2023 World Juniors

Flyers’ Prospect Cutter Gauthier Scores 2; USA Will Face Canada

Published

1 year ago

January 2, 2023

Cutter Gauthier, the Flyers' top prospect, had another strong game Monday for Team USA. Photo: Zack Hill.

Cutter Gauthier, a Philadelphia Flyers prospect who has been a playmaking whiz during the World Juniors, scored his first two goals of the tournament Monday to help steer Team USA to an 11-1 quarterfinal win over Germany.

The Americans will face defending champion Canada in Wednesday’s semifinals. Canada scored a thrilling 4-3 win Monday night on Connor Bedard’s overtime goal, which he scored after deking past three defenders.

“Obviously, USA-Canada has been a long rivalry for many, many years now,” Gauthier told reporters. He said “it wouldn’t hurt too bad to beat those guys and shut down their ego a little bit on their home soil.”

Gauthier, who has been used at center at Boston College but has been at left wing in this tournament, was plus-4 and added an assist in the romp. He has eight points (two goals, six assists) and a plus-seven rating over five tourney games.

Bedard has 21 tournament points — no one is close to him in the tourney. Bedard is expected to be selected No. 1 overall in the 2023 June NHL draft.

Cutter Gauthier rifles home his second goal of the game after a beautiful passing play 🚨#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/auyXyLkIMc

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 2, 2023

Last July, the Philadelphia Flyers selected Gauthier in the first round (fifth overall) of the draft. He played on USA’s top line Monday, with Logan Cooley (Coyotes prospect) and Jimmy Snuggerud (Blues prospect). Cooley, a Pittsburgh native, had a hat trick and an assist against Germany, and Snuggerud had a goal and two assists.

The line combined for six goals and 10 points. USA outshot Germany, 41-22.

Earlier in the day, Czechia trounced Switzerland, 9-1, to earn a spot in the semifinals. Flyers prospect Brian Zanetti is part of the Swiss’ defernse.

Switzerland scored 22 seconds into the game, then surrendered nine unanswered goals.

As for Team USA, it needs two more wins to capture its sixth World Juniors championship. The Americans last won in 2021, and also took gold in 2004, 2010, 2013, and 2017.