2015 WJC Archive: The Truth About Jack Eichel USA Announces Preliminary Roster USA Injury Update Questions Abound for Team USA as Selection Camp Begins Team USA Selection Camp Video Podcast Santini Learning Through Adversity The Curious Case of Miles Wood USA Defeats BU, 5-2; Reduces Roster to 27 USA Defeats Germany 5-2; Reduces Roster to 26 Eichel Named Captain of Team USA USA Defeats Sweden, 10-5; Reduces Roster to 24 USA Makes Final Cut; Faces Finland Friday Afternoon USA Defeats Finland 2-1 in a Shootout to Open WJC Team USA Podcast & Off Day Notes WJC Podcast with TSN's Mark Masters: Canadian Perspective USA Defeats Germany 6-0 USA Defeats Slovakia 3-0 USA vs CAN: NYE Showdown USA Takes On Russia in the Quarterfinal CAN, SWE, RUS & SVK Advance to WJC Semifinals
Watch and listen as Dave Starman and I discuss USA's 2-1 shootout win over Finland at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship in Montreal...
********** Watch and listen as Mark Masters gives us some insight on Team Canada at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship in Montreal...
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In a rather uninspired game, Russia defeated Sweden 4-1, while in a more-competitive-than-expected game, Canada defeated Slovakia 5-1 to advance to the gold medal game of the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Honestly, I'm not sure what happened to the Swedes in the early game. It was their worst performance of the tournament and they couldn't properly channel their frustration, while the Russians were right there to pounce on their mistakes. I feel like it was another instance of their opponent losing the game more so than the Russians earning the win, but you have to give them credit for making the most of their opportunities.
In the late game, I'm pretty sure all of Canada was collectively holding their breath as they held on to a 1-0 lead late in the 2nd. After defeating them 8-0 on the opening day of the tournament, I'm sure they expected to be a little more comfortable with the score at that point. The first was fairly even with six shots each, but things picked up for Canada in the second and it finally started paying off with two minutes left in the frame as Nic Petan scored his second of the night to make it 2-0 quickly followed by a pair of goals to make it 3-1 heading into intermission. Less than three minutes into the final period, Anthony Duclair made it 4-1 and the Slovaks saw the writing on the wall. Petan completed the hat trick midway through the period and earned Player of the Game honors for Team Canada. Despite a 39 save performance - including some that only the "Hand of Godla" could save - Denis Godla did not win Player of the Game honors for Slovakia. The crowd started chanting "Goalie! Goalie!" and he acknowledged the crowd to rousing applause.
I tweeted last night that there have been a handful of fantastic displays of sportsmanship and everything the World Junior Championship represents between the fans in Toronto and various teams or players and while I certainly admire and respect the fans in Toronto for being so classy in recognizing these outstanding performances, I can't say the same about the fans in Montreal. I understand rivalries, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around the vitriol that rained down on Team USA and especially the constant booing of Jack Eichel during every single game. Where was the class and sportsmanship there?
I'm all about supporting your team passionately and with reckless abandon, but I'm pretty sure we all learned in grade school that you don't need to make someone feel small in order to make you feel tall.
I'll have some behind the scenes coverage for you today from the bronze and gold medal games. Follow me on Twitter for the latest!
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Julie
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