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Canada is off to the gold medal game Monday, Jan. 5 after a convincing 7-1 win over the Czech Republic in one of the semi-finals here at the World Junior Championship in Helsinki.
Facing the Czechs for the second game in a row, after beating them 5-2 in their final round robin game on Dec. 31 to go 4-0 and skip right to today's semi-final, Canada once again played a balanced team game. Five players scored two points each, including Jeff Carter with two goals, while Braydon Coburn and Nigel Dawes had a goal and an assist each. Sixteen-year-old Sydney Crosby registered two assists, as did Brent Burns.
Daniel Paille and Ryan Getzlaf also scored for Canada. The Burns-Carter-Getzlaf line was Canada´s top producing trio, with five points.
With Canada up 2-0 in the first period, the Czech Republic cut the lead in half on a goal by Ondrej Nemec.
Canada scored just one goal in the second to restore the two-goal lead, and then had to kill off a five-minute elbowing penalty to defenceman Dion Phaneuf. Referee Thomas Andersson initially called it a two-minute infraction, but changed it to five minutes and an automatic game misconduct when Czech forward Rostislav Olesz collapsed when he returned to the bench. He was taken to hospital for examination.
Canada opened things up in the third period when Carter scored a short-handed goal while killing off the Phaneuf penalty. Richards, Getzlaf and Coburn scored later in the third to ice the victory.
Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury faced 16 shots, while Canada fired 34 at the Czechs.
Canada awaits the winner of the other semi-final game between the US and Finland.
THE GOLD MEDAL GAME TAKES PLACE ON MONDAY, JANUARY 5 AT 12NOON ET / 9AM PT, LIVE ON TSN/RDS.
| Box Score |
CAN |
2
|
1
|
4
|
7
|
| Compte |
CZE |
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
| First Period/Première période |
|
Scoring/Buts:
01.23 | 1 - 0 EQ Canada 27. DAWES, Nigel (29.COBURN, Braydon)
11.23 | 2 - 0 EQ Canada 16. PAILLE, Daniel (8.BRENT, Tim) (5.GORGES, Josh)
19.11 | 2 - 1 PP1 Czech Republic 4. NEMEC, Ondrej (28.KASPAR, Lukas) (12.SMID, Ladislav)
Penalties/Pénalités:
02.16 2 min Canada 22. BURNS, Brent Charging
06.57 2 min Canada 22. BURNS, Brent Boarding
12.22 2 min Czech Republic 5. VAGNER, Martin Interference
16.44 2 min Czech Republic 4. NEMEC, Ondrej
17.47 2 min Canada 22. BURNS, Brent Hooking
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| Second Period/Deuxième période |
|
Scoring/Buts:
26.03 | 3 - 1 PP1 Canada 9. CARTER, Jeff (22.BURNS, Brent) (28.CROSBY, Sidney)
Penalties/Pénalités:
25.45 2 min Czech Republic 10. CHVATAL, Marek Interference
26.24 2 min Canada 8. BRENT, Tim Roughing
29.24 2 min Czech Republic 10. CHVATAL, Marek Holding
38.10 20 min Canada 3. PHANEUF, Dion Game Misconduct
38.10 5 min Canada 3. PHANEUF, Dion Elbowing
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| Third Period/Troisième période |
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Scoring/Buts:
40.43 | 4 - 1 SH1 Canada 9. CARTER, Jeff
48.47 | 5 - 1 EQ Canada 18. RICHARDS, Mike (27. DAWES, Nigel)
52.21 | 6 - 1 EQ Canada 15. GETZLAF, Ryan (22. BURNS, Brent)
53.29 | 7 - 1 PP1 Canada 29. COBURN, Braydon (28. CROSBY, Sidney)
(19. TAMBELLINI, Jeff)
Penalties/Pénalités:
45.41 2 min Canada TEAM PENALTY Too many players on the ice
53.03 2 min Czech Republic 27. VONDRACEK, Roman Hooking
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| Goaltenders |
CAN |
FLEURY Marc Andre |
| Gardiennes de but |
CZE |
SCHWARZ Marek |
|
| Shots on Goal |
Team |
1 p
|
2 p
|
3 p
|
Final
|
| Shots on Goal |
CAN |
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
| Tirs au but |
CZE |
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
| Referee/Arbitre |
ANDERSSON, Thomas |
| Linesmen/Juges des lignes |
FONSELIUS, Stefan
LINDROOS, Seppo
|
|
| Attendance/Assistance |
- |
Canada-Czech pregame
Team Canada is set for a rematch with the Czech Republic in one of the World Junior Championship semi-final games on Jan. 3.
Canada beat the Czechs 5-2 on Dec. 31 to close out the round robin portion of the tournament. They then awaited the winner of the Czech Republic-Slovakia quarter-final game on Jan. 2, which the Czechs won 4-2.
Canada held an intense practice in the morning of Jan. 2, fully expecting a tough game against its next opponent.
Canada handled the Czechs quite well in their 5-2 win on Dec. 31, jumping out to a 3-0 first period lead. The game began with tight checking and some good hitting, but after about five minutes Canada got rolling and outplayed the Czechs in every department.
It was, however, Canadian goalie Marc-Andre Fleury’s busiest night of the tournament to that point, facing 29 shots.
“ The first three or four shifts he made some big saves until we got our legs under us and got going,” said Team Canada head scout Blair Mackasey. “We really haven’t had to rely on him yet, but obviously that could change (in the next game.)
Canada faces off against the Czechs Jan. 3 at 8am ET/5am PT.
In the other semi-final, the US will play Russia at 12noon ET/9am PT. Both games will be live on TSN/RDS.
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HOCKEY CANADA
