4 Blues win gold at World Championship

Bringing home the gold!

Doug Armstrong, Sammy Blais, Joel Hofer, Jake Neighbours and Team Canada captured the gold medal at the 2023 IIHF World Championship in Finland on Sunday with a 5-2 win vs. Germany. Blais had two goals, including the game-winner, and was named the Player of the Game for Canada.

Overall Blais registered eight points and a +4 plus/minus rating in 10 games. His six goals tied for fourth-most overall in the tournament and were tied for the lead on Team Canada.

A frequent tournament linemate of Blais was his Blues teammate Neighbours, who registered five points (1G, 4A) and a +5 plus/minus rating in 10 games. Hofer started two games in goal for Team Canada, going 1-0-1 with a .925 save percentage and 1.46 GAA.

Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong led Hockey Canada's management group for the tournament. He previously won two Olympic gold medals with Canada in 2010 and 2014, as well as one at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Scott Perunovich and Team USA finished fourth at the tournament, falling to Latvia in overtime of the bronze medal contest on Sunday. Perunovich had two assists in the game. Overall the defenseman finished the tournament with eight points (1G, 7A) and a +6 plus/minus rating in 10 games.

Forward Kasperi Kapanen was named one of the top three players for Team Finland, which finished seventh in the tournament. Kapanen posted five points (3G, 2A) and a +8 plus/minus rating in eight games.