Pittsburgh Hockey Helps USA to Gold
by Staff Writer / Pittsburgh PenguinsThree Pittsburgh area players won gold medals as the U.S. National Under-17 team defeated Ontario, 2-1, in the championship game of the 2010 World Under-17 Challenge Monday in Timmins, Ont.
Goaltender John Gibson (Whitehall; Pittsburgh Hornets) was the star Monday, stopping 38 of 39 Ontario shots. He led the tournament with a 1.33 goals-against average and posted a 3-0 record.
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| Forward J.T. Miller tied for the overall lead at the 2010 World Under-17 Challenge with five goals in six games. Photo Credit - Tom Sorensen/USA Hockey |
Forward J.T. Miller (East Palestine, Ohio; Pittsburgh Hornets) tied for the tournament lead with five goals and finished with eight points in six games.
Defenseman Barrett Kaib (Upper St. Clair) chipped in a goal and an assist in six games.
All three play for the U.S. National Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The U.S. team ran the table at the Challenge, going 4-0 in round robin play, then defeating Sweden and Ontario in the medal round.
Miller had two goals in a 7-4 win over Russia in round-robin play. He also scored the dramatic tying goal against Sweden with 40 seconds left in regulation of the semifinals Sunday; the U.S. won in overtime.
Gibson carried a shutout into the last minute of regulation in Monday's title game. Ontario finally scored with two seconds remaining.