Steve Mason, John Tavares and Stefan Legein proudly showed off the gold medals they won with a 3-2 overtime victory against Sweden at the World Junior Hockey Championship just 24 hours earlier in the Czech Republic.

Mason, the tournament’s MVP, followed in a long line of Canadian goalies who turned in outstanding performances at the tournament, but he did something that even the likes of Roberto Luongo and Marc Andre Fleury didn’t do by leading Canada to the gold.

“I’m just so proud to be a part of this,” he said. “It’s something I’ll never forget.”

Legein, with his arm in a sling — the result of a separated shoulder sustained in the opening minute of the final — said it was a small price to pay.

“The injury will heal, the medal will last forever.”

Even Tavares, who has a compiled an impressive list of individual accomplishments, including Canadian junior player of the year, said nothing compared to being part of a championship team.

“This was awesome, the best hockey moment of my life.”