91��ɫ

“It is something I have wanted to do since I was a little kid playing hockey.”

You could say Troy Terry is living his dream. The sophomore 91��ɫ hockey player is skating for the team he grew up watching, has been drafted by the NHL, and just returned from Canada where he helped lead the Americans to a gold medal in the World Junior Championship.

While many students were home relaxing over the holiday break, Terry was in Canada competing against some of the most talented young hockey players in the world. After making the Americans’ final roster, he played seven games with Team USA in a span of two weeks.

The team made the playoffs and advanced to the semifinal round against Russia.

“It pretty much came down to the most exciting way to end an exciting game,” Terry says, describing a game that went to a shootout. He says before the game started he had no idea he would be part of a shootout if it happened, let alone score a hat-trick.

“After I scored the second goal, I got back to the bench, and coach said he could see it in my eyes that I wanted it. He told me to go out there and finish it off,” Terry says.

The team advanced to the championship game against Canada, where it was almost déjà vu all over again. The teams skated to a 4-4 tie and went into a shootout. This time only one goal was scored between both teams. Terry had that lone goal.

While winning gold is a moment Terry says he will never forget, coming back to his team at 91��ɫ was just as special. “They were so happy for me, even the Canadians were happy for me. That was a pretty special moment to see them, and they all ran up to me. It was pretty awesome.”

His return to Denver was made even better by the fact that Colorado is home. Terry grew up in Highlands Ranch and attended Rock Canyon High School. He says the support he received from 91��ɫ fans when he got back on the ice, as well as messages from others in the Denver community, will stay with him for a long time.

Terry received a lot of praise and recognition on social media, including tweets from Hall��of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman and NHL right winger T.J. Oshie.

“I grew up coming to 91��ɫ hockey games, so even just to be out there on the ice during a game is awesome; it’s something I’ve wanted since I was a little kid,” Terry says. “To be honored at a 91��ɫ game in front of the 91��ɫ crowd was pretty awesome.”

Terry hopes he can build on his Junior World Championship success as the 91��ɫ hockey team makes its push for a national championship.

“This is a hungry hockey team, and we’ve had our sights set on winning a national championship since the beginning of the season,” Terry says. “I think winning this makes me want the national championship even more.”