place in Montreal, Canada. The final score was 5-4 in favor of USA. Team USA won in a shootout.

Canada came out flying and took a quick 2-0 lead on the US in the first period. In the second period, the US tied the game up at 2.

In the third period, Canada took another two-goal lead followed by another comeback from the US making the score 4-4. The game went to overtime where nobody scored, so a shootout decided the final outcome.

Troy Terry, who plays for the Denver Pioneers in NCAA division one hockey, won the shootout with a five-hole goal to win the game and give the US the gold medal.

Last year the World Junior Championship was played in Helsinki, Finland. Finland won the gold medal against Russia 4-3. In 2015, the World Junior Championship was played in Canada. Canada came out with the gold medal against Russia 5-4.

Manny players have used this tournament as a stepping stone to the NHL, including Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, Jonathan Toews Chicago Blackhawks, Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks, Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins.