When Skokie native Louie Belpedio reflects on the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship and how he helped the United States capture the bronze medal, two games stand out.
One is the Americans’ first game of the tournament. The U.S. was unproven heading into its game against Canada on Saturday, Dec. 26. The U.S. had only played two exhibitions prior to the world juniors, and had the unenviable task of facing the 16-time world junior champions in its first game of group play in Helsinki, Finland.
“I wasn’t really sure what kind of team we had,” U.S. head coach Ron Wilson said. “What they proved to me was they were a lot better than they showed on paper.”
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The U.S. outplayed Canada in just about ever facet, Wilson added, yet the game was tied 2-2 late in the third.
Belpedio changed that. The alternate captain received a pass from Will Borgen, his defensive partner, and walked in with the puck. He fired a quick wrist shot toward goal. It deflected off the stick of a Canadian defenseman and into the net to put the U.S. ahead 3-2.
Forward Auston Matthews made it 4-2 less than a minute later, and that’s how the game ended. Belpedio’s goal was the game-winner.
“I’ll never forget that moment,” the 19-year-old Belpedio said. “Not even just the fact that I scored that goal. … It turned out to be one of the most fun games I’ve ever played [in].”
The U.S. victory over Canada proved the team’s potential.
“That just showed us we can truly play with anyone,” Belpedio said.
The Americans proved that in their ensuing games. Belpedio served as one of the team leaders, and a dependable defenseman, during the tournament.
“Off the ice, he provided some valuable leadership that we needed. … He was one of the vocal guys in the [locker] room, and he said all the right things at the right times,” Wilson said. “On the ice, he was just a steady defender.”
The U.S. followed its win over Canada with a 1-0 loss to Sweden in group play. The Americans rebounded with victories over Switzerland (10-1) and Denmark (4-1) to finish group play. They crushed the Czech Republic 7-0 in the quarterfinals.
However, the U.S. lost 2-1 to Russia in the semifinals on Monday, Jan. 4.
That loss meant the Americans would play Sweden in the third-place game the following day. Bronze-medal games are unpredictable in practically every sport, as there are often mental and emotional letdowns when the possibility of winning a gold medal is removed.
Wilson didn’t know how his team would play against Sweden.
“The way a North American thinks, the only thing that you really care about is the gold medal,” Wilson said. “Who knows [how players will respond] when you get to those third-place games?”
In the hours after the semifinal loss to Russia, Belpedio said he and the other U.S. leaders didn’t make any speeches or call a team meeting.
Instead, the players got over the semifinal loss individually and shifted their focus to beating Sweden. The Americans proved to be extremely motivated on Tuesday, Jan. 5. They not only wanted to avenge their 1-0 loss to Sweden, Belpedio explained, but they wanted prove that they were good enough to play in the gold-medal game.
The U.S. crushed Sweden 8-3 to win bronze. It was Belpedio’s other favorite game from the World Junior Championship.
“You really wish you were playing for the gold medal, but at the same time, a bronze medal is something to come home with and something to be proud of,” Belpedio said. “We regrouped really well, and came out and played our best.”
Now, Belpedio’s bronze medal hangs on his wall at Miami (Ohio), where he’s a sophomore. It’s one of just two awards he said he displays. His gold medal from the 2014 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship is the other.
Eric Van Dril is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter: @VanDrilSports
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