Epic heartbreak...

That's the wrong colour in the picture. It might as well be aluminum. The plan was going so well. Build a team to take back the gold from the Americans. And it worked. But someone forgot to tell the Russians.

Canada continued their domination through the first two periods. Out skating, out hitting, and outscoring the Russian team 3-0 in the gold medal match.
Twenty minutes to play. The gold is locked up. The third period starts, and Canada stops skating. They stop hitting. They stop shooting. Russia, does not. In the first two minutes it's now 3-2. Three minutes later, 3-3. Five minutes after that, 4-3 Russia. After a last second tally, the final reads 5-3 Russia. The most epic collapse in World Junior Championship history. Silver for Canada. Again.

I'm kinda glad that blogger wasn't working last night, as I may have said some things that were, well, not necessary.
Bottom line, the kids worked their asses off and came home with silver medals. I'm proud of their effort, and the rest of Canada should be too. After all, they spanked the U.S., so there's that, right?

Going for Gold...

Canada 4 U.S.A. 1

The best part about xmas being over is not the end of xmas carols, nor the shopping. It's the beginning of the World Junior Hockey Championships.
Last year, Canada lost the gold in overtime to the U.S. This year was going to be different. And it will be.
They met today in Buffalo. Not in the gold medal match as everyone anticipated, but in the semi finals. Canada came through in a dominating performance, winning 4-1. The game was not that close. Kudos to U.S. netminder Jack Campbell for keeping the game interesting. The words 'under seige' were used more than once. It was interesting to watch a game in BUFFALO with 85% of the crowd wearing the red and white of Team Canada. The U.S. had to play a road game on home ice.
Canada will play Russia for the gold on wednesday, the U.S. will play Sweden for the bronze.