Here we are, the Gold medal game of the 2015 World Junior Hockey Championships. As two hockey power nations brace themselves for what is expected to be the game of the tournament. These two teams haven't played each other in the tournament, so there is no stats or results to guess what to expect. How will Canada and the Russians match up? Both played a great semifinal game, and now they prepare to duke it out for Gold. Canada will be playing the exact same lineup as last night, right down to Zach Fucale.
1st Period
Before the puck even dropped, both wingers on each team were pushing and shoving, Domi and Duclair versus Buchnevich and Leshenko. As the puck was dropped, Sam Reinhart won the draw back and Canada moved into the Russian zone. Anthony Duclair battled for the puck on the boards, slid the puck to Max Domi down low, who swiftly hit Duclair on the way to the net and Duclair made no mistake, burying a one timer top shelf less than thirty seconds into the first period. The crowd was on their feet. Just two minutes later, Brayden Point blazed by Russia's defense men wide, and slide the puck cross crease to a net-driving Nick Paul, who tapped home Canada's second goal of the game.
For the first five minutes of the first, every scrum was a shoving match and the refs had difficulty keeping the two sides from going at each other. The animosity was clear, that both teams wanted it badly. Both benches were warned about the scrums, meaning the refs were prepared to assess penalties from now on. The Russians were down by two early, and were only trying to stir the pot and knock Canada off their game. As the period continued, there were many hits and hard ones at that.
With just over ten minutes left in the first, Russia got on the board as Dmitri Yudin blasted a bomb past Zach Fucale. However, just after the Russian goal, Sharov took a roughing penalty, giving Canada a power play after the goal was scored. Canada's power play put some pressure on the Russian's but didn't really generate any high quality chances. After the Canadian power play, Russia began putting pressure on the Canadians, using momentum from their goal and penalty kill.
The period continued, as both sides exchanged chances. The game was on a very even field now, as teams were in and out of each side of the ice. Canada had a bit of trouble clearing the puck a few times, which may cost them later on in the game. The period continued and eventually the buzzer went, and no more goals would be scored in the first period as the goalies stood tall when called upon by their teams.
Shots were 12-9 for Canada at the end of period one.
2nd Period
The period started with Russia trapping Canada in their own zone, as Canada continued to either turn it over or ice the puck. Eventually, no harm was done. The line of Ritchie, Gauthier, and Crouse was able to get Canada some zone time in the Russian end of the ice, creating some turnovers themselves. As Canada established some pressure, the Russians were forced to ice the puck. Once the Russians got the puck out of the zone and began their change, Josh Morrissey spotted Connor McDavid loose behind the Russian defense. McDavid was on a clean breakaway after not being covered due to the Russian change, and he didn't think twice shooting five hole on Ilya Sorokin, beating the Russian net minder restoring Canada's two goal lead.
Less than two minutes after the McDavid goal, the top line for Canada took to the ice, as Max Domi grabbed the puck in his own end and sped into Russian territory. The soviets backed off and cut off passes to line mates Reinhart and Duclair, and Domi had all the time in the world to pick a spot on Ilya Sorokin, setting off the red light for Canada's fourth goal of the game. On the top line's next shift, Max Domi sent Canada to the penalty kill as he took a charging penalty. On the Russian power play, Canada only gave up one scoring chance , turning the puck over to Vyacheslav Leshenko, who was snubbed by Zach Fucale. After that chance, the Canadians did a good job of clearing the puck.
As Domi escaped the sin bin, Sam Reinhart joined him on the rush. Domi stopped up, as Reinhart drove the net. Domi, seeing Reinhart streaking, just through a puck on net that was tipped just through Sorokin's pads by the Buffalo draft pick, putting Canada up 5-1. Once again, just after Team Canada's goal, the Canadians would take another charging penalty but this time it would be Jake Virtanen committing the crime. On the power play, Russia would convert by throwing the puck on net, and having Ivan Barbashev jam a loose puck through Zach Fucale. Just seconds after the Russian power play goal, Bowey would make a bad play and give the Russians a two on one, and Nikolai Goldobin would feed a cross crease pass to Sergei Tolchinsky who would blast the puck by Fucale. Bowey has been at fault for a lot of odd man rushed this tournament, not impressed with him.
Minutes later, Sam Morin would take down another Russian player and send Canada to another penalty kill. Russia would score again, making it a one goal game. This time it is Nikolai Goldobin potting the goal, off of Frederik Gauthier's shin pad and past Zach Fucale. As the period came to an end, both Canadian defense would get caught up ice, leaving Sam Reinhart alone to defend Pavel Buchnevich on a partial breakaway. Reinhart was forced to take a hooking call, lucky to not get a penalty shot called. The period ended and Russia will start the third period on the power play. A great start to the second period, but a sloppy ending as turnovers and penalties got them in trouble.
3rd Period
With nerves at an all time high, Canada begins the period by killing off the penalty on Sam Reinhart taken in the second period. Despite the good kill, the Canadians were still unable to get any momentum going against the Russians. Russia had the first five shots of the period. The Canadians were strapped in their zone, and could not get the puck out. It seemed like they couldn't pass to each other, as they either went incomplete or landed on a Russian stick. Finally, Russia started to get some zone time, as chances were generated for Canada finally. The teams went back an forth, the crowd cheering wildly in excitement.
The refs seemed to put the whistles away, as they missed a too many men call on Canada and a tripping and interference call on Russia. Russia began take the momentum again, forcing the Canadians to ice the puck, with the red shirts nearly doubled over in exhaustion. Canada lost the draw, but was able to get the puck out and change. This was some of the best back and forth hockey I've seen in a while, and Sorokin and the Canadian defense were both able to make huge plays to keep the score the same.
The crowd was cheering and going to silence in seconds, over and over again, as Russia and Canada exchanged rushes. Some heart stopping hockey going on in the last five minutes. As Russia pressed with the net open, Canada would hold on
CANADA IN GOLDEN IN TORONTO
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