A rivalry renewed at Game 4 of the 2022 World Junior Lacrosse Championship
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In just their second meeting since 2018, Canada and the USA put on a show inside the Canada Life Centre.
It came down to the final minutes, but Canada prevailed to win their first game of the IIJL World Junior Lacrosse Championship, 17-12 against the USA in Winnipeg on Tuesday (Aug.9).
Tyler Davis and Keaton Zavitz both had powerplay goals three minutes into the opening quarter, but this game was far from a runaway. Russell Maher scored one of his five goals in the contest with 31 seconds left in the opening frame to give the Americans a 5-4 lead.
Canada's player of the game, Silas Richmond, scored twice in the second quarter, but it was Maher to respond once again for the red, white and blue to tie things up at 7-7 before halftime. Richmond scored seven times in his 2022 tournament debut.
After the break, Tyler Davis found the back of the net with a sneaky dunk from behind the crease and Richmond added two more goals in the third quarter, giving Canada a 10-9 lead.
Zavitz, who finished the game with nine points, extended the Canadians lead to 13-9 in the fourth quarter, but as expected the Americans didn't go down without a fight. Maher, Solomon Hess and Brian Russell all found the back of the net, bringing the game to 14-12 with 3:27to go in regulation. Richmond, Zavitz and the hometown kid, Jackson Klewchuk put the game to bed in the last 34 seconds, stretching Canada's lead on the scoreboard.
Cam Pilon, who made 35 saves on 51 shots, was awarded player of the game for USA in his first start of the tournament.
USA finished round robin play with a record of 1-1 and a likely date in the crossover quarterfinals. Canada will close out their round robin schedule Thursday night against Australia at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.
The games can be seen on the TSN App and on TSN.ca.