Photo by: Michael Furman

For college athletes, representing his or her country is not an everday experience. Matt Donovan was given this honor at the age of 19.

The freshman defenseman from Edmond, Okla. was a member of the United States Under-20 World Junior hockey team that recently competed in an annual tournament held over the holidays.

Donovan not only represented his country, he also helped lead Team USA to win the gold medal over Team Canada.

“Representing my country was unbelievable and winning the gold for my country made it that much better,” Donovan said.

To top that off, they won the tournament on Canadian soil in front of thousands of Canadian fans.

“The environment was [crazy],” he said. “Fifteen thousand people screaming and rooting against us was nuts and the place was so loud you couldn’t hear yourself think at times.”

With that kind of atmosphere, the big-time player came out in Donovan as he helped stop the high-powered Canadian team.

The USA led the game 5-3 with just less than three minutes left in the game. However, as Canada had done a few days earlier in round-robin play, they came storming back. Two goals in the last three minutes sent the game to overtime.

“We were pretty nervous and upset we let them back in the game for the second time but we also had it in our minds that it was still our game to win,” he said.

When Canada did this before, they were able to win the game in a shootout. This time the US did not let that happen.

Just four and a half minutes into the overtime period, Derek Stepan of the United States scored and gave the USA the gold medal.

Donovan was second on the team in points for defensemen, finishing the tournament with three goals and two assists for a total of five points. He also finished with a plus six rating.

He scored the game-winning goal in the opening game of the tournament against Slovakia and he also had an assist in the gold medal game against Canada.

Like most tournament situations, Donovan says he left with more than just a medal.

“I will take away good friends and memories that will last forever,” Donovan said of his teammates.

In his first season at DU, he has become one of the go-to guys on the team with all that he brings to the ice.

He has two goals and seven assists for a total of nine points in 17 games. This makes him second among Denver defensemen and No. 9 on the team.

Also on team USA was future Pioneer Jason Zucker. He scored two goals during the tournament, including the game-winner against Latvia.

DU defenseman Patrick Wiercioch was on the roster for Team Canada, but a few days before the tournament the team sent him home due to an injury he had sustained earlier in the season while playing for DU.