<p>OTTAWA – Teddy Stiga took just one shot on net through six games at the World Junior Championship.</p>



<p>But, boy, did he make it count. </p>



<p>Entering Sunday’s final in Ottawa, the Nashville Predators prospect had just two assists. He played under 10 minutes in nearly every game, and didn’t even dress in the opener against Germany. By all accounts, Stiga was on the United States to help bring energy, and that’s it.</p>



<p>Stiga had a quiet showing against Finland. He didn’t have a single shot on 17 shots in regulation and was there more to work hard and throw hits. But suddenly, eight minutes into overtime, Zeev Buium saw the speedy winger rushing down the ice. Stiga broke past a Finnish defender, went in all alone and scored the golden goal to secure the win in the biggest moment of his young hockey career.</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="145"></div>



<p>Based on his stat sheet, Stiga being the hero – over someone like tournament MVP Ryan Leonard or top prospect James Hagens – would have been surprising. But to many, Stiga is the ideal prospect – someone who works his tail off every shift and has the skill to deliver when you need him.</p>



<p>And on Sunday, he etched his name in World Junior history.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">TEDDY STIGA SCORES THE GOLDEN GOAL 🚨<br><br>TEAM USA WINS BACK TO BACK GOLD MEDALS!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldJuniors</a> <a href="https://t.co/dkUcdLjRGB">pic.twitter.com/dkUcdLjRGB</a></p>— TSN (@TSN_Sports) <a href="https://twitter.com/TSN_Sports/status/1876109599037645214?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2025</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>“I’m so happy for him,” goaltender Trey Augustine said. “I think guys like that, they play lesser roles, it’s hard for them to stay motivated in a role like this. When he’s one of the top guys at college, the team is really good. So he’s sticking with it and it shows his character.”</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="134"></div>



<p>Gold in Ottawa didn’t come without adversity. The Americans ultimately won Group A and did a great job of shutting down Czechia and Switzerland in the playoffs. But USA lost 4-3 to Finland in the preliminary round and found themselves trailing 3-1 at one point on Sunday. They showed cracks in the armor, starting with Augustine’s glove hand and some costly defensive lapses. </p>



<p>But everything started to come together as the tournament started to matter. A total of 14 of USA’s 22 players scored at least one goal in the tournament as USA entered the medal round as favorites. They showed resistance, skill, and the ability to overpower opponents whenever things went south. And now, the Americans have won gold in consecutive years for the first time in team history.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="2" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="131"></div>



<p>Stiga was never a big part of the team’s nucleus, at least not on paper. But scouts love everything Stiga brings to the table – the skill, the speed, the physicality, the drive to succeed. No player on the American team was as competitive as Stiga – he wouldn’t allow himself to lose any individual battle, no matter the competition.</p>



<p>“He brings the will to win,” forward James Hagens said during the U-18 World Championship in May. </p>



<p>Versatile players will always find work in the NHL. Stiga might not be a big-time producer in the big leagues, but he works so hard, plays strong defensively, has a great hockey IQ, and can play the power play and penalty kill. For a smaller player, Stiga doesn’t lack confidence or drive out there because he knows what he does well, what he needs to do better, and how to utilize all of that to his advantage.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="3" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="155"></div>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">One scout told me this at the U18s last year:<br><br>"Teddy Stiga is who you win important games with. Every team needs a Teddy Stiga." <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldJuniors</a></p>— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/SEllisHockey/status/1876117792862470145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2025</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Stiga had 36 goals and 79 points with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program last year. It was a huge season for a guy who dealt with injuries and was forced to add muscle to his game. He was rewarded with top-line duties alongside Hagens – who he rooms with at Boston College – and he impressed with 11 points at the U-18s.</p>



<p>At Boston College, Stiga is a secondary producer. He has 11 points in 16 games. But from the get-go, the same tendencies that made him so effective in a bigger role with the USNTDP.</p>



<p>“He’s a guy who makes the most of his opportunities,” one scout said. “He doesn’t need to play a ton of minutes to be effective. He takes whatever role he has and embraces it with his full heart.”</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="4" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="161"></div>



<p>Stiga’s heart, grit and determination to make an impact every time he hits the ice will help him carve out a successful NHL career. He’s the type of player coaches can throw into any role –&nbsp;power play, penalty kill, late in a tight game, you name it –&nbsp;and feel confident he’ll deliver.</p>



<p>And he just showed all of that in one four-second burst down the ice on Sunday night in Ottawa. He lived up to the wisdom of one NHL scout from the U-18s last May.</p>



<p>“Teddy Stiga is who you win important games with. Every team needs a Teddy Stiga.”</p>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">One last Freebird in Ottawa. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldJuniors</a> <a href="https://t.co/3Khl2i6Rnw">pic.twitter.com/3Khl2i6Rnw</a></p>— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/SEllisHockey/status/1876115017059438855?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2025</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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