Watch: Distraught Lias Andersson tosses silver medal into crowd

“Gold medal or bust” is one of those old sayings that gets thrown around every year at world junior championship time.

And it’s not just in Canada where this sentiment rings true. Team Sweden captain Lias Andersson took his team’s loss in the gold medal game to heart and didn’t — or couldn’t — contain his disappointment as he removed the silver medal from his neck and tossed it into the crowd.

In a tournament so hyped and covered at the highest level by national and local outlets across the country, it’s often difficult to remember this is an event played by teenagers who are thrust into the spotlight and burdened with immense pressure from day one. When there are only two or three teams with a legitimate chance to win it all — and Sweden may have been the biggest favorite of the bunch — gold is the only thing that matters.

With emotions running so high and the adrenaline in overdrive mere moments after a devastating loss on the biggest stage, it’s hard to see silver as anything but a disappointment.

Andersson did get his medal back (though it possibly went right into the trash when he got to the room) at some point during the post-game festivities, but not before some dude wearing three, yes three, jerseys caught the silver and threw it around his neck for a quick spin.

Goodnight, world juniors. See you next year.