GO CANADA GO! World Junior Hockey Championship Game

[grasshopper]

Canada, U.S. set for gold medal showdown
WebPosted Mon Jan 5 10:45:01 2004 CBC SPORTS ONLINE - While they have contrasting styles and history, both the Canadians and Americans have one goal for the world junior hockey championship final.



Win the gold medal. When the two teams face off in Monday's showdown (noon EST) in Helsinki, North American bragging rights will be on the line. Canada has won 10 world junior golds, while the U.S. has never won in its history. While it can play fast paced when needed, Canada plays a tight-checking, hard-hitting game that puts pressure on the opposition's defence and many times causes turnovers. The U.S. plays an up-tempo game and uses long passes that suit the larger international ice surface. The Americans sport 17 college players and are accustomed to playing without a red-line.

[Keith_Hixson]

Is it going to be on TV?

Go USA! or may the best team win. Whatever!


I hope ESPN or some sports channel carries the game.

Keith

[grasshopper]

it is on right now up here on TSN. I think maybe on in the USA on pay for view?

End of 1st period.... 1-1

Go Canada!!

[grasshopper]

3-1 for Canada now hee hee. it is intermission time tween the 2nd and 3rd period.

[revwardoc]

WJHC: US stuns Canada to win gold

Canadian Press

1/5/2004HELSINKI (CP) - A freak goal credited to Patrick O'Sullivan of the OHL's Mississauga IceDogs with 5:12 remaining capped a U.S. comeback in a 4-3 win over Canada in the final of the world junior hockey championships Monday.

Canadian goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury attempted to clear the puck but it bounced off defenceman Braydon Coburn and into the net despite a wild lunge from Fleury.

It was O'Sullivan's second goal of the period as the Americans scored three unanswered goals in the final 20 minutes to stun the Canadians.

It was a gut-wrenching loss for Canada, which led 3-1 after two periods and was looking to end a six-year gold medal drought. Instead, Canada takes home a third straight silver medal after blowing a lead for the third consecutive year.

Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks and Dan Fritsche of the Columbus Blue Jackets also scored for the Americans, who won their first-ever world junior tournament while going a perfect 7-0-0.

American Zach Parise was named MVP of the tournament.

Nigel Dawes of the WHL's Kootenay Ice scored twice while Anthony Stewart of the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs had a goal and two assists for Canada, which suffered its first defeat of the tournament afterfive wins.

Host Finland edged the Czech Republic 2-1 earlier Monday to win the bronze medal.

Fleury, who started this season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, had not been severely tested in Canada's previous games and was expected to be the difference in Monday's championship game but he didn't deliver when it counted most.

U.S. counterpart Al Montoya, expected to be a top pick in next June's NHL entry draft, settled down after allowing the third goal.

After giving up a pair of goals to go down 3-1 in the second period, the U.S. came charging back in the third period by scoring twice in the first seven minutes.

Kesler was left alone in front of Fleury and flipped a shot high over top of Fleury at 6:58.

The U.S. narrowed Canada's lead to one goal at 4:39 when the Americans had Canada outnumbered on a 3-on-2. Patrick Eaves sent a cross-ice pass to O'Sullivan and the Minnesota Wild draft pick beat Fleury with a sharp-angled shot.

Canada thought it was home free after going up 3-1 in the second period.

Stewart, a first-round draft pick of the Florida Panthers, beat U.S. defenceman Matt Carle in a foot race from the blue-line and sneaked the puck under Montoya's glove at 12:56.

The goal seemed to deflate the Americans, who were on their heels for the remainder of the period as Canada dominated play. The Canadians outshot the Americans 11-6 in the period.

Canada lost associate captain Tim Brent for about five minutes of the second period. He took a hard check along the boards from U.S. captain Brad Stuart and went down hard on his back. Brent needed assistance getting off the ice and appeared woozy, but was back on the ice just after the midway point.


Stuart's penalty and another by defenceman Ryan Suter gave Canada 42 seconds worth of a two-man advantage, but American penalty-killers kept Canada at bay.

Dawes, a New York Rangers draft pick, gave Canada a 2-1 lead by scoring 12 seconds into the period. He re-directed a Michael Richards shot from the blue-line past Montoya.

After the U.S. tied the game at 8:57 of the first period, the Canadians looked nervous for the rest of the period as they overskated the puck occasionally and didn't get a strong forecheck going on the U.S.

Unlike Canada's previous opponents here, the Americans were willing and able to engage the Canadians in physical play.

Canada's defence went soft around Fleury as Fritsche scored a wraparound goal on a backhand and he had time to take a couple of whacks at it.

Canada scored the first goal of the game when Stewart chipped the puck up to Dawes in the neutral zone. Dawes skated over the blue-line with a turn of speed and beat Montoya high at 3:25.

The next tournament is in North Dakota.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Talk about biased reporting!! The USA wins because of a "freak" goal?! Shows you how much I know about hockey. I thought they won only because they scored more goals, but if they beat Canada, it must be a "freak" goal.

[grasshopper]

oh i know! You guys won! that is ok... this is the 1st gold medal the USA has won for this tourney!
The game itself was awesome! Both teams played their hearts out! Canada got a bit cocky and let down their guard in the 3rd...
Both keepers were outstanding! That Mpntoya had horseshoes!
I do hope that you can see a replay of the game! It was on TSN up here
Susan

[grasshopper]

BTW.. the tieing USA goal was a superb goal! clean swift shot!
The go ahead goal WAS a fluke... the Canuck goalie had cleared it and it bounced back into the net off another canadian player. Such is the breaks of the game though! Here is another 'unbiased' report on the game:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html