Sylvan Lake hockey product Tyler Steenbergen has become a Canadian hockey hero.
Steenbergen scored the golden goal in Team Canada’s 3-1 victory over Sweden in the IIHF World Junior Championship final Friday night in Buffalo.
With 1:40 left on the clock, defenceman Connor Timmins fired a pass from the blueline and Steenbergen crashed the net to tap the puck in.
“I don’t even remember, I kind of blacked out on the play,” said Steenbergen. “I’m overwhelmed with emotions right now. It’s pretty exciting. I was struggling all tournament trying to find the back of the net, but I’m sure happy that one went in.”
“All I had to do was put my stick on the ice and tap it in. (Timmins) made a great pass,” he said.
Steenbergen was goalless and the least-used Canadian forward in the tournament.
The 19-year-old Arizona Coyotes fifth-round draft pick will now return to his Western Hockey League team, the Swift Current Broncos, as a gold medalist.
Steenbergen is second in the WHL in goals, with 35, and sixth in points, with 61, in just 27 games. The Broncos sit second in the league, behind only the Moose Jaw Warriors.
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