Golden Goal: Steenbergen lifts Canada over Sweden for world junior championship
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Tyler Steenbergen was Canada’s 13th forward for most of the world junior hockey championship, consistently getting the fewest minutes on the team. It was fitting then that on a Canadian squad head coach Dominique Ducharme built around depth that Steenbergen was the one to score the winner in the gold-medal game.
Steenbergen deflected a long pass from defenceman Connor Timmins into the net with 1:40 left to play to lead Canada to a 3-1 victory over Sweden on Friday. Steenbergen had played only 32 seconds in the first period, then 2:45 in the second and 3:59 in the third.
“It goes to show that Dom can put anyone on the ice at any time and he believes in them,” said Steenbergen. “It’s pretty special to be able to know that I’d be out there in those final two minutes and I can put it in the net.”
Rarely used in the tournament except on the power play, Steenbergen dropped to one knee and pumped his fist after putting away the winner, pounding on the glass before being mobbed by teammates.