OTTAWA, ON – Canada’s National Junior Team has captured the gold medal at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship, defeating Sweden 5-1 on Monday night at SBP Arena in Ottawa. Canada has now won five consecutive gold medals, and 11 consecutive medals overall, at the IIHF World Junior Championship.
PK Subban (Toronto, ON/Belleville, OHL) sparked the Canadian team less than a minute after the opening face-off, pushing a loose puck past Swedish netminder Jacob Markstrom, and Angelo Esposito snapped a quick backhand over the shoulder of Markstrom to double the lead through 40 minutes.
Cody Hodgson (Markham, ON/Brampton, OHL) made it 3-0 on a Canadian power play early in the third period and, after the Swedes had got on the board, Hodgson and Jordan Eberle (Regina, SK/Regina, WHL) scored into the empty net and rounded out the scoring.
Following the game, the IIHF Directorate award winners and media all-star team were announced.
John Tavares (Oakville, ON/Oshawa, OHL) was named Top Forward and Most Valuable Player by the IIHF Directorate and also earned a spot on the media all-star team. Hodgson and Subban were also named to the all-star team.
IIHF Directorate award winners:
Top Forward – John Tavares (Canada)
Top Defenceman – Erik Karlsson (Sweden)
Top Goaltender – Jacob Markstrom (Sweden)
Most Valuable Player – John Tavares (Canada)
Media all-star team:
G – Jaroslav Janus (Slovakia)
D – Erik Karlsson (Sweden)
D – PK Subban (Canada)
F – Nikita Filatov (Russia)
F – Cody Hodgson (Canada)
F – John Tavares (Canada)
TSN, TSN HD and TSN.ca, along with RDS, RDS HD and RDS.ca, carried the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship live, airing December 26 to January 5 from Ottawa. Rogers Television in Ontario carried Group B action from the Ottawa Civic Centre.
Canada has now medaled at 11-straight IIHF World Junior Championships, including gold medal performances in 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005, silver medals in 2004, 2003, 2002 and 1999 and bronze medals in 2001 and 2000. |
