Five straight!

BasX · Jan 5, 2009

Canada captured its fifth straight World Junior Hockey Championship gold with a 5-1 victory over Team Sweden on Monday night.

Canadian netminder Dustin Tokarski saved his best game of the World Junior Championship for the final, turning aside 39 shots in the win. While he was shaky at times during the tournament, Tokarski was very sharp against Team Sweden.

Tokarski's play coupled with steady pressure from Canada on Sweden's goaltender Jacob Markstrom were the difference. Markstrom looked rattled during the game and there were several run-ins with Canadian players.

The five straight golds equal a Canadian record for the tournament (1993-97).

"Nothing like this," John Tavares told TSN. "There's nothing like it at all. Listen to these fans. That's five, Canada."

Team Canada will go looking for a record setting sixth straight gold in the 2010 tournament to be held in Saskatoon and Regina.

The action started early in the first as Team Sweden's Mikael Backlund took a penalty for roughing and on the ensuing power-play P.K. Subban beat Markstrom to give Canada the early advantage just 38 seconds in.

Subban took several cracks at the puck during a scrum in front of the Sweden net and final put it past Markstrom. Jordan Eberle and Cody Hodgson drew the assists.

Canada struck again in the second. Angelo Esposito came up with a slick move to get out of the corner, before flipping the puck over Markstrom to put Canada up 2-0 just over four minutes into the period.

The goal was a one of validation for Esposito as last season he joined Dan Cleary as the only players to be cut on three separate occasions from Team Canada.

The goal came minutes after Esposito made slight contact with Markstrom while going for the puck in Sweden's zone. The netminder went down and Victor Hedman grabbed Esposito in a headlock. No penalties were called.

Tempers began to flare again after Stefan Della Rovere hit Markstrom while the goalie was skating to his bench to give Sweden an extra attacker later in the period. Following the scrum after the hit, Della Rovere and Patrice Cormier were assessed interference penalties and Markstrom was called for roughing. The Cormier penalty occurred prior to the contact between Della Rovere and Markstrom.

The penalties continued for Canada as Keith Aulie was given a penalty for a cross-check moments later and just before the end of the Sweden power-play, Canada was hit with another penalty as Subban was sent off for hooking.

Tokarski was up the challenge.

The two goaltenders, Tokarski and Markstrom, had been a study in contrasts through the tournament. Tokarski had his struggles while Markstrom shined but in the final the roles became reversed. Markstrom jawed repeatedly with Canadian forwards during the game.

Over the game, Canada's penalty killers kept Team Sweden's power-play in check stopping them on six chances with the man-advantage.

Canada's third goal came when Cody Hodgson snapped a shot past Markstrom on the power-play early in the final period. The assists went to Ryan Ellis and John Tavares.

Joakim Andersson finally found a way past Tokarski to make the score 3-1 and give Sweden some hope but that was as close as things got in the gold medal game.

Goals from Jordan Eberle and Cody Hodgson in the final two minutes put the game out of reach.
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If you aren't Canadian, this means nothing to you. To Canadians, this is awesome.

http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/story/?id=262055&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_main

Chutney · Jan 17, 2009

It was an amazing tournament. That game against the Russians was one of my favourite sports memories.

BasX · Jan 17, 2009

So true.

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Five straight!

BasX I Win

Chutney MON-STRAWRRR!!1!

BasX I Win

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Five straight!

BasX I Win

Chutney MON-STRAWRRR!!1!

BasX I Win

Share This Page

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