When Team Canada went for the third straight Gold Medal, they were ruled “too small and lacked the necessary talent” to win. They proved them wrong. When Team Canada went for the fourth straight Gold Medal, they were ruled as “an underdog team with potential but not enough skill” to win. They proved them wrong. This year, Team Canada went for the fifth straight Gold Medal at the World Junior Hockey Championship. They were ruled as “too small” and we’re slated to win nothing more than silver. Again, Canada proves them wrong. How can you rule out the Hockey Capital of the World?
PK Subban opened the game exactly the way Canada needed to kick start the Gold Medal game; a quick goal (38 seconds in) on the PP. The rest is history. Dustin Tokarski, despite two shaky performances in which he let in a total of 9 goals, shut the door on Sweden and allowed just one goal that deflected off his defenseman’s stick. He definitely proved the critics wrong, myself included. Angelo Esposito, the man who was on a mission for the last few games, was at it again tonight – he scored an incredible backhanded shot to the top shelf far side. His game tonight was nothing short of stellar.
But deep inside the win for Canada was another story that developed early – Jacob Markstrom. Despite having a great save percentage coming into tonight’s game (0.954) it wasn’t his goaltending that was the story of the night, it was his character. Just when we thought the days of Ron Hextall and Dominic Hasek were over, Markstrom comes along to silence the crowd; scratch that, he made them more loud as they booed the youngster every chance they got. He was flailing around in his crease so often Tony Ambrogio of The Score thought he might concuss himself. Sweden was not only the hockey team for the World Juniors, but they are also Sweden’s Olympic Diving team. Markstrom’s helmet came off easier than Paris Hilton’s dress. Victor Hedman came to his aid, if only to punch Esposito in the head while he was already down on the ice. No harm no foul; Esposito stays on for the next shift and pots the backhander on Markstrom. Sweet Revenge.
It all came down to one thing – Canada was relentless and unstoppable. Tokarski, when bumped, did not overreact, or even react at all for that matter. He was calm, cool and collect and it paid off for his club. DiDomenico took another stick to the face, a growing fad, and seemed to be under Sweden’s skin.
The only disappointment was John Tavares, and I’m not talking about his game. It was unfortunate that he was unable to capitalize on a goal scoring opportunity in order to break the record of most goals by a Canadian. After failing to find the back of the net in his last two appearances (his lack of goal scoring did not reflect his lack of talent), Tavares finished off the tournament with 12 goals in 13 games (1 more game played than Jeff Carter) despite scoring the 12th goal in his 11th game. This will push him to second place on the most goals for a Canadian player list.
Team Canada’s Top 3 Players of the Tournament:
(As voted by the coaching staff)
PK Subban. Jordan Eberle. John Tavares.
Top Goaltender of the Tournament: Jacob Markstrom (For his Oscar worthy performances, no doubt)
Top Defenseman of the Tournament: Erik Karlsson (Ottawa Senators prospect)
Top Forward of the Tournament: John Tavares (Should hold the rights to the number 1 spot in the 2009 draft by now)
Tournament All-Star Team:
Nikita Filatov (RUS) – John Tavares (CAN) – Cody Hodgson (CAN)
PK Subban (CAN) – Erik Karlsson (SWE)
Jaroslav Janus (SLV)
The tournament was a success and will be back in Canada next year where the Canadians will have their “Fix for Six” opportunity. Don’t expect John Tavares to be joining the team for that one. It’s a shame the NHL doesn’t have more support for the tournament.
Canada Drive for Five – No Sweat … (maybe a little).
Micheal A. Aldred
michealaldred@hotmail.com
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January 6th, 2009 at 6:03 am
Micheal I think your way off, Espisito sholud have a matchpenalty, watch his right leg in the incident. At least 2 minutes and then he never had scored that goal. But I dont say that the poor refs won the game for canada, that did Canadas great forecheking and Sweden really poor PP. Erik Karlsson top defensmen of tournament hit the net one time, hit the crossbar one time and missed the net like 8 times. Sweden could´t handle the forchecking, they never got time to show the brilliance with puck. But Is it only me who questing Tavares in the knockout rounds, he has been more of a shadow than the next one. The Swedish tv-expert went really hard on him, and thouht it was a papperduck(do you guys call it like that, it means the have written him up) He thoughts that Hodgson have been much better in the 5 on 5 and all over the rink. Tavares is a PP guy and from the blueline and in. He has average skating to. Subban means bitch in Swedish, so I have smiled every game I watched Canada this tournament.
January 6th, 2009 at 6:10 am
Everyone sucks but us. Seriously though, all due respect to Sweden, who showed some speed and some fiestiness but lacked the finish and composure necessary to get it done. Markstrom was diving like a soccer player and even if he was playing injured Hedman definitely didn’t use his size enough. As a small goalie Tokarski will have to work for everything he gets but he’s well on the way to the NHL now, Eberle sould fit right in to Edmonton’s program and Tavares looks like the best undrafted player in the world. In conclusion, second place is a fancy way of saying loser. Nothing but gold, baby!
January 6th, 2009 at 7:22 am
Markstrom was embarassing to watch. Firstly, he needs to go to acting school so he can learn how to embelish a hit enough to draw a penalty and not look like he got shot. Then someone needs to force him to tighten his helmet – in a tournament where play is stopped when the goalie losses their mask it should be a penalty if the mask comes off too easily. It was like he had a self-destruct button in case things got tough and he needed a whistle.
January 6th, 2009 at 11:13 am
I agree about Markstrom. He needs to learn how to play like a professional, and to show a little more respect out there.
Although I will say that I didn’t quite understand the rampant booing of Victor Hedman. He was simply doing his job – his goaltender got hit (whether it was a dive or not), and he went after the guy who ran him. Which is exactly what a good defender (and a good teammate) does.
For Team Canada, wow. What an effort that was, coming off the game against Russia, which they were VERY lucky to win. This time around, they played patiently, didn’t turn the puck over, and didn’t try to force opportunities. The only negative in their game, really, was a few too many penalties … had the Swedish PP been working, this one would have been too close for comfort.
And special kudos to Pat Quinn for sticking with Tokarski in net, and proving myself (and many others) wrong for calling for Pickard to start this game. Tokarski struggled against Russia and the US, but in the game that mattered most, he stepped it up to another level. And that’s what separates the “great” players from those who are simply very good.
January 6th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
The game and coahcing was incredible. From the end of each period, to corrections in the next. To keep their cool with adversity, and capitalize on errors. The Goaltending was as initially advertised, the defence corrrected many errors from previous games, and the forwards were like hornets at time. Brings a tear to my eyes..
Canada was considered to be a silver coming in, and the SWEDS KNEW IT. But Quinn was good to his words “They may be better on paper, but the game isnt played on paper”.
As for JENS remarks about a match penalty?? I have absolutly no idea what she is referring to.. The Sweds did everything but throw the kitchen sink out there, and their poor power play was the face of their team. This tournament is known to be a specialties team tournament.
January 6th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Even with the majority of our better players already in the NHL, we came through with the gold, once again proving, beyond any shadow of a doubt, we’re the best hockey nation on the planet.
January 6th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
daddoo, Do you try to be funny or what?
January 6th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
JENS – Are you only here to try and start arguments?
January 6th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
affirmative Georgie
January 6th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
haha I loved the game though and there’s always some kind of controversy in the Gold Medal game (think back to when the Men’s Worlds had the play go under review for Anson Carter’s goal).