Friday night, Canada defeated Sweden 3-1 to capture gold in the 2018 World Junior Championship. For Canada, it’s their second gold medal in their last four tournaments.
In front of an overwhelmingly Canadian crowd at Buffalo’s Key Bank Center, rarely-used forward Tyler Steenbergen scored the game-winning goal with 1:40 left in the third period after both teams exchanged tallies in the second period. Canada’s Alex Formenton added an empty-net goal.
The medal ceremony was wild.
In tears, 🇸🇪 Lias Andersson tosses his 🥈 medal into the stands
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) January 6, 2018
Team Sweden captain and Rangers prospect Lias Andersson was so distraught after the loss, he tossed his silver medal into the stands.
Andersson was caught by cameras sobbing hysterically while standing at the team’s blue line.
The fan who caught Andersson’s medal took several photos with the award around his neck.
He wore three jerseys including one for Canada, Sweden, and USA.
The guy who caught the silver medal was wearing 3 jerseys 😂 pic.twitter.com/JcfbEQ8PrR
— Patrick Scebba (@scebbs) January 6, 2018
He eventually took off the other jerseys and wore his Sweden jersey for more photos.
Eventually, according to TSN’s Ray Ferraro, security would ask for the medal and give it back to Andersson.
Lias Andersson on tossing his medal to a fan: He wanted it more than me. He can put it in a box or something.
Also noted this age group has lost in finals before and this was their last chance to break that trend.
— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) January 6, 2018
Meanwhile, TSN cameras also captured Capitals prospect Axel Jonsson-Fjällby being given his medal by IIHF officials.
But Jonsson-Fjällby didn’t keep his new award around his neck long. When the Caps prospect skated back and stood with the rest of his team, the medal was gone.
The Capitals 2016 fifth-round pick finished the tournament with four points (two goals, two assists) in seven games. The Swedish forward scored two shorthanded goals during the WJC, surprising many with his great play and even better hair.
The silver medal is Jonsson-Fjällby’s second medal while representing the national team. He also won silver while playing for Sweden’s under-18 team.
