Alexandrov, Hofer to meet in gold medal game at World Junior Championship

Regardless of the final game's outcome, a St. Louis Blues prospect will capture the gold medal at the 2020 World Junior Championship.
Forward Nikita Alexandrov (Russia) and goaltender Joel Hofer (Canada) will face-off with their countries in the gold-medal matchup on Sunday. The game will be broadcast on NHL Network starting at noon (CT).

Alexandrov, who was selected by the Blues with the 62nd overall pick at the 2019 NHL Draft, has seven points (one goal, six assists) in six games for Russia. The forward is tied for second-most points on his team and fourth-most assists in the tournament. Russia has medaled in eight of the last nine World Juniors, including a bronze last year.

Hofer has worked his way up the depth charts and taken over the starter's net for Canada. The Blues' 2018 fourth-round pick leads the tournament's netminders in both save percentage (.946) and goals-against average (1.30). In five games played, Hofer has posted four wins and one shutout. Canada captured gold at the 2018 World Juniors, but did not medal at last year's event.