Dawson Mercer makes hometown proud with gold medal win
'It was almost like volcanic eruption,' says mayor of Bay Roberts
It was a hockey game for the ages — Canada, Russia and a gold medal on the line in a sport where both countries have reigned supreme for decades.
Newfoundland and Labrador was represented by Dawson Mercer of Bay Roberts, as Canada's best young men under 20 suited up for seven gruelling games in the Czech Republic for the World Junior Hockey Championship.
At home, people were glued to the final game.
"There wasn't too many people in Bay Roberts yesterday, I'm sure the entire province, that knew there was any snow or any weather on the go until after the game," Philip Wood, mayor of Bay Roberts, told CBC's St. John's Morning Show.
"It was an exciting afternoon."
Canada faced a steep hill midway through the third period of Sunday's gold medal game, down 3-1 against the Russians.
A rallying goal by Connor McMichael of Scarborough, Ont., and a game-tying goal by team captain Barrett Hayton of Peterbourough, Ont., set the table for some late-game fireworks.
It would be Toronto's Akil Thomas who would sink the dagger later in the third period to lift Canada over Russia 4-3 in what could become one of the most talked-about gold medal games in World Junior history.
"Everything just erupted. It was almost like volcanic eruption. You could almost hear it through the entire community," Wood said.
As the dust settled, and Canada breathed a collective sigh of relief, focus in the town of Bay Roberts came squarely back to Mercer.
As the tournament came to an end, Mercer was traded in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, from the Drummondville Voltigeurs to the Chicoutimi Saguenéens.
He has has 42 points in just 26 QMHJL games played so far this season.
Mercer will be part of a Saguenéens team gearing up for a run at the league championship.
"There's no one in Bay Roberts that's not proud of our very own Dawson Mercer, who played an extremely good tournament and certainly made a good name for himself considering this is his draft year," Wood said.
Wood said Bay Arena was a celebration in and of itself as the town pulled out all the stops to host the game on big screens for local fans to cheer on their hometown boy, and it didn't take long after the final buzzer for his cellphone to buzz.
Wood said people from the community of about 11,000 took little time to contact him about naming a road in the town in honour of Mercer and his achievement.
Mercer was on the radar in the community well before being named to Canada's training camp roster and even more before suiting up for Canada in the Czech Republic. Wood said Mercer was named the town's senior athlete of the year for 2018-19.
"We're all so very happy for him. He's a real nice young man who is a hard-working individual dedicated to the game," Wood said.
"The entire community is so proud of him."
With files from The St. John's Morning Show