Jackson Blake to bring home bronze from the World Junior Championship

HALIFAX, N.S. — Jackson Blake will be returning from the World Junior Championship with hardware.

The UND freshman forward tallied two assists as the Americans beat Sweden 8-7 in overtime in a wild third-place game at the under-20 event Thursday afternoon.

Less than 24 hours after the Americans lost to the host Canadians in the semifinals — a game in which Blake had a goal disallowed — the U.S. came back to win their sixth medal in eight years.

Blake finished the tournament with five assists in seven games.

Blake is the 24th UND player to win a medal at the World Juniors and the first since Tyler Kleven and Jake Sanderson won gold in 2021.

The 5-foot-11, 165-pound forward is expected to travel from Nova Scotia to Grand Forks on Friday. He is questionable for UND's regular-season game against Lindenwood at 7:07 p.m.

Blake played the entire tournament as the right wing on Team USA's second line. Chaz Lucius, who had a hat trick against Sweden including the overtime winner, centered his line.

Blake also played on the right flank of the second power-play unit, where he collected his first assist Thursday on a Ryan Ufko point shot. Blake's second assist came when he stole the puck from a Swedish player in the neutral zone, sending Lucius on a breakaway.

2023 — Jackson Blake, USA, bronze
2021 — Tyler Kleven, Jake Sanderson, USA, gold
2020 — Jacob Bernard-Docker, CAN, gold
2017 — Tyson Jost, CAN, silver
2016 — Brock Boeser, Nick Schmaltz, USA, bronze
2013 — Rocco Grimaldi, USA, gold
2011 — Derek Forbort, Brock Nelson, USA, bronze
2010 — Danny Kristo, USA, gold
2007 — Jonathan Toews, CAN, gold; Brian Lee, Taylor Chorney, USA, bronze
2006 — Jonathan Toews, CAN, gold
2004 — Drew Stafford, Brady Murray, Zach Parise, USA, gold
1992 — Marty Schriner, USA, bronze
1991 — Greg Johnson, CAN, gold
1990 — Jason Herter, CAN, gold
1985 — Brad Berry, CAN, gold
1983 — James Patrick, Gord Sherven, CAN, bronze
1982 — James Patrick, Troy Murray, CAN, gold