Penticton Vees alumni Dante Fabbro helped save the day as Canada skated to a 5-2 win over Sweden sending them to the gold medal game at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship.
With Canada up 3-2 in the second period the Swedish netminder denied two great chances by Jost (Kelowna, B.C./University of North Dakota) who was perched at the side of the net. Minutes later a hard shot hit Canadian goalie Carter Hart's glove falling behind him. The puck was trickling towards the goalline but Fabbro (Coquitlam, B.C./Boston University) managed to get a bit of his stick on it while Carter fell back smothering it.
Hart replaced Connor Ingram in net after surrendering two goals on Sweden's first three shots. The goalie went on to make 28 saves for a shutout effort.
Julien Gauthier (Pointe-aux-Trembles, Que./Val-d’Or, QMJHL) scored twice, Mitchell Stephens (Peterborough, Ont./Saginaw, OHL) had a single, while captain Dylan Strome (Mississauga, Ont./Erie, OHL) and Anthony Cirelli (Woodbridge, Ont./Oshawa, OHL) added a goal and an assist each to allow Canada’s National Junior Team to top Sweden.
Watch: Vees sent well-wishes to former teammates Jost and Fabbro
Sweden will play in the bronze medal game against Russia (12:30 p.m PT).
Sweden vs. Canada (SF) - 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship from IIHF on Vimeo.