World Juniors: Bruins’ Subban stands tall, Canada edges USA

Team USA challenged Canadian goaltender Malcolm Subban early and often, but no one could get anything by the Boston Bruins prospect until USA’s Jacob Trouba finally netted a power-play goal with 8:58 remaining in regulation time. That proved to be too little, too late.

Subban turned aside 36 of 37 shots as Team Canada earned a critical 2-1 victory against Team USA.

“Outstanding,” Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said of Subban, according to TSN. “There’s not much else you can say there. He was there from the first minute to the last and with goaltending like that, you get that much more comfortable up front.”

Nugent-Hopkins and Ryan Strome accounted for Team Canada’s two goals Saturday. Although he ultimately recorded the loss, Anaheim Ducks prospect John Gibson deserves credit for keeping this game close and stopping 30 Canadian shots.

After winning three straight games, Team Canada has guaranteed themselves a spot in the playoffs. They will face Russia on Monday to conclude the preliminary round schedule and can advance directly to the semifinals with a win.

Team USA will compete against Slovakia at 5:00 a.m. ET (the game will be live streamed on NHL.com) and the winner of that match will advance to the quarterfinals while the loser will be sent to the relegation round. Team USA ended up in the relegation round last year and went into this tournament hoping to avoid a similar fate.