Grimaldi scores twice, lifts U.S. to gold medal

M Hockey

Courtesy: USA Hockey

Grimaldi was named the player of the game for Team USA.

Courtesy: Jayson Hajdu, UND Athletic Media Relations
Release: 01/05/2013

UFA, Russia -- North Dakota freshman Rocco Grimaldi scored the game-tying and game-winning goals, lifting the United States to a 3-1 victory over Sweden today in the gold medal game at the 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championship.

Grimaldi, who was named the player of the game for Team USA, became UND's 19th medalist at the World Junior Championship and the 12th to win gold. It also marked the fourth straight year UND has produced a medalist at the tournament.

Grimaldi, a Rossmoor, Calif., native, scored twice less than three minutes apart in the second period to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 U.S. lead. He scored from a difficult angle along the goal line to tie the game at 7:41 of the middle frame, then notched the eventual game-winner by deflecting a point shot at 10:27.

The goals were the first of the tournament for Grimaldi, who finished with two goals and two assists in seven games and was a +4 despite not seeing the ice in the team's 9-3 win over Slovakia to close out the preliminary round.

"He played unbelievable these last three games," said Team USA head coach Phil Housley. "My hat goes off to him because he took it the right way and he proved how good of a player he was."

"He's a player who does everything and it was nice for him to get going, especially in the last game. It meant a lot for him," said Team USA goalie and tournament MVP John Gibson.

The gold medal was the third for the United States, which also won the 2004 and 2010 tournaments.

Grimaldi will return to UND this week and is expected to be in the lineup next weekend when UND hosts Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) rival Colorado College on Friday and Saturday.

UND’s World Junior Championship Medalists
Year	Player	Country	Medal
1982	Troy Murray	Canada	Gold
	James Patrick	Canada	Gold
1983	James Patrick	Canada	Bronze
	Gord Sherven	Canada	Bronze
1985	Brad Berry	Canada	Gold
1990	Jason Herter	Canada	Gold
1991	Greg Johnson	Canada	Gold
1992	Marty Schriner	United States	Bronze
2004	Brady Murray	United States	Gold
	Zach Parise*	United States	Gold
	Drew Stafford	United States	Gold
2006	Jonathan Toews	Canada	Gold
2007	Jonathan Toews	Canada	Gold
	Taylor Chorney	United States	Bronze
	Brian Lee	United States	Bronze
2010	Danny Kristo	United States	Gold
2011	Derek Forbort	United States	Bronze
	Brock Nelson	United States	Bronze
2012	Rocco Grimaldi	United States	Gold

* - Indicates tournament MVP