World Juniors: An Epic Canadian Collapse

[jobeterob]

By CBC Sports, cbc.ca, Updated: January 5, 2011 10:44 PM
Russian juniors win gold in Canadian collapse

For the second year in a row, Team Canada has suffered a devastating defeat in the gold-medal match of the world junior championship.

Canada was up three goals entering the final 20 minutes, but Russia scored five times to win 5-3 and claim its first under-20 title since 2003 before a disappointed mostly-Canadian crowd of 18,690 at HSBC Arena on Wednesday night.

Artemi Panarin scored his second goal of the game with only four minutes and 38 seconds remaining to provide the Russian juniors with the winning goal.

Nikita Dvurechenski added an insurance marker in a stunning collapse by Canada.

What appeared to be another dominant Canadian performance — in the same vein that Canada defeated the U.S. 4-1 in the semifinals and Switzerland by the same score in the quarterfinals — turned into bitter defeat with Russia’s third big comeback.

The Russians had stormed back to defeat Finland in the quarterfinals and overcame a late-game one-goal deficit to survive Sweden in a shootout in the semifinals.

Canada had exhibited determination, discipline and selflessness in the first two periods to build a 3-0 lead.

Captain Ryan Ellis, who collected his 25th career world junior point, scored on the power play on a pinpoint pass from Brayden Schenn. Carter Ashton scored from a bad angle with 13.5 seconds remaining in the first period.

Schenn scored his eighth game of the tournament in the second period to give him 18 points for the tournament, a total that matches the Canadian record set by Dale McCourt in 1977.

But then Russia went to work. Artemi Panarin and Maxim Kitsyn scored 13 seconds apart early in the third period and captain Vladimir Tarasenko drew his team even before the final period was 7:29 old.

With files from The Canadian Press

[robb_k]

This was an epic folding. A much worse disaster than the overtime loss to USA last year. They just stopped skating, hitting forechecking and sat back on their heels. Strange how momentum can change. Russia's captain, Vladimir Tarasenko, was knocked down and a Canadian skater's skate hit him in the head [[helmet) and skated on through. Luckily his face wasn't cut. He was knocked unconscious and lied, motionless on the ice for several minutes. He was helped off the ice [[still woozy). Russia's starting goalie, who had given up 3 goals on 18 shots was pulled late in the 2nd period. Tarasenko returned to the ice at the beginning of The 3rd, giving a boost to The Russians [[as did the re-instatement of Russia's #1 goalie, who was replaced earlier in the tournament after bad losses to Canada and Sweden.

The Russians scored two goals in quick succession. The Canadians were back on their heels for the entire remainder of the game. Tarasenko made a few very strong shots, then scored the game-tier on a quick snap shot. Soon after, he sent a nifty set-up pass from behind the net to Panarin for the winner.

It was a big shock-especially after waiting all year for retribution and beating The Russians, Americans and Swedes so handily, and dominating this game throughout the first two periods.

Canada, Sweden, USA and even Finland were rated higher than The Russians going into the tournament.

A lot of people in Russia are happy tonight, and a lot in Canada are very disappointed. USA beat Sweden to win the bronze medal.

[robb_k]

I just realised that neither of our posts mentioned that this tournament's sport is ice-hockey. On a music forum, I feel compelled to add that clarification, as it might not be perfectly obvious to the casual reader.

[jobeterob]

This was a huge shock; I had pretty much switched into "semi ignore" at 3 - 0.............and then they lost!

[jobeterob]

TOP STORY


Russian team officials leave Buffalo Niagara International Airport in Cheektowaga, N.Y. after being forced to take a later flight, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011.

'Unruly' Russian hockey team kicked off flight home

06/01/2011 3:10:14 PM

CTV.ca News Staff
Members of Russia's world junior hockey championship team are cooling their jets at a New York State hotel after they were kicked off their flight home on Thursday.


It appears the under-18 team may have celebrated late into the night after their dramatic comeback win against Team Canada on Wednesday night.








After the clock ran out, the Russians celebrated on the ice and then in the media interview area. There were frequent chants of "Beat Canada!" and "Russia! Russia!"

Ninety minutes after their victory, Russian coaches and trainers took to the ice, one of whom was holding what appeared to be a bottle of alcohol. Others were sipping from paper cups.

Although the players were below legal drinking age, some of them were later spotted partying at a hotel bar into the wee hours of the night – though it wasn't clear whether they were being served.

When they eventually made their way to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport ahead of a 6:10 a.m. flight to Atlanta on Thursday morning, they were turned away by the flight's crew.

"To ensure the safe operation of the flight, the crew of flight 1266 [[BUF-ATL) denied boarding to 30 passengers who were travelling together and displaying unruly behavior," Delta Air Lines said in a statement.

After leaving the flight the team collected their baggage, which was removed from the plane, said airport spokesman C. Douglas Hartmayer. Delta said they are being rebooked "on a future flight."

In the meantime, staff at the front desk of the Days Hotel close to the airport said the Russian players were "sleeping it off."

But the team's media officer, Mikhail Zislis, said he's been unable to catch any shut-eye.

"I cannot sleep because everybody in Russia is calling me asking me what's going on," Zislis told The Associated Press from the hotel lobby.

He didn't know when the team was scheduled to leave Buffalo, he said.

"I hope as soon as possible because we want to go back to Russia," Zislis said.

Officials with the tournament have not commented on the matter.

Russia scored five unanswered goals in the third period against a bewildered Canadian squad to win the gold medal game.

After two periods of play, Canada seemingly had the game in hand, leading 3-0 and dominating in all aspects.

But Russia, which wasn't considered a top contender heading into the tournament, stormed out of the gate in the third period, with Artemi Panarin and Maxim Kitsyn burying two goals just 11 seconds apart.

[Doug-Morgan]

Are these major junior players as in the Ontario, Quebec and Western Hockey Leagues or Junior A [[Tier 2) players?

[[My 8 year old grandson plays hockey. No check. Looks a lot like an NHL Al-Star game....)

[robb_k]

They are the best junior players in each country. Therefore, they come from the major junior leagues [[Ontario, Québec and Western Leagues. They are virtually [[or almost) ALL destined for The NHL. It is an extremely important event in Canada, Russia, Sweden,Finland, The Czech Republic and Slovakia. It is not so important in USA.

[jobeterob]

It's pretty much a non event. Kind of like a Flo's Concert or a Richard Street led Tempts concert or a Duke Fakir led Four Tops concert.