The U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team dominated Sweden, winning 7-0, to claim its unprecedented fourth consecutive gold medal at the IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship and seventh overall.

USA celebrates the four-peat (Photo: HHOF/IIHF Images on Ice)

Nic Kerdiles posted five points (2g-3a), while Collin Olson made 27 saves to record his third shutout of the tournament in the 7-0 win.

Olson received the directorate award as the tournament’s best goaltender. He is the third consecutive American to win the award (Jack Campbell in 2010 and John Gibson in 2011). Olson posted three shutouts, which tied Jack Campbell’s 2010 record, while compiling a 5-0-0-0 record, 0.80 goals-against average and .965 save percentage.

Olson, Seth Jones and Matt Lane were named Team USA’s best three players of the tournament.

Kerdiles led the U.S. with nine points (4g-5a), while Seth Jones finished second among all tournament defensemen with eight points (3g-5a). Brady Skjei posted a team-best plus-10 rating from the blue line.

The U.S. out-scored its opponents 27-4 en route to the 6-0-0-0 record and the gold medal.

Team USA’s overall medal streak is now at nine (Gold in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012; Silver in 2004 and 2007; and Bronze in 2008). Team USA has won 10 medals in the last 11 tournaments, with its first gold coming in 2002.

I’ll have a full recap of the tournament upon my return to the United States, with player-by-player evaluations and a look inside what turned out to be one of the most dominant performances in the history of this tournament by the Americans.