Armstrong strikes gold with Team Canada

Second-year Plymouth Whalers forward John Armstrong and Team Canada defeated the Czech Republic, 5-3, on Sunday for the gold medal in the Under-18 Junior World Cup in the Czech Republic.

Contacted at his home in Unionville, Ontario, on Monday, Armstrong called the tournament win "one of the biggest thrills of his hockey career."

"We won because we worked harder than the other teams," Armstrong said.

Armstrong scored twice in the tournament as he tallied in the first game and in the championship game.

Armstrong played much of the tournament on a checking line with Peterborough's Jordan Staal and Brady Calla of the WHL's Everett Silvertips.

"We were the biggest line (physically) in the tournament," Armstrong said. "Our job was to get the puck in deep and try to keep it there."

Armstrong was Plymouth's first-round pick in the 2004 OHL Priority Selection, going 13th overall.