Canadians fell in love with the world junior hockey championship for two reasons.
First, it’s played during the holiday season, which helped it evolve into a national tradition over the past quarter-century. Second, Canada used to win the tournament most of the time. So it was an annual opportunity for Canadians to puff out our chests and be proud of the sport we call our own.
These days the tradition lives on, with the world juniors having equalled the Grey Cup as must-watch viewing in many Canadian homes. But the days of Canada virtually owning the competition appear to be gone forever.
That means when Canada does win gold, it should taste even sweeter than ever.
That was certainly the feeling in the Czech Republic on Sunday evening when Team Canada won its 18th world junior title, the first captured in Europe in more than a decade. A stirring comeback from a two-goal deficit in the third period powered Canada to a 4-3 triumph over Russia in the latest instalment of international hockey’s greatest rivalry.
The winning goal was supplied by little-used fourth-line forward Akil Thomas of Toronto with 3:57 left in the third period.
“I was being patient,” said Thomas, a Los Angeles Kings prospect who grew up playing in the Greater Toronto Hockey League, “and my time came.”
Thomas, whose father Kahlil played briefly for the Maple Leafs’ minor-league affiliate in St. John’s back in the 2003-04 season, beat a hesitant Russian goalie Amir Miftakhov to a loose puck and swept it home for his only goal of the tournament. The victory was sweet revenge for Canada, which had suffered an embarrassing 6-0 defeat at the hands of the Russians earlier.
“The chemistry with this group is unbelievable,” said captain Barrett Hayton, who played with a separated shoulder and scored one of the four Canadian goals.
It’s Canada’s second gold medal at the world juniors in three years, and third in the past six. Five different countries have now won gold in the past 10 years.
At a time when the NHL has pulled out of the Winter Olympics and failed to establish a regular timetable for the World Cup of Hockey, the world juniors stands as the sport’s most meaningful international competition. The gold medal game on Sunday proved to be worthy of that stage by delivering a thrilling result.
As has often been the case in international hockey, the game was not without its controversial moments. Specifically, the Russians appeared to have a legitimate gripe for a non-call in the dying minutes as they pressed to tie the game.
With Canada already killing a minor penalty, Aidan Dudas of Parry Sound, Ont. inadvertently lifted a puck over the glass in the Canadian zone, with only 1:45 remaining in regulation. In the NHL and most leagues, that would have been an automatic two-minute penalty. The puck struck a Canadian television camera just over the glass.
One of the two linesmen immediately signalled a penalty, which would have given the Russians a two-man advantage. But after a brief conference, the referees decided not to make that call, possibly because the puck hit the camera. There was no official replay review.
Whether or not that was the appropriate call, the Russians could only blame themselves for being unable to hold a 3-1 lead with less than 11 minutes to play. Until that point, they had been the better team in a hard-fought contest that didn’t produce a goal until almost the halfway point of the game.
Russia led 2-1 after two periods, and at 8:46 of the third pulled ahead by two goals when winger Maxim Sorkin converted a centring pass high over the right shoulder of Canadian goalie Joel Hofer. Just 34 seconds later, however, Canadian defenceman Calen Addison’s point shot glanced off the leg of London Knights forward Connor McMichael and past Miftakhov to make it a 3-2 game.
With Canada on a power play two minutes later, Hayton’s wrist shot from the right circle beat Miftakhov high to create a 3-3 tie as the estimated 3,000 Canadian fans in Ostrava went wild. With that, all the confidence, swagger and composure the Russians had shown in building their two-goal lead evaporated.
Thomas scored his winner at 16:02 to complete the Canadian comeback. Miftakhov, who had shut out the Canadians earlier in the tournament and was outstanding for two periods in the gold-medal game, froze on the play and his pokecheck attempt was too little, too late.
“I saw the loose puck and just kind of reacted,” said Thomas.
Get more opinion in your inbox
Get the latest from your favourite Star columnists with our Opinion email newsletter.
Canadian winger Alexis Lafrenière was named tournament MVP, while Leafs blue line prospect Rasmus Sandin — who finished with 10 points in seven games, including a goal in Sweden’s 3-2 win over Finland for bronze — was named top defenceman. Sandin, who played six games for the Leafs at the beginning of the season before being sent to the American Hockey League, could rejoin the NHL club upon his return to North America with Jake Muzzin still out of the lineup with an injury.
It was an unusual tournament, with the host Czechs and Team USA eliminated early, and with the shocking Russian victory over Canada in the round robin. Many believed the tournament would showcase the battle between Lafrenière and Canadian forward Quinton Byfield for the top position in next summer’s NHL draft, but it never materialized as Lafrenière played a starring role for Canada while Byfield was rarely a factor.
Next year, the world juniors moves back to Canada, with Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta. hosting the tournament. Parity means defending this title won’t be easy for Canada. It also means this event is worth watching more than ever.
