CANADA WINS GOLD!!!

Hockey fans in Canada can cheer once again as Team Canada won Gold at the Under 18 World Championship in Sochi, Russia. The last tournament that Canadians played in was the Women's World Championships earlier this month in which Canada lost to USA for gold. The last Men's tournament was the World Juniors which Team Canada lost the bronze medal game to host Russia. The sledge hockey team shutout Team USA in the Gold Medal game 8 days ago.

Team Canada took a 1-0 lead at 9:29 of the first period from a goal by Laurent Dauphin. USA tied it up at 1:48 of the second and than took the lead at 9:42 into the middle frame with goals by Connor Clifton and Mike McCarron respectively. Canada would take a 3-2 lead before the end of the middle 20 and there was no score in the 3rd period. Team USA was very close to tying it in the dying minutes but could not get past Philippe Desrosiers who made 35 saves.

2012 Halifax Mooseheads draft picks Jack Eichel and John Hayden played for Team USA. Hayden was named alternate captain of USA. He was a -1 and had 3 shots during 16:39 of ice time. Eichel had 2 shots on goal while playing 6:41 minutes. 16 year old Connor McDavid was the tournament's leading scorer with 14 points. He was held pointless in both the semi final and gold medal games. He ended with 8 goals and 6 assists with back to back hat tricks and a +8.

Canada's record: 7-0-0-0

Scores
Slovakia 1 - 4 Canada (prelim)
Canada 3 - 1 Germany (prelim)
Canada 10 - 1 Switzerland (prelim)
Sweden 0 - 6 Canada (prelim)
Canada 6 - 0 Czech Republic (quarters)
Canada 3 - 1 Finland (semis)
Canada 3 - 2 United States (gold)


In the Bronze Medal game, Finland won 2-1 in regulation over host Russia. Finland got goals from Artturi Lehkonen and Kasperi Kapanen while Russia's only goal was scored by Vladimir Tkachyov. It was Finland's fourth bronze medal. USA won their 3rd silver medal. This was Canada's third gold medal after winning gold in 2003 and 2008, all three 5 years apart. Team USA had won the four previous tournaments.


The next tournament for Team Canada is the 2013 Men's World Championships which will be held in Finland and Sweden from May 3 to May 19 and will be qualifications for the 2014 Olympic games.