Despite giving up three goals in the first period and a bit, Taylor Gauthier became a brick wall for Canada.
The Prince George Cougars goaltender made 39 saves on 42 shots in his country’s tournament opener at the 2019 World Under-18 Hockey Championships in Sweden this morning (April 18).
Canada rallied from that 3-0 deficit to beat Finland by a final score of 5-3, which is the 18-year-old's ninth career win between the pipes while wearing the maple leaf.
Brayden Tracey tied it at 3-3 in the third period and then added the winner, while Peyton Krebs sealed it with an empty-netter.
Alex Newhook and Jamieson Rees also scored for Canada.
GAME OVER! 🇨🇦 comes from behind for a 5-3 win over 🇫🇮.
— Team Canada Men (@HC_Men) April 18, 2019
Game stats: https://t.co/nLdxsu4Fiw #U18Worlds pic.twitter.com/HpyyH9DOP1
Anton Lundell, Antti Saarela, and Aku Raty scored for Finland, the reigning tournament champion.
Canada hasn't won a medal at the annual event since taking bronze in 2015 and its last gold was in 2013.
Gauthier and the Canadians will face Switzerland tomorrow (April 19) with a 6:30 a.m. pacific puck drop.
Cougars forward Matej Toman also provided an assist for the Czech Republic in its 4-3 loss to Belarus.
- with files from The Canadian Press
At the World Under-18 Hockey Championship, @TomanMatej had an assist in @narodnitym's 4-3 loss to Belarus. Next Up: Switzerland on Saturday.#U18Worlds #WHL pic.twitter.com/HyqVudUKGT
— PG Cougars (@PGCougars) April 18, 2019
