Wolverines at the 2023 World Junior Championship: Fantilli and Canada Win Gold; USA Takes Bronze
1/2/2023 9:30:00 PM | Ice Hockey
The University of Michigan ice hockey team has six players named to to teams at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, scheduled for Dec. 26, 2022 through Jan. 5, 2023 in Moncton, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Every Wolverine invited by Team USA and Hockey Canada was selected to the final rosters. On Team USA are sophomores Luke Hughes, Dylan Duke and freshmen Seamus Casey, Rutger McGroarty and Gavin Brindley. Freshman Adam Fantilli will be on Hockey Canada.
This marks the first time in Michigan Hockey history that six players will represent their countries at the World Juniors in the same year. The previous high was five from December 2022 and 2005.
Hughes was named captain of Team USA on Saturday (Dec. 17). He is the sixth Wolverine to be honored in the role, the most recent being Cam York in 2021 as he guided his team to the gold.
• IIHF World Junior Championship Site
• Michigan at World Juniors History (PDF)
Schedule
Times EST; All games on NHL Network in the U.S. and TSN in Canada
Monday, Dec. 19 -- Pre-Tournament - USA vs. Finland | W, 5-2
Monday, Dec. 19 – Pre-Tournament - Canada vs. Switzerland | W, 6-0
Wednesday, Dec. 21 – Pre-Tournament - USA vs. Sweden | W, 5-1
Wednesday, Dec. 21 – Pre-Tournament - Canada vs. Slovakia | W, 6-1
Friday, Dec. 23 - Pre-Tournament - Canada vs. Finland | W, 5-3
Monday, Dec. 26 -- USA vs. Latvia | W, 5-2
Monday, Dec. 26 -- Canada vs. Czechia | L, 2-5
Wednesday, Dec. 28 -- USA vs. Slovakia | L, 3-6
Wednesday, Dec. 28 -- Canada vs. Germany | W, 11-2
Thursday, Dec. 29 -- USA vs. Switzerland | W, 5-1
Thursday, Dec. 29 -- Canada vs. Austria | W, 11-0
Saturday, Dec. 31 -- USA vs. Finland | W, 6-2
Saturday, Dec. 31 -- Canada vs. Sweden | W, 5-1
Monday, Jan. 2 -- Quarterfinal - USA vs. Germany | W, 11-1
Monday, Jan. 2 -- Quarterfinal - Canada vs. Slovakia | W, 4-3 (OT)
Wednesday, Jan. 4 -- Semifinal - USA vs. Canada | Canada 6-2
Thursday, Jan. 5 -- Bronze Medal Game - USA vs. Sweden | W, 8-7 (OT)
Thursday, Jan. 5 -- Gold Medal Game - Canada vs. Czechia | W, 3-2 (OT)
Final Stats
Adam Fantilli - 7 GP 2-3-5, Even, 21 SOG, 11:31 TOI
Rutger McGroarty - 7 GP 1-6-7, -2, 11 SOG, 13:32
Gavin Brindley - 7 GP 1-3-4, -1, 12 SOG, 14:20
Luke Hughes 7 GP 4-1-5, +3, 28 SOG, 23:01
Dylan Duke 7 GP 1-3-4, +2, 10 SOG, 12:19
Thursday, Jan. 5
Adam Fantilli and Hockey Canada won gold with a 3-2 overtime decision over Czechia. Canada held a 2-0 lead before Czechia scored twice in 54 seconds in the third period to force overtime. Fantilli had a chance to win the game in overtime, one of his two shots on goal in the game as he finished -1 in 9:55.Â
The most goals ever scored in a bronze medal game, the USA outlasted Sweden 8-7 in overtime to secure the bronze medal. USA took a 2-0 lead, before a nine-goal second period set the score at 5-5 at the intermission. Sweden took its first lead of the game at 4:00 in the third period before Luke Hughes net the equalizer on a brilliant effort at 8:17. Rutger McGroarty set up the go-ahead ahead with just 1:37 remaining but an extra-attacker goal by Sweden pushed the game to overtime. In the 3x3 overtime Chas Lucius net the game winner at 2:06. McGroarty led the team in scoring with three assists. He took four shots, was -1 in 14:49. Hughes played 25:34 and had one goal on four shots and finished even. Gavin Brindley had an assist with two shots, and was a -1 in 15:02. Dylan Duke took two shots, was -2 in 14:28.
The six medals are the most medals ever won by Wolverines at a single World Juniors and the second most by a single University, following Boston University's seven in 2017.
Wednesday, Jan. 4
USA took a 2-0 lead and had two goals waved off for goaltender interference as Canada scored six straight to win the North American battle 6-2. Adam Fantilli scored the game-winning goal at 5:46 of the second period and had the primary assist on Brandt Clarke's goal at 9:45 of the third period. He finished a +2 with two shots in 10:55. Canada looks to be the first team to win back-to-back golds in 13 years, when they take on Czechia at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Gavin Brindley set up USA's second goal in the first period and finished with four shots, a +1 in 16:14. Luke Hughes was named one of Team USA's top three players of the tournament after the conclusion of the game. This afternoon he led the team in time on ice with 24:19 and had nine shots, finishing -1. Rutger McGroarty had one shot and was -1 in 13:07 while Dylan Duke was -1 in 13:23. USA faces Sweden in the bronze medal game on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.
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Monday, Jan. 2.
After getting bounced from the tournament in the quarterfinals in August, USA did not let that happen again as the squad put on a clinic in an 11-1 win over Germany to advance to the semifinal. USA took a 3-0 lead in the first period and tacked on five more in the second which included a short-handed goal that Gavin Brindley had the primary assist on. Dylan Duke had a two-point game, scoring on his shot on goal in the third. He finished a +1 in 12:44. His goal makes him in the fifth Wolverine to score in the World Juniors this season. Brindley had one assist, one shot, and was +1 in 14:05. Rutger McGroarty had an assist and was +1 in 13:46. Captain Luke Hughes had three shots and was +1 while once again leading his team in time on ice with 22:34.
Canada outlasted Slovakia 4-3 in overtime on a goal by Connor Bedard. This lines up a USA vs. Canada semifinal game on Wednesday. Adam Fantilli had three shots in 9:39 and finished even. Canada had a 1-0 lead heading into the middle frame before the teams traded power-play goals. Canada went up 3-1 midway through the period but four minutes later, Slovakia made it a one-goal game. Libor Nemec tallied the equalizer in the third and was able to kill off a late game penalty that carried over into the 3x3 overtime.
Saturday, Dec. 31
USA won Group BÂ after a 6-2 win over Finland on New Year's Eve day. Heading into the second period tied at 1-1, it was a goal by Rutger McGroarty that launched a 3-0 USA run. Luke Hughes had the primary assist on McGroarty's first goal of the tournament. Ten minutes later Hughes made it 4-1 with his third goal of the tournament. After a Finnish goal to close the period, USA tacked on two more goals in the third for the victory. Hughes led the Americans in time on ice, playing in 22:10. He had a goal and an assist, took three shots and finished +2. McGroarty scored on his one shot, finished -1 in 12:53. Dylan Duke skated in 10:35 and had one shot and was +1, while Gavin Brindley played 14:23 and was even. After the preliminary round Hughes has four points, McGroarty three, Duke two and Brindley one.
Adam Fantilli and Team Canada defeated Sweden 5-1 to finish in second place in Group A. Fantilli played 11:49 and took three shots. The squad takes on Slovakia in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Thursday, Dec. 29
A highlight reel assist by Rutger McGroarty headlined Team USA's 5-1 win over Switzerland this afternoon. A no-look between the legs feed to Logan Cooley for the game-winning goal marked McGroarty's second assist of the tournament. Luke Hughes netted his second goal with a rocket from distance for the final goal of the game. Again he led his team in time on ice with 21:52, took four shots and was +1. McGroarty played 11:05, took two shots and was even with his one assist. Gavin Brindley played 15:20, took two shots and was even. Dylan Duke drew a penalty and took a penalty in his 12:22, had four shots and was a +1. USA will face Finland on Saturday (Dec. 31) to determine the winner of Group B.
Adam Fantilli had a two-point game as Canada posted an 11-0 win over Austria. Fantilli broke through with his first goal of the tournament in the third period after netting an assist in the first period. He took three shots in 12:57 and finished a +2. Canada sits in third place in Group A with six points -- two back from Sweden, its opponent on Saturday.
Wednesday, Dec. 28
Gavin Brindley scored and Rutger McGroarty had an assist as USA fell 6-3 to Slovakia in its second game in group play. After the Slovaks scored first, USA settled in and evened things up on a Tyler Boucher goal, with McGroarty earning his first point with the primary assist. Two minutes later, a goal by Brindley gave the Americans a 2-1 lead. Slovakia scored three unanswered and USA took a five-minute penalty in a rough second period. Slovakia made it a 5-2 game midway through the third. With USA's netminder pulled, Boucher tallied his second goal of the game, a 6x4 power-play goal. Trying to inch closer with the goalie on the bench, Slovakia hit an empty net to seal the 6-3 win.
Luke Hughes led the team in time on ice (TOI) with 25:00. He took two shots and finished -3. McGroarty had one assist, two shots and was a -1 in 17:35. Dylan Duke played 11:13 and had one shot. Brindley scored on his lone shot on goal, and finished -3 in 13:04.
Canada rebounded from its upset loss on Monday night with an 11-2 victory over Germany. Adam Fantilli picked up his first point of the WJC when he assisted on Brandt Clarke's power-play goal in the second. The goal came after Fantilli took a check to the head which resulted in a major and game misconduct to Rayan Bettahar. Canada, leading 5-1 at that point, added four power-play goals during the major to take a 9-1 lead. Fantilli had four shots during the game, finishing a -1 and playing 13:54.
Monday, Dec. 26
Captain Luke Hughes scored his first goal of the 2023 World Juniors as Team USA defeated Latvia 5-2 on opening day. Hughes finished a +2 and took three shots, while skating in 19:08. Dylan Duke had a team-best two points with two helpers. He finished +2 in 11:31 with one shot on goal. Gavin Brindley took the team's first penalty, had two shots and was a +1 in 14:38. Rutger McGroarty was a +1 with one shot on goal in 11:29.
After a scoreless first period, USA got on the board first and went up 2-1 on a Sean Behrens goal with Duke getting credit with the secondary assist. Red Savage gave the Americans a 4-2 lead at 13:12 of the third when he picked up a blocked shot by Duke and buried it. Hughes finished off the scoring with a wrist shot from the right point at 6:31.
Canada dropped its opener, 5-2, to Czechia. It marked Canada's just second loss to the nation in WJC history (20-2-2). The host nation scored first by back-to-back goals by Czechia gave it the lead. An early second period goal pushed it ahead 3-1. After Connor Bedard cut it back to a one-goal game, 3-2, a five-minute major on Zach Dean led to two Czechia power-play goals for the 5-2 score. Adam Fantilli took four shots and attempted a Michigan goal early in the game. He finished a -2 with one penalty in 11:34.
