A pair of Vancouver Giants, defenceman Bowen Byram and athletic therapist Mike Burnstein, are coming home with gold medals from the 2020 IIHF World Juniors in the Czech Republic, after Canada came back Sunday (Jan. 5) to down Russia 4-3 in the finale of the annual under-20 international event.
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!! @HC_WJC #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/P381QKp8t6
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) January 5, 2020
Byram rejoined Team Canada after he recovered from an illness that kept the defenceman sidelined through the semifinals.
He recorded one shot on goal during the game.
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Byram is the first Giant to represent Canada at the world juniors since Brendan Gallagher in 2012, the fifth Vancouver Giants player to represent Canada at the event and the first Canadian-born Giants player since Evander Kane (2009) to win a gold medal.
Internationally Byram has represented Canada on three previous occasions. In 2017 he captured a Silver Medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. In 2018 he helped Canada secure a Gold Medal at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. He also suited up for Canada at the World Under-18’s in 2018.
In 138 career WHL games with the Giants, Byram has scored 32 goals while adding 66 assists for 98 points. Back in May he received the 2019 CHL Top Prospect Award.
READ MORE: Giants add Burnstein
Before joining the Giants in 2017, Burnstein spent 20 years and nearly 1,600 games as the head athletic trainer for the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks.
He was named to Team Canada at the IIHF for second straight season,
In addition to the World Junior tournament in Vancouver/Victoria, he has worked for Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics, four World Hockey Championships, the 2015 Spengler Cup and served as the athletic trainer for Team Europe in 2016 at the World Cup of Hockey.
READ MORE: Canada beats Russia 4-3 in world juniors hockey tournament to take home gold
For Canada, the win marked their 18th gold medal at the World Juniors and the first medal in Europe since winning gold in 2008, when the Czech Republic last hosted.
CANADA WINS GOLD!!! 🇨🇦 🥇 @hc_wjc pic.twitter.com/vkQhz81tZ1
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) January 5, 2020
Team Canada finished a disappointing sixth on home ground last year when they were upset by Finland in the quarters.