US hockey team pays emotional tribute to late Johnny Gaudreau following their victory in IIHF World Championship

Following their victory at the IIHF World Championships, the United States hockey team, who achieved gold for the first time in 92 years, paid tribute to a missing player.

Team USA won the gold medal in Sweden on Sunday evening – knocking off Switzerland in overtime to win the title for the first time since 1933.

During the trophy presentation, the American team displayed a customized USA No. 13 jersey bearing the name Gaudreau in memory of the late Johnny Gaudreau, a prominent player for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

It’s been nearly nine months since the tragic killing of Johnny and his brother Matthew Gaudreau by a drunk driver in Oldmans Township, New Jersey.

The brothers were out riding bikes at night when they were both rear-ended by a driver trying to pass other cars on the shoulder of a rural highway.

Both brothers were pronounced dead at the scene. Johnny was 31-years-old and Matthew was 29.

The USA Hockey players proudly exhibit a jersey featuring Johnny Gaudreau’s name and number after securing the gold medal at the IIHF World Championship against Switzerland in Sweden

NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and brother Matthew were killed after being struck while cycling  

One of the two players whose hands were holding up the jersey at the trophy ceremony in Sweden was Zach Werenski – a teammate of Johnny’s on the Blue Jackets. The other was Nashville Predators defenseman Brady Skjei – who was in the running for the team the US sent to the 2013 World Juniors, where Gaudreau starred. 

Sean Higgins was indicted by a grand jury in December of six charges related to the crash but his attorneys asked Tuesday that the indictment be thrown out. 

However, Superior Court Judge Michael Silvanio denied that request with the case now set to move forward. 

Higgins’ attorneys argued that the prosecution had not presented evidence of the brothers’ blood-alcohol levels to the grand jury. 

According to the defense, the Gaudreaus had blood-alcohol levels of .129 or above, higher than the .08 legal limit in New Jersey and the .087 that police recorded for Higgins. Prosecutors argued it wasn’t relevant under New Jersey law.

‘We believe these filings are essential to ensuring that our client’s Constitutional rights are protected and that he is not being treated unfairly based upon the amount of publicity being garnered,’ Higgins’ attorneys, Richard F. Klineburger III and Matthew V. Portella, previously said in a statement. 

Salem County prosecutors noted that there is no law banning cycling while intoxicated in New Jersey, and that witnesses said the brothers were riding single-file on the edge of the road, not weaving into traffic. 

Prosecutors have accused Higgins of being impaired by alcohol and fueled by road rage when he ran into them. 

Sean Higgins was indicted by a grand jury in December of six charges related to the crash

Guy Gaudreau, the father of Matthew and Johnny, arrives in court for Tuesday’s hearing

The Gaudreau brothers were killed on August 29 in Oldmans Township, N.J., where they had traveled to attend their sister Katie’s wedding scheduled for the following day. They were pronounced dead at the scene. Johnny was 31 and Matthew was 29. 

In documents seen by DailyMail.com, Higgins admitted to cops that he drank ‘5-6 beers’ before getting behind the wheel of his Jeep Grand Cherokee and crashing into the back of Johnny and Matthew. 

A driver in front of Higgins also told police that he had been driving aggressively. When she and another driver slowed down and moved to the left to go around the cyclists, Higgins sped up and veered right before striking the brothers, she said.

Higgins told officers that on the day of his arrest, he had been driving around for two hours while talking to a friend on the phone after having an upsetting conversation with his mother.

Tage Thompson (72) scored the goal that won the USA its first medal since 1933

Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins kept a shutout after facing 25 shots in the final

As for the game, the US won 1-0 over Switzerland in overtime thanks to a goal from Buffalo Sabres star forward Tage Thompson.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman kept a shutout after facing 25 shots from the Swiss team.

It’s the Americans’ third gold medal and their first in decades at the tournament which doesn’t feature the A-Teams of most of the nations involved.

The World Championships begin and end in the midst of the Stanley Cup Playoffs – which often prevents participating nations from picking from their full roster pool.

Team USA came second in the tournament’s Group B and then beat Finland and host nation Sweden in the playoff round before Sunday’s final.

While the Americans suffered defeat in the NHL’s ‘4 Nations Face-Off’, the 2024-25 hockey season can be considered a great success for Team USA.

In addition to the IIHF Men’s World Championships, America won the IIHF Women’s World Championships and the IIHF World Junior Championships this season.