TSC Top 10 Biggest Canadian Moments in the WJHC

To show we, at TSC, have no life, here are our choices for the top Canadian moments at the World Juniors:

 1987: Canada and Russia were involved in a bench-clearing brawl at the 1987 World Junior Hockey Championships in what became known as the “Punch-up in Piestany”.  With game officials not knowing how to diffuse the mess on the ice, the arena lights were shut off in an attempt to regain control.  That failed, and when the final punch had been landed, both teams were disqualified from the competition.

1993: Canada takes home the gold medal in Gavle, Sweden after finishing 6th the following year.  Canada, led by Martin Lapointe, beat Russia 9-2 and then defeated a Swedish team comprised of Peter Forsberg and Markus Naslund by a score of 3-2 to clinch the gold.

1995: Canada wins its third consecutive gold medal in Red Deer, Alberta, finishing the tournament 7-0-0.  Due to the NHL lockout that year, Canada featured a lot of destructive talent and scored 49 goals in seven games.

2006: After sending Kyle Chipchura in all alone to score an empty-net game-winning goal against the U.S. in 2006, Steve Downie is elbowed by Jack Johnson in the head.  Downie remained in the tournament and Johnson became public enemy No. 1 in Canada that year, as well as the next.

2003: In one of the most exciting games in World Junior Hockey history, Jeff Woywitka scores to give Canada a one-goal lead against the Americans.  The goal erupted the crowds in Halifax, which could be heard in Vancouver, while TSN’s Gord Miller gave one of the most neck hair-raising calls on the goal of all time.

1999: Roberto Luongo stole the show in Winnipeg for Team Canada in a 3-2 loss to the Russians in overtime of the gold medal game.  Luongo faced 40 shots and was the only reason that game remained close.  Simon Gagne had a breakthrough tournament as well, scoring seven goals and tallying eight points in seven games.

2004: Rostislav Olezs is the recipient of a massive Dion Phaneuf hit that kept the Czech forward down for several minutes at the 2004 World Junior Hockey Championship in Helsinki, Finland.  The term “That’s a Dion!” was coined the day by TSN hockey analyst Pierre McGuire.

2005: The following year, Pierre McGuire came up with a new term to show his enthusiasm for Dion Phaneuf.  “Bam! Bam! That’s a double-Dion!” was used to describe two hits that Phanuef threw within the span of less than two seconds.  The turnover led to a Team Canada goal and more importantly, its first gold medal in the WJHC since 1997. 

2006: Again with Brent Sutter behind the bench in Vancouver, Team Canada goes undefeated at the 2006 WJHC and captures back-to-back gold medals.  Steve Downie emerged as one of Canada’s best players, scoring the winning goal of the gold medal game against Russia, while Justin Pogge captured his third shutout of the tournament.

2007: Canada and the U.S.A. lock horns in another epic battle between the two powerhouse teams in the semi final in Leksland, Sweden.  Tied through 60 minutes of regulation and 10 minutes of overtime at 1-1, Canada and the U.S.A. went seven rounds in the shootout before Carey Price stopped Peter Mueller to give Canada the win and a shot at a third straight gold medal.  Jonathan Toews scored three times in the shootout, including the game winner.  Canada went on to defeat the Russians in the gold medal game by a score of 4-2. 

Christmas is Coming

Lights of all colours and all designs line the roofs and trees of houses down the street.  While the temperature outside chills the night air with the light dusting of snow, it is the hot chocolate with a light dusting of whipped cream and cinnamon sprinkles that warms our hearts, as friends and family rejoice with the uprising of the Christmas tree. 

We laugh, talk, sit quietly next to the fire while carolers outside delight our spirit with a soft yet bold sound of Christmas harmony.  It is that time of year again across the country of Canada.

WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP TIME!

That is right.  The IIHF World Junior Hockey Champions begin on Boxing Day from the Czech Republic, where Team Canada will go for its fourth straight gold medal at the tournament that has now become a holiday tradition in the homes of many Canadians.

To celebrate this festive time, which doesn’t begin for another 17 days, TSC will be posting Top 10′s on just about everything that is World Junior Hockey.

Today, we will start with a look back at the past 10 World Junior Hockey Championships; the good, the bad and the great.

So grab that egg nog, turn down the Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas CD and let us go back in time…

1997:  “The drive for five has arrived!  Canada, World Junior Hockey Champions for the fifth year in a row!” Canada defeated the Russians in the semi-final and then defeated the United States 2-0 in the gold medal game to win the fifth championship in a row, thanks to efforts from Brad Isbister and Boyd Devereaux.  Marc Denis provided incredible goal-tending through out the tournament and posted a record of 5-0-2, with a GAA of just 1.86.

1998: Team Canada had a year to forget in 1998.  Led by Josh Holden, and with the likes of Vincent Lecavalier and Alex Tanguay, Canada finished in eighth spot in the tournament, including a 6-3 embarrassment at the hands of Kazakhstan.  Canada went 2-5 in the tournament and was outscored 13-18 in seven games.

1999: During this winter, Team Canada rebounded from a disappointing 8th place finish the year before to lose in the gold medal game to the Russians.  A six-spot improvement from the year before, Canada struggled at times in Winnipeg and their luck finally ran out against a much stronger Russian team.  Artem Chubarov scored the game-winner just mere minutes into overtime, after Roberto Luongo saved the day for Canada.  Luongo was bombarded with shots from start to finish and did what he does best and that is give his team a chance to win.

2000: Team Canada  took home the bronze medal in 2000, defeating the U.S.A. 4-3 in a shootout.  Led offensively by Jamie Lundmark and the coming-out party of Dany Heatley, while 16-year-olds Jason Spezza and Jay Bouwmeester announced their presence in Canadian hockey, Canada was defeated by the Russians in the semi-final and came back from a 2-0 deficit against the States to earn the bronze.

2001: Maybe one of the more bewildering tournaments in recent memory, Canada came away with bronze yet again, defeating Sweden 2-1 in overtime.  Canada lost in the semi final to a Finland team that owed everything they had to their goalie, Ari Ahonen.  Even with a line-up that looked exactly like the team Canada sent in 2000, the Canadians were unable to win the crucial games, yet continued their streak of medals at three in a row.

2002: In a year that Hockey Canada tried to rebound from previous disappointments, Team Canada came mere inches away from tying the gold medal game against Russia, but lost 5-4 in a heart-breaker.  Twice in the gold medal game in Prague, Czech Republic, Canada held a two-goal lead and twice it was foiled by a rejuvenated Russian team.  Even with the likes of Jason Spezza and Brad Boyes, Canada couldn’t get it done in the third period against a dry, boring, yet effective Russian defence.

2003: Back on home ice in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada tried to end its streak of not winning gold – by now it was at six years – but was again defeated by the Russians in front of one of the loudest crowds in World Junior Hockey history.  Canada took a 2-1 lead into the third period, but sat back on their heels and the price they paid for that was more than they hoped, as a high powered offensive attack led by Igor Grigorenko and one Alexander Ovechkin was simply too much for the Canadians in the third period. 

2004: The tournament of 2004 may be the biggest disappointment for Canadians at the World Junior Hockey Championships.  Up 3-1 to begin the third period, Team Canada collapsed in the final 20 as the U.S.A. tallied for three goals before the third period was even 10 minutes old to take a 4-3 lead.  The one goal that proved more disappointing was a Marc Andre Fleury mix-up, as the Pittsburgh Penguins No. 1 overall pick from the summer before went to clear the puck from in front of his net.  The puck hit Josh Jorges in the back and rolled behind Fleury into the Canadian net.  Canada was unable to regroup and the U.S.A. won their first gold medal in tournament history.

2005: Team Canada had no trouble in 2005 at the World Junior Hockey Championships.  Led by the trio of Sidney Crosby, Patrice Bergeron and Corey Perry and a band of relentless warriors with Brent Sutter at the helm, Canada walked all over the competition in Grand Forks, North Dakota to win gold for the first time since 1997.  Canada scored 46 goals and allowed only seven, including a 6-1 thrashing on the Russians, led by Alexander Ovechkin.  Physically, mentally and emotionally, Canada looked like giants compared to the rest of their competition and restored a winning feeling back into Canadian hockey.

2006: With the snowy mountains of Vancouver as the backdrop, Canada won its second gold medal in a row, again defeating the Russians with a 5-0 demolition at General Motors Place.  Led by Steve Downie and Penticton, B.C.’s Justin Pogge, Canada defeated Finland twice, the U.S.A. and Russia to give every Canadian fan in the city something to go crazy about.  The U.S.A. was defeated 4-2 in the bronze medal game, which gave the Canadian fans even more the cheer about on the ride home that night.

2007:  Many wondered if Canada was going to be able to win on European ice.  Led by Craig Hartsburg, Canada silenced the critics – despite some close calls – and took home its third straight gold medal over the Russians.  Canada just squeaked into the championship game, as the eventual gold medal winners faced the U.S.A. in the semi finals.  Canada won the game 2-1 in a thrilling seven-round shootout that saw Jonathan Toews score three times with three different moves, while Williams Lake’s Carey Price emerged as the hero, stopping Peter Mueller and Patrick Kane en route to a birth in the gold medal game.  The rest, as you would say, is history.

Feeling the anticipation already?  We thought you might.

Brent Sutter For 2010

No, no, there won’t be an election called in 2010.

Having said that, Brent Sutter is not a candidate for Prime Minister of Canada, but he should be considered the prime candidate for the head coach of the 2010 men’s Olympic Ice Hockey team in Vancouver.

Right now, in his first NHL coaching job with the New Jersey Devils, his team is struggling a bit and that is understandable. New Jersey isn’t the powerhouse team they used to be, especially with departure of Scott Gomez and a defensive corps that is virtually unknown to all of the hockey world.

But the reason Sutter has been and should be the number one man for the job in 2010 is not necessarily his success at the NHL level, because the Olympics are not NHL hockey, despite having NHL players.

He should be considered the front runner for the job because of his success in international hockey and how he find ways to motivate his team when they are on the biggest stage in hockey. His coaching style is tough and players that have played for him at the international level have claimed that Sutter is a perfectionist.

Bam! Right there, that should be the big bold statement that says “Brent Sutter is the man for the job!“

After the embarrassment of the 2006 Olympics, Hockey Canada needs a perfectionist to coach the men’s hockey team if they want to win again. Canada’s play in 2006 was sloppy and unmotivated and the way Sutter coaches will ensure that the 2010 team is the complete opposite of the disaster in ’06.

Not only is Sutter the right man for the job, but the players that are the front runners to make this team in 2010 are the right players for him to coach.

The candidates to play on the 2010 team seem to have a deadly combination of size, speed, skill and intensity. Not to mention that several of the candidates have played for Sutter while on Team Canada before, be it at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships or the Canada vs Russia Super Series in 2007.

The players that are being considered for 2010 all respect Sutter because he is tough, intense, fair and, most importantly, wants to win and that is what playing for Team Canada at an international competition is all about.

Bottom line: The way that Sutter coaches – from his attention to detail to how he motivates his players – is the best starting point for Team Canada to have success at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.