After missing the Stanley Cup playoffs for an eighth straight year, the Carolina Hurricanes had seven players compete in the IIHF World Championships.
Four wound up with gold medals draped around their necks Sunday — forwards Elias Lindholm, Victor Rask and Joakim Nordstrom, and goalie Eddie Lack of Sweden.
Canada, with Canes forward Jeff Skinner on the roster, was favored to win a third straight championship in the Worlds. Canes coach Bill Peters was an assistant coach for Team Canada when it won in 2015, then the head coach for Canada — albeit minus Skinner — a year ago, returning to Raleigh with gold.