Washington Capitals 2023 first-round pick Ryan Leonard and the rest of Team USA kept up their winning ways in the 2024 World Junior Championship on Thursday. The US routed Switzerland 11-3 in their second preliminary game and Leonard left his mark on the scoresheet again.
After an assist and a game-high eight shots in his first game against Norway, Leonard followed that effort up with a goal and an assist against the Swiss.
Leonard’s marker was his first at the U20 tournament after scoring the game-winning, gold medal goal at last year’s U18 World Championship.
Lucky #⃣7⃣ from Ryan Leonard!@usahockey | @Capitals | #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/xitBFTiO33
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) December 28, 2023
Leonard’s first goal of the tournament came with the US already up 6-1 and on a power play halfway through the second period. After the puck bounced away from Gavin Brindley along the left-side boards in the offensive zone, Leonard used the lull in action to sneak away from his normal netfront position.
Brindley eventually collected the puck and fed Leonard at the bottom of the left circle on the red line. The Capitals’ 2023 first-round draft selection made an immediate power move to the net and helped jam the puck home and give the US a six-goal advantage.
Will Smith wastes no time! @usahockey | @SanJoseSharks | #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/QTSHKI9f3p
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) December 28, 2023
Leonard skated 15 minutes of ice time in the win, the third-most of any US forward. The 18-year-old winger appeared to make his first contribution of the game on the game’s first goal. Longtime linemate Gabe Perreault sent a pass to Leonard at the top of the right circle that Leonard ended up fanning on but making some contact with the puck.
The puck then ended up on the stick of Zeev Buium who fed Will Smith down low for a five-hole strike. While Leonard was given an assist by TSN’s coverage of the tournament, the IIHF has given the secondary assist to Perreault, insinuating that they believe Leonard did not make contact with the puck on his whiffed blast.
Leonard once again skated on his regular line with USNTDP and Boston College teammates, Perreault and Smith. The Capitals’ Ryan Chesley also appeared in his second game of this year’s tournament, sticking on the team’s top defense pair and skating 16:45 of total ice time.
The US will be right back on the ice on Friday when they take on Czechia. The Czechs got beat by Slovakia in the opening game of group play but responded with a big 8-1 win over Norway on Wednesday.
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
