Penticton Vees player Cole Shepard will come home empty-handed from the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Team Canada Red went into the bronze medal final against Sweden with the confidence of knowing they earlier beat them 7-2 in the preliminary round. However, the teams were evenly matched with the medal on the line and it took a shootout, with Sweden’s Lucas Raymond scoring the lone goal to give them a 4-3 win.

Related: Penticton Fees forward to play for bronze

Shepard finished the tournament with four assists in six games, placing him fourth overall among all player in that stats category.

GAME OVER! Lucas Raymond scores the lone goal in the shootout, and 🇸🇪 edges 🇨🇦🔴 4-3 in a thriller to win bronze. Game stats: https://t.co/pdOBNfyN0P #WorldU17 pic.twitter.com/gzt0DsGTdJ

— World U17 Challenge (@HC_WU17) November 10, 2018

Jesper Wallstedt and Dylan Garand (Victoria, B.C./Kamloops, WHL) put on a goaltending clinic with 45 saves apiece. Garand was the story through the first two periods, making 31 saves to keep Red within a goal, and Wallstedt stopped 27 of 28 through the third period and overtime before turning aside all five Canadians in the shootout.

The bronze is the eighth U17 medal for Sweden – it has won two gold, two silver and four bronze. Russia and Finland are playing for the gold medal game this afternoon.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.