When Jordan Eberle netted his second goal in just over a minute to draw Canada even with the United States in the gold-medal game of the world junior hockey championship last night, jubilant Canadian fans couldn’t be blamed for feeling déja-vu.
After all, in their preliminary-round game on New Year’s Eve, Team Canada rallied from two goals down in the third period to tie the Americans before winning in a shootout.
Another clutch comeback wasn’t to be, however, as the plucky U.S. squad refused to be bowled over by the Maple Leaf tide of momentum—scoring four minutes into overtime to send a shock wave across the country and dash dreams of a record sixth-straight gold medal.
The disappointment was palpable as frenzy turned to stony silence among the sell-out crowd in Saskatoon. But while understandable, our juniors certainly had no reason to hang their heads over settling for silver. Medalling for the 12-straight year, no country has been more consistent at the world junior level than Canada—a glowing testament that all is well, indeed, in our minor hockey system.
It may be of little consolation to this year’s junior squad but Canada’s success on the world stage is a big reason why hopes are so high for gold when our Olympic men’s hockey team takes to the ice before “hometown” fans next month. Several players—Sidney Crosby, Patrice Bergeron, and Mike Richards among them—cut their teeth in international competition as juniors and now are being counted on to erase the disastrous seventh-place finish we endured at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy.
Meanwhile, although the script didn’t end as hoped, the excitement that built up clear across the country as the junior tournament culminated last night sets the stage for what all our Olympic athletes will experience when the 2010 Games open Feb. 12 in Vancouver. Sure, there will be added pressure to perform well on “home turf” but hopefully the cheers of a nation will buoy their spirit and help lift them to the podium.
Canadian pride can be a powerful force that unites us as one. If only we showed it more often.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
