Canada Heads to Gold Medal Game
January 4, 2008
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In a rematch of last year’s stunning semi-final game between Canada and the United States that saw Carey Price and company win after seven rounds of shootout play, the Canadian World Junior team was well aware of the fact that this game was a must-win.
The first period saw outstanding pressure from both teams with even better goaltending from Canada’s Steve Mason and the United States’ Jeremy Smith to keep the game scoreless at the end of the period.
The second period saw the Canadians break out early with goals from Shawn Matthias and Carl Alzner as Mason remained sharp to keep the Americans scoreless going into the third, facing a two-man advantage as the Canadians were outshot for the second period in a row.
Brad Marchand of the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads made it 3-0 early in the third Colton Gillies added his first goal of the tournament to help Team Canada take a commanding 4-0 lead. The Philadelphia Flyers’ first round pick, James VanRiemsdyk, ended Mason’s shutout bid late in the third and the American’s maintained a faint hope as they went on a two-man advantage powerplay in the last minute of the third period. Mason remained strong in net and Team Canada coasted to a 4-1 win and a chance to play Sweden for their fifth consecutive gold medal at the World Juniors.
GAME NOTES: Steve Mason, shaky in his game against Finland in the quarter-finals, was named Canada’s player of the game.
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