Charlie Coyle and Jason Zucker (Denver) scored third-period goals, but the U.S. National Junior Team came up short against Canada, losing 3-2 in its final preliminary-round game of the World Junior Championship Saturday night in Edmonton at Rexall Place.
“I liked the fight back by our team,” said Team USA coach Dean Blais in a news release. “We’re disappointed to not be playing for a medal, but we still have two games to go in this tournament and we will continue to fight.”
U.S. goalie Jack Campbell (32 saves) was pulled in favor of an extra attacker with 1:50 to play, but the Americans couldn’t find the equalizer.
The U.S. will next face Latvia on Tuesday (Jan. 3) at 1 p.m. EST, in Calgary in its first of two relegation-round games. Team USA can finish no better than seventh in the tournament.
