Eight OHL Players Win Gold for Canada White at World Under-17 Hockey Challenge
Canada White defeated Canada Red by a score of 3-1 in the gold medal game of the 2024 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Sarnia. Eight OHL players claimed gold while an additional 11 take home silver as members of Canada Red.
Here’s a look at the tournament, with a game-by-game breakdown of how things transpired.
Gold Medal Game Rundown:
Canada White 3, Canada Red 1
- Kingston Frontenacs prospect Gavin Betts stopped 38-of-39 for Canada White in the gold medal triumph
- Windsor’s Jean-Christoph Lemieux opened the scoring for Canada White, later adding an assist
- London’s Logan Hawery picked up an assist in the win
- Niagara’s Braidy Wassilyn scored the lone goal for Canada Red while Owen Sound’s Pierce Mbuyi picked up an assist
- It maked the first all-Canadian gold medal game at the World U17 Challenge since 2009
Gold Medalists – Canada White: G Gavin Betts (Kingston Frontenacs), D Caleb Mitchell (London Knights), F Ethan Belchetz (Windsor Spitfires), F. Beckham Edwards (Sarnia Sting), F Tyler Challenger (Erie Otters), F Jean-Christoph Lemieux (Windsor Spitfires), F Logan Hawery (London Knights), F Cole Zurawski (Flint Firebirds), Team Physician, Dr. Danielle Kelton (London Knights), Athletic Therapist, Jennifer Love (Sarnia Sting)
Silver Medalists – Canada Red: G Colin Ellsworth (Guelph Storm), D Lucas Ambrosio (Erie Otters), D Carter Hicks (Windsor Spitfires), D Blake Gowan (Peterborough Petes), D Kohyn Eshkawkogan (Ottawa 67’s), F Parker Vaughan (Barrie Colts), F Pierce Mbuyi (Owen Sound Attack), F Braidy Wassilyn (Niagara IceDogs), F Colin Fitzgerald (Peterborough Petes), F Alessandro Di Iorio (Sarnia Sting), F Alex McLean (Guelph Storm), Assistant Coach, Wes Wolfe (Erie Otters), Director of Operations, Dave Drinkill (Saginaw Spirit), Equipment Manager, Trevor Castonguay (Owen Sound Attack)
Semi-Final Rundown:
Canada Red 7, United States 3
- Barrie’s Parker Vaughan had a goal and an assist as Canada Red defeated the United States 7-3 to advance to the gold medal game
- Sarnia’s Alessandro Di Iorio scored on home ice while Niagara’s Braidy Wassilyn, Peterborough’s Blake Gowan and Guelph’s Alex McLean added assists
- Canada Red outshot the United States 36-22
Canada White 6, Sweden 4
- Erie’s Tyler Challenger and London’s Caleb Mitchell each had assists as Canada White avenged an earlier loss against Sweden, defeating them 6-4
- Kingston Frontenacs prospect Gavin Betts made 20 saves in goal for the win
- Spokane Chiefs forward Mathis Preston led the way with three goals and an assist
- Canada White outshot Sweden 34-24, going 2-for-4 on the power play
Quarter-Final Rundown:
Canada White 4, Finland 2
- Windsor’s Ethan Belchetz opened the scoring just 14 seconds into the opening period; it was his tournament-leading fourth goal
- Erie’s Tyler Challenger, Windsor’s Jean-Christoph Lemieux and Sarnia’s Beckham Edwards all picked up assists in the win
- Kingston prospect Gavin Betts made 16 saves for the win
- Canada White advances to Friday’s Semi-Final, taking on Sweden at 3:30pm ET.
Day 3 Rundown:
Sweden 5, Canada White 4 – OT
- Nils Bartholdsson scored the deciding goal 2:43 into overtime
- Windsor’s Ethan Belchetz scored a pair of goals for Canada White in the OT loss
- Spitfires forward Jean-Christoph Lemieux picked up an assist
- Kingston Frontenacs prospect Gavin Betts made 25 saves in the loss
Day 2 Rundown:
Canada Red 6, United States 3
- Canada Red took a 3-0 lead in the opening frame, holding on the beat the U.S. 6-3
- Owen Sound’s Pierce Mbuyi and Guelph’s Alex McLean each had a goal and an assist to lead Canada Red to victory
- Sarnia’s Alessandro Di Iorio also scored in the game while Ottawa’s Kohyn Eshkawkogan tallied an assist
- Niagara’s Braidy Wassilyn found the open net to put the icing on the cake
Day 1 Rundown:
Canada White 6, Czechia 2
- Windsor Spitfires teammates Jean-Christoph Lemieux (1G, 2A) and Ethan Belchetz (1G, 1A) factored into the offence
- London Knights forward Logan Hawery tallied two assists in the win
- Canada White outshot Czechia 27-22
- Belchetz was named an assistant captain with Canada White prior to puckdrop.
In their own words:
“Overall, the team played a great game. We had a bit of a tough first period and needed to get our legs under us, but it was one of our first games as a team, so that can happen. We bounced back really well in the second and got better as the game went on. We started playing harder and hitting more, and we were able to get more pucks into the [Czech] zone. That allowed us to be more successful as the game went on, and it was a good start to the tournament for us.” – Windsor Spitfires forward Ethan Belchetz
Canada Red 3, Finland 1
- Guelph Storm forward Alex McLean found the back of the net
- Ottawa 67’s defenceman Kohyn Eshkawkogan picked up an assist
- Storm netminder Colin Ellsworth made 14 saves in the victory
- Peterborough’s Colin Fitzgerald and Sarnia’s Alessandro DiIorio were named assistant captains for Canada Red prior to puckdrop
In their own words:
“[Wearing the Canadian jersey] is something that I have dreamt of ever since I was a little kid. I have watched pretty much every event that Canadian teams have played in, and to see [the Maple Leaf] on my chest makes me very proud knowing that I am representing my family here. I am the first person in my family to play for Team Canada, so I am very honoured and hopefully I can keep wearing [the Canadian jersey] in the future.” – Peterborough Petes forward Colin Fitzgerald
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