USA wins gold at WJC

  Yesterday was yet another classic US/Canada thriller matchup that saw Team USA defeat Team Canada in overtime 6 to 5 to win the Gold Medal at the World Junior Championship Tuesday in Saskatoon. The win is only the second Gold medal win for the Americans in WJC history (Team USA beat Canada in the 2004 title game in Helsinki, Finland) and the win also ends Canada’s streak of five straight gold medals. 

The American team will have the chance to defend their title on home ice because the 2011 WJC tournament will be played in Buffalo, NY next year. Canada is 27-6-3 all-time versus the U.S. in the tournament and will no doubt be back strong to try and get back the title.

Sweden defeated the Swiss team 11 to 4 to take the bronze medal. Swiss netminder Benjamin Conz was named goaltender of the tournament and Pietrangelo was named defenceman of the tournament.  They were both named to the tournament All-Star team along with American’s Stepan and Carlson, Canada’s Eberle and Swiss forward Nino Niederreiter. 

Will this gold medal win bring luck to the US Olympic Hockey Team as well or will it just drive Canada to play harder to prove that they are still king at International hockey?

[photo source NHL.com :nhl.com]  

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