Burnaby's Brandon Morley shared in a gold medal with Canada West at the World Jr. A Hockey Classic in Langley.
The 17-year-old B.C. Hockey League Surrey Eagles forward helped the Canada West squad defeat Canada East 4-2 in the championship final at the Langley Events Centre on Sunday.
"World champions. No better feeling," Morley Tweeted after the game.
Canada West looked like an unlikely champion after earlier group play, losing both its A pool matches to the United States (6-1) and group winner Sweden by a 2-0 score.
But the team's 4-1 win over the Czech Republic changed all that, said Morley, who assisted on game star and former Northwest Giants forward Curtis Loik's first of two goals.
"It was our first win and got the guys rolling," said Morley.
Canada West then upset Sweden 2-1 in overtime in the semifinals on Remembrance Day.
Another former major midget Giants' player, Alex Kerfoot, scored the gamewinning marker against Sweden at the 2: 09 minute mark of OT with a shot that glanced off the post to set up the All-Canadian final.
"That overtime goal was probably one of the better moments of the tournament," Morley added.
Kerfoot, who was named a tournament all-star with West keeper Sean Maquire of Powell River, picked up two points, including a second-period tally, in the championship final.
"When that buzzer sounded, seeing how happy all the guys were, it's a moment that will probably stick with me forever," Morley said.
The gold-medal win was the third for Canada West against its Eastern counterpart. West beat the East in the final in 2007 and in the inaugural world junior A final a year earlier. West placed second over to the U.S. in 2008 and 2009.
