Screen cap: TSN
Washington Capitals prospect Ryan Leonard is already making an impact for Team USA for the 2024 World Junior Championship, set to kick off next week. The U.S. played their second exhibition slate against Team Canada and won 6-5 in overtime. They had already beaten Team Sweden 5-3.
Leonard had two goals in the win and he was named the player of the game.
The eighth overall pick scored his first goal to make it 3-2 Team USA in the second period. He was wide open in front of the net and went to the backhand on Canada goaltender Samuel St-Hilaire. Isaac Howard and Cutter Gauthier had the assists.
Ryan Leonard makes no mistake while all alone in front of the net.
Team USA takes a 3-2 lead.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/Uf3Cxbvh62
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 23, 2023
Leonard extended the lead on a tip in off a sweep pass from Boston College teammate and linemate Gabe Perreault to make it 5-3 Americans.
Gabe Perreault with a beautiful pass to Ryan Leonard who restores Team USA’s two-goal lead.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/8RnrGwdWfJ
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 23, 2023
#ALLCAPS Ryan Leonard interview, has two goals in two periods vs Canada. (Pre-Competition) pic.twitter.com/4R1eBjrMTj
— Capitals Replays (@capsreplays) December 23, 2023
Canada came back to tie the game at five. Canada made it 5-4 on a power-play goal from Macklin Celebrini. Leonard took the penalty that Canada eventually capitalized on.
Prior to the game, Leonard sat down with NHL Network’s Jon Morosi to discuss the impact that his father, John, had on him and his family. His dad was drafted by the New York Knicks in the 1982 NBA Draft.
. @usahockey forward Ryan Leonard is known for his toughness on the ice. He comes from a family of service and compassion. His father, John, worked for 14 years as the principal of an alternative high school. His mother, Cindy, is an oncology nurse. 🇺🇸 @NHLNetwork @BC_MHockey pic.twitter.com/rCiDQeWkDY
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 22, 2023
“He’s done a lot for all of us and kind of showed us the sports world. Just everything he does. He’s always doing basketball clinics in a local community or for all the kids. He just loves to kind of share the game in a way that he kind of saw and bring as much of an impact to kids as much as he can,” Leonard said. “He just kind of showed us that we are all very loving and our family wants the best for everybody else.”
The tournament begins for real on Dec. 26. Leonard and the Americans will take on Team Norway in the preliminary round of the tournament.
By Jacob Cheris