Dining on Danish

By all accounts the Danish team is having a rather enjoyable time of it in Alberta, despite the rather large deficits that they're accumulating on the ice.

Thursday night, Denmark met up with Canada, a game that they probably knew going in was not going to be a mark in their W column, and as the result showed, up agains the juggernaut of the Canadian team it was all the Danes could do to keep it competitive.

If not for a couple of lapses in the third period Canada most likely would have recorded back to back shut outs at the World Juniors, but, as is always the case when you lose your focus the opposition can make a bit of headway at your expense.

Still, with but two goals to collect the Danes were the longest of long shots to stage an upset at the tournament. As they worked their way towards ten, the Canadians really were in no danger of losing, though with such wide margins of victory as collected thus far, it's hard to get a read as to how Canada will compare when they go up against the other teams finding success so far at the tournament.

The first big test was thought to be on the way on New Year's Eve when Team Canada takes on the USA squad, but with the Americans getting shocked in two consecutive games now they find themselves out of the medal hunt already, hardly cause to celebrate the end of the year and the dawning of the new one to come.

Instead, the Americans will now have to battle through the relegation round, just to save themselves the uncomfortable scenario of being removed from the IIHF's A pool and relegated to the B line, a place we imagine Denmark is probably heading after their brief trip to the top level of international junior hockey.

The Americans we suspect will fight through the next few games past the Canadian one to make sure they don't drop off the A level radar, for Denmark, a bit of time on the B list is probably going to work in their favour.

Crowd favourites through their stay, they seem to exhibit the persona of the expression just happy to be here, all good times come to an end however and without a victory or two, we will most likely be bidding Denmark adieu for a year.

Canada plays the USA on New Years Eve, secure in the knowledge that they have already secured a semi final spot, offering head coach Don Hay an opportunity to work his line combinations a bit and get some valuable playing time to the third line, something that may come in handy when the likes of Sweden and Finland appear on the Canadian radar again.

Globe and Mail-- Canada romps past Denmark
National Post-- Canada stays perfect in decisive defeat of Denmark
Calgary Sun-- Canada downs Denmark
Toronto Star-- Canadian juniors hang 10 on Denmark

Canada crosses another team off of its Czech list

Two games in, Canada's junior squad is pushing the plus side to new reaches, with a combined plus score of 13 goals in their favour and but one against thus far at the World Junior Championships.

Canada's second win came on Wednesday night with a 5 - 0 victory over the Czech Republic that actually was significantly closer than the final score provided for.

The Canadians were holding on to a slim 1 - 0 lead in the second period when goaltender Scott Wedgewood took matters into his own hands, sending a rink long pass from behind his net to Canada's Freddie Hamilton who while missing on his attempt, was able to redirect the rebound over to Ryan Strome who put away the easy gift.

That it seemed, marked the end of the line for the Czechs, who despite the yeoman like work of Petr Mrazek in the Czech nets (the score could have been how high without him?)

Canada while hardly blowing the doors off of Rexall Place, did at that point find their rhythm on the night and began to take advantage of their chances, backed up by some fine goal tending by Wedgewood the Canadians were able to bring another win into harbour at the World Juniors.

The game actually proving to be a teachable moment for Don Hay, who stressed perseverance and attention to game plan as the key to Canada's success in this tournament.  A lesson plan that paid off for the Canadians as they faced their first bit of adversity in this tournament so far.

With the win Canada remains unbeaten in this preliminary round with a 2-0 record and a game less than 24 hours later to come against the Danes.

National Post-- Canada overcomes first bout of adversity at world juniors

Globe and Mail-- Canada bounces Czechs at World Juniors

National Post-- Scheifele nets two in Canada's rout of Czechs

Toronto Star-- Scheifele scores twice for Canada's junior team in 5-0 win...

Calgary Sun-- Canada blanks Czechs

3 and out at Spengler

Canada's time in the spotlight at the Spengler Cup came to a quick and sudden end on Thursday, as Team Canada, still reeling from yesterday's hammering against the Davos squad, lost a pre semi final (something we might call the quarterfinals?) match in shoot outs to a quite motivated Wolfsburg squad.

The IIHF site was almost chortling over the loss to Davos, as Marc Crawford's team suffered what was described on the site as a "humiliation", in that 8-1 loss.  The hangover effect of which seems to have carried over into Thursday's must win game against Wolfsburg.

Globe and Mail -- HC Davos hammers Canada at Spengler Cup
Sun Newspapers-- Canada Blown out at Spengler Cup
Canada.com-- Davos flattens Canada at Spengler Cup
TSN-- When was the last time Canada lost this big?

Crawford perhaps offered up some inadvertent foreshadowing on Wednesday when he suggested that  Canada needed to get back to the basics if they had any hope of rebounding, with the 3-2 shoot out loss to the Wolfsburg squad, it would seem that parts of that message may not have made it through in time.

Globe and Mail-- Canada eliminated from Spengler Cup
Canada.com-- Canada ousted at Spengler Cup
IIHF-- Wolfsburg with Sensational win against Team Canada



With the loss, Canada was eliminated from further medal contention at the annual tourney, Canada last claimed the Spengler Cup in 2007.

And while the early exit by Canada might make for a dramatic headline or two in Europe and offer up some sense of parity among European squads, the departure of any rooting interests for the folks back on this side of the Atlantic probably will make for a lonely feeling for TSN's Paul Romanuk.

The theme for Paul Romanuk perhaps more Pink Floyd's "Is there anybody out there", as opposed to that fine chorus from Stompin' Tom of "Hello out there, we're on the air it's hockey night tonight, "

Without Canada at least moving forward to the semi finals or even the final itself, we imagine that the sound that can be heard all the way across the ocean to Davos will be that of Canadian television clickers moving on to other pursuits in this very busy sports weekend.

You can follow the remainder of the Spengler Cup progress from our portal, with this link from our right hand column.

Team Canada skates hard out of the gate at World Juniors

If you like offence, then it would seem that the 2012 World Juniors is going to be your kind of tournament.

Canada started off what became an avalanche of goal scoring in both Calgary and Edmonton on Monday, with a flurry of goals over three periods to set the tone of this years tournament taking their tournament opener by a score of 8-1 over Finland.

By the time that TSN or TSN2 had signed off on the opening day broadcasts there was a total of 39 goals produced over the course of the four games, including an impressive 11- 3 thrashing of Denmark by the Americans and a 9-4 victory by Sweden over Latvia.

Of the four games, the only close contest was Russia's 3-0 win over Switzerland, judging by the volume of goals on Monday, we should congratulate the Swiss on their defensive acumen, clearly Jacques Lemaire's time there many years ago had an impact.

Canada looked good right from the opening puck drop, the game the domain of Mark Stone, who recorded a hat trick for Team Canada, adding on an assist for good measure for a four point night.  The line combination of Huberdeau, Strome and Stone seemingly set to have a pretty successful tourney, if one game is to be considered as the benchmark.

The Finns who had a rather nice pre tournament, just never seemed to find the gear required to keep up with the Canadians, frequently out hustled to the puck and far too tentative in the corners. Defensively they were a bit of a mess as well, unable to clear the puck from in front of Christopher Gibson, who would find no sympathetic respite from the onslaught of shots and inevitable goals.

While the game plan on the ice was executed pretty well to perfection, the game was not without its downside, Canada lost the services of Devante Smith-Pelly, who saw his tournament come to an end in the second period when he took a shot off his left leg, fracturing his foot and sending him to the Anaheim Duck's training room for the next four to six weeks.

It will be a missing ingredient to the team that may come to haunt Canada in later games, once the tournament teams revise their strategies a bit and tighten up their defensive play.

Losing someone of Smith-Pelly's calibre and character is a hole that Don Hay will have to try and work with, an unwanted requirement but one of those things that comes along and tests a team from time to time.

The road to the Gold medal is never an easy one, steeped with many potential mis-steps along the way, it's how you handle the adversity that cam dictate the difference between success and watching the other guys collect the gold medal.

Canada makes their next step on that path on Wednesday, when they match up with the Czech Republic.

Edmonton Sun-- Canada 8, Finland 1

Toronto Star-- Team Canada crushes Finland 8-1 in opener at world juniors

National Post-- Canada opens world juniors with rout of Finland

National Post-- Team Canada's top line manufactures instant chemistry

National Post-- Team Canada's Smith-Pelly done for WJC

National Post-- Victory sets positive tone for Canada

Globe and Mail-- Broken foot forces Canada's Smith-Pelly out of world junior tournament

Globe and Mail-- Senators' Zibanejad not your typical Swede

Globe and Mail-- Hats off to Team Canada, goalie Mark Visentin

Globe and Mail-- Sweden, U. S., Russia get wins

Globe and Mail-- Canada opens world Juniors with a resounding win

Les roues tombent l'autobus

In most years, the normal course of action among Canadian hockey fans is to watch with wonderment at the state of the Toronto Maple Leafs, however there seems to have been a bit of a change of the winds of wonderment these days, for Canadiens and Canadians alike can only sit back and watch what is becoming of the Montreal Canadiens.

The once stable, lynch pin of the NHL, is quickly descending down the rabbit hole of mediocrity and mockery, their handling of the current situation indicative of a team that isn't on message, adrift and clearly proceeding without any kind of plan in place.

Into that mess has wandered Randy Cunneyworth, a rising name among the coaching ranks who surely deserved better than to be tossed into the water as bait for the sharks of the St. Lawrence.

The debate over Cunneyworth's coaching  bona fides is getting overshadowed by his linguistic limitations, something that the Canadiens have created all on their own, a management collective that clearly has missed the mark in their own market.

Leaving Cunneyworth to face down a rising mob of Quebecois, media, nationalist and maybe even one or two actual fans of the team, all of whom seem determined to ride the guy out of town before the sun rises on New Years Day.

And while we actually do understand some of the complaints about the nature of Cunneyworth's appointment (probably it would seem having a coach able to converse with the media and a good portion of the fan base is a good thing), the rising vitriolic nature about his appointment is getting a little out of hand.

Those doing the most yelling, the media and the nationalist element, seem to forget that a quick review of the past coaches of Les Canadiens, will show a long list of Francophone employees that left the position, seemingly either considered not good enough to coach the team, or having left the position owing to the pressure and emotional toll that such a position seems to take on them.

Further to that point, the Canadiens vocal critics should look no further than last year's Stanley Cup Final, two coaches of French Canadian background behind the bench, both former coaches of the Canadiens, both highly regarded among the fraternity and both more than likely glad to be away from the incessant glare of the Quebec based media and other social observers eager to make political statements with every shift change.

All of that being said however, the coach of Les Canadiens should have more than just a rudimentary skill in the language and possess the ability to converse with the fans and the media in both languages.

We're not sure how fast a learner Mr. Cunneyworth is, he has said he would like to learn the language and we have no doubt as to his sincerity on that lesson plan.

Then again, when your boss, in this case Geoff Molson, has already seemingly thrown you under the bus, add on the gnashing of teeth and proclamations of outrage from a number of sources in the province and we wonder if you're Randy Cunneyworth,  if you even bother putting in the order to Rosetta Stone.

Montreal has long been one of the NHL's most stable of franchises, though the last week or two has been anything but.  It seems as though the management cadre of the team has lurched from one mis step to another, using what appears to be a rather tattered and faded road map as opposed to a well constructed blue print for success.

Considering the way they have treated their coaching staff in the last few years, it's a wonder Mr. Cunneyworth even accepted the job, at the moment, the most toxic position in the league would appear to be head coach of the league's most storied franchise...

Good luck in compiling that inevitable short list Mr. Molson, you are going to need it!

Globe and Mail-- Habs' Subban "embarrassed" after being scratched by Cunneyworth 
Canada.com-- Cunneyworth hopes to invigorate Canadiens with new line combinations
Canada.com-- P. K. Subban red-faced over scratch
Canada.com-- Language barrier?
Canada.com-- Is December a month to remember, or forget?
National Post-- Speaking French is far more important than winning hockey games
Globe and Mail-- Guy Carbonneau: Habs' coach Randy Cunneyworth needs to learn French
Canada.com-- Time for talking is over, Canadiens Josh Gorges says
Canada.com-- Fifth straight loss
Globe and Mail-- Quebec nationalist protest planned for upcoming Canadiens games
National Post-- Quebec sovereignty, French groups to protest against Canadiens coach
National Post-- Montreal's hockey politics aren't unique
Canada.com-- Insisting on bilingual coach limits Canadiens' options
Globe and Mail-- For the first time in decades, there's no French behind Habs' bench
National Post-- French won't help Canadiens win
Canada.com-- Habs anglophone coach
Canada.com-- Opinion: Anglo coach a gesture of contempt
Canada.com-- The Habs make an exception for an interim coach
Canada.com-- The PQ gets an assist from the Habs
Globe and Mail-- Habs owner stick handles through language debate
Globe and Mail-- Habs strike a nerve in Quebec's language debates
National Post--  Canadiens owner Geoff Molson defends Randy Cunneyworth hiring
CBC Sports-- Habs owner Geoff Molson says speaking French 'very important'
Canada.com-- Montreal Canadiens CEO: Cunnyworth is qualified and experienced
National Post-- Patrick Roy would consider coaching the Canadiens
Globe and Mail-- Habs coaching appointment stokes Quebec nationalist sentiments
National Post-- Canadiens' problems won't be solved simply by trading in Jacques Martin
National Post-- Martin most recent in long line of scapegoats
Globe and Mail-- Pierre Gauthier could be next in Habs' firing line
Canada.com-- Patrick Roy would listen if Habs came calling
Canada.com-- Montreal Canadiens are angling in small coaching pool
Canada.com-- Gauthier fired the wrong guy, says Jack Todd
Canada.com-- Coach takes the fall, but management shares some blame
National Post-- Montreal Canadiens axe head coach Jacques Martin
Globe and Mail-- Habs fire coach Jacques Martin

World Junior Hockey Tournament 2012 Articles of Interest

Our archive of the items of interest from this year's World Junior Hockey Tournament

HockeyNation items

January 5-- Canada's loss still leaves players, fans in shock
December 29-- Canada crosses another team off of its Czech list
December 27-- Team Canada skates hard out of the gate at World Juniors
December 26-- Alberta welcomes the World as tournament opens
December 2-- Canada's World Junior squad making their list and checking it twice

Media items on the tournament

Calgary Sun-- Ticket prices for World Junior gold medal match plunge
National Post-- Canada's semi-final loss at world juniors 'not the end of the world'
National Post-- Canada denied again by Russia at world hockey juniors
National Post-- Canada's late rally falls short in semi-final loss to Russia at world hockey juniors
National Post-- Russia conjures up some old magic at world juniors
Calgary Sun-- Canada turns focus to bronze
Calgary Sun-- Kuznetsov still chirping after win
Calgary Sun-- Grow Up, Kuznestov
Calgary Sun-- Deja-lose at world juniors
Calgary Sun-- Wedgewood shoulders blame in loss
Calgary Sun-- Friberg tries to shed villain tag
Calgary Sun-- Tending to Canada's goalie crisis
Calgary Sun-- Team Canada's Walk of Shame
Calgary Sun-- Iginla busted out at world juniors
Calgary Sun-- Boone booted for bronze game
Calgary Sun-- Visentin taking it like a champ
Calgary Sun-- Senators scout proud of picking Stone
Calgary Sun-- Visentin forced to watch this time
Calgary Sun-- Canada comeback falls short
Globe and Mail-- Easy round robin backfires on Canada at world juniors
Globe and Mail-- Canada's goaltending wasn't good enough for gold
Globe and Mail-- Canada looking through bronze-coloured glasses
Toronto Star-- No shame in Team Canada's performance
Toronto Star-- Canadian, Russian suspended for junior medal games
Toronto Star-- Canadian hockey fans stunned by world junior hockey loss to Russia
Toronto Star-- Kuznestov once again helps end Canada's dreams of world junior gold
Calgary Sun-- Canadian heart and soul wasn't enough
Toronto Star-- Canada loses to Russia in world junior hockey finals
Globe and Mail-- Jenner, Isangulov suspended at world juniors
Globe and Mail-- Russian talent too much for Team Canada
Globe and Mail-- Russia cements role as Canada's greatest hockey rival with dramatic win
Globe and Mail-- Canadian rally falls short against Russia in world junior semis
Globe and Mail-- Canada's near comeback makes loss to Russia sting even more
Globe and Mail-- WJC semi-final: Russia 6, Canada 5 (final)
Globe and Mail-- Wedgewood to start for Canada against Russia
Toronto Star-- Canada-Russia world junior semifinal perfect stage for revenge
Toronto Star-- It's Canada vs. Russia in world junior semis
Toronto Star-- Team Canada not taking any chances with flu bug
Toronto Star-- Canada's Hamilton brothers have an early date with success
Calgary Sun-- Remembering the Canada-Russia rivalry
National Post-- Jaden Schwartz and family living in honour of late sister Mandi
Globe and Mail-- Canada eyes hockey revenge against Russia (and other dramas)
Globe and Mail-- Sweden edges Finland in shootout, awaits winner of Canada-Russia
Globe and Mail-- Beaulieu has a lot riding on Canada - Russia matchup
Globe and Mail-- Canada's world junior team battling flu
National Post-- Watch out Canada, here comes Russia
National Post-- Wedgewood's start not about redemption after loss to Russia last year
National Post-- Canada's biggest threat may be the flu
National Post-- Plenty of reasons for Wedgewood to start for Canada in semi-final
Calgary Sun-- Canada's game against Russia not about revenge
Globe and Mail-- Orr inspires Canada to win over U. S.
Toronto Star-- Canada's first world junior gold team recalls 1982
National Post-- Canada stifles U. S. comeback for win
Globe and Mail-- Finland, Russia advance to World Junior semis
Globe and Mail-- Canada's junior team pumped for Calgary semi-final
National Post-- Winter Classic, not world juniors, captures U. S. imagination
Globe and Mail-- A passion for the pure sport of junior hockey
Canada.com-- Americans show pride against Canada
National Post-- Boys just having fun at world juniors
Canada.com-- Canadians take perfect record into semifinals
Globe and Mail-- Slovakia advances to quarter-finals
Toronto Star-- Surprising Slovakia reaches world junior quarterfinals
National Post-- Sweden storms  back to stun Russians in overtime
National Post-- Russia the real Canadian junior enemy
Canada.com-- Canadian juniors can't even draw drama fro rival U. S.
Globe and Mail-- Wedgewood gets nod in goal for U. S game at world juniors
Globe and Mail-- Team Canada's Mark Scheifele needs to get going
Globe and Mail-- Czech Republic eliminates U. S. at World Juniors
Toronto Star-- Americans 'heartbroken' after loss to Czechs
Globe and Mail-- United States' loss gives Canada semi-final berth
Canada.com-- U. S. Medal hopes end with loss to Czech Republic
Canada.com-- Loss to Finns stings most for U. S. coach
National Post-- Mrazek, Czech Republic upset Americans
Globe and Mail-- Ted Nolan resurfaces at world junior tournament
Globe and Mail-- Kuznetsov has 9 points in Russia win
Globe and Mail-- Sweden on another collision course with destiny at world juniors
Toronto Star-- New Year's Eve day of reckoning for Canadian juniors
National Post-- Canada games lacking drama
National Post-- Mrazek, Czech Republic upset Americans
National Post-- Twitter follower sends Canada goalie Wedgewood a new laptop
National Post-- Gormley provides Canada's blue line with veteran savvy
Globe and Mail-- Canada romps past Denmark
National Post-- Canada stays perfect in decisive defeat of Denmark
Toronto Star-- Canadian juniors hang 10 on Denmark
Calgary Sun-- Canada downs Denmark
Globe and Mail-- At world juniors the spectacle's the thing
Globe and Mail-- Brandon Gormley injects experience into young Canadian junior defence
Globe and Mail-- Canada rolls
Calgary Sun-- Mismatches ignite bad habits
Calgary Sun-- Harrington no longer under the radar
Calgary Sun-- Wedgewood, Visentin are 'complete opposites'
Globe and Mail-- Switzerland dealt another blow
National Post-- Sweden holds off pesky Switzerland, remains perfect
Calgary Sun-- Friberg sorry for Swede ride
National Post-- Sweden surprised by reaction to goal celebration
Calgary Sun-- Danes look forward to loss against Canada
Calgary Sun-- Danes loving the best place in the world
Calgary Sun-- He ain't NHL heavy, he's my brother
Calgary Sun-- Calgarian helps keep Swiss hockey team on track at World Juniors
Calgary Sun-- Russia rolls over Latvia
Calgary Sun-- Now for Canada to cane the Danes
National Post-- Canada overcomes first bout of adversity at world juniors
Calgary Sun-- Nolan relishes challenge of coaching Latvia's underdog hockey program
Calgary Sun-- Top prospect Yakupov focused on now
Calgary Sun-- Bertschy is no Baertschi
Globe and Mail-- Canada bounces Czechs at World Juniors
National Post-- Scheifele nets two in Canada's rout of Czechs
Toronto Star-- Scheifele scores twice for Canada's junior team in 5-0 win...
Calgary Sun-- Canada blanks Czechs
Calgary Sun-- Jenner's physicality a Boone for Canada
Globe and Mail-- Russia squeaks by Slovakia
Globe and Mail-- Niagara Ice Dogs dominate Canadian Junior roster
National Post-- Pearson eager to answer the call
Calgary Sun-- Musil hopes to follow in dad's footsteps
Calgary Sun-- Team Canada in for a fight
National Post-- A new Forsberg has Sweden on the rise
Calgary Sun-- Tournament turnaround for Finland
Toronto Star-- Finland surprises U. S. at world juniors
National Post-- Finland takes down United States giants
Globe and Mail-- Finland upsets U. S. at world juniors
Globe and Mail-- No one's neutral about the Swiss
Calgary Sun-- 13 is lucky for Tanner Pearson
Calgary Sun-- Love of hockey stirs national pride for European Calgarians
National Post-- Sweden holds off pesky Switzerland, remains perfect
Calgary Sun-- Wedgewood gets the start for Canada
Toronto Star-- Wedgewood gets his chance to tend Canada's goal
Globe and Mail-- Goalie Wedgewood gets his chance against Czechs
National Post-- Smith-Pelly plays cheerleader for Canada
Calgary Sun-- Wedgewood ready to make an offer
Globe and Mail-- World Juniors set to give Alberta an $80 million windfall
Globe and Mail-- Goalie gives Russia shot at defending world junior gold
Globe and Mail-- Team Canada adjusting to loss of Smith-Pelly
Globe and Mail-- Canada loses muscle with injury to Smith-Pelly
Toronto Star-- Canada prepares to soldier on without Smith-Pelly
National Post-- Czechs hammer Denmark, face Canada nest
National Post-- Slovakia sneaks past Latvia
Calgary Sun-- Huberdeau indispensible
Calgary Sun-- Retailers score big
Calgary Sun-- Lokomotiv crash haunts Russians
Calgary Sun-- Jurco ol' dog of major hockey events
Calgary Sun-- Getting all the Ducks in a row at WJC
Calgary Sun-- Team Canada in for a fight
Calgary Sun-- 13 is lucky for Tanner Pearson
Calgary Sun-- Wedgewood ready to make an offer
Calgary Sun-- Smith-Pelly one unlucky Duck
Calgary Sun-- Schwartz feels Devo's pain
Edmonton Sun-- Canada 8, Finland 1
Toronto Star-- Team Canada crushes Finland 8-1 in opener at world juniors
National Post-- Canada opens world juniors with rout of Finland
National Post-- Team Canada's top line manufactures instant chemistry
National Post-- Team Canada's Smith-Pelly done for WJC
National Post-- Victory sets positive tone for Canada
Globe and Mail-- Broken foot forces Canada's Smith-Pelly out of world junior tournament
Globe and Mail-- Senators' Zibanejad not your typical Swede
Globe and Mail-- Hats off to Team Canada, goalie Mark Visentin
Globe and Mail-- Sweden, U. S., Russia get wins
Globe and Mail-- Canada opens world Juniors with a resounding win

Pre tournament media items

Globe and Mail-- Canada's fate may rest with goaltenders
Globe and Mail-- Mark Visentin poised to bounce back
Globe and Mail-- Five games to watch
Globe and Mail-- Three players to watch
Globe and Mail-- Hockey's newest Finnish flashes
Globe and Mail-- Canada's Junior hockey team comes down with a case of Hay fever
Globe and Mail-- World Juniors gets NHL players bragging and betting
National Post-- World Juniors 2012: 10 of Canada's most memorable hockey moments
National Post-- Sizing up the 2012 World Junior crop
Globe and Mail-- Sweden defeats Canada in exhibition play
Globe and Mail-- The World Juniors: A tournament of mega proportions
Globe and Mail-- Canada tunes up with a rout
Globe and Mail-- Cue the over-the-top nationalism
Globe and Mail-- Team Canada hoping opposites attract gold
Globe and Mail-- Credit TSN for elevating world juniors to must-see TV
Globe and Mail-- Jaden Schwartz named Canadian junior hockey team captain
Globe and Mail-- Don Hay back behind Team Canada bench
Globe and Mail-- Where have all the Quebec goalies gone?
Globe and Mail-- In its year of hockey triumph, Russia lost so much
Globe and Mail-- Meet Team Canada
Globe and Mail-- Canada's junior team learns lesson in win over Finland
Globe and Mail-- Pressure nothing new for Don Hay
Globe and Mail-- Junior hockey player Smith-Pelly lives out two dreams
National Post-- Canada's juniors itching for first game
Globe and Mail-- Hockey Canada unveils team for world junior hockey championship
National Post-- Canada's world junior hockey team trying to overcome injuries
National Post-- Injured Huberdeau skates with Canadian teammates
Globe and Mail-- Third time's a charm for Brandon Gormley
National Post-- Canada's Juniors come from a line of humble beginnings
National Post-- Canada's juniors know what's at stake
National Post-- Returning Canadians plan to make most of second shot
Globe and Mail-- Canadian junior team shrinks, through cuts and collisions
National Post-- Canada's world junior hockey team full of new faces
Globe and Mail-- Seven players cut from Canada's world junior squad
National Post-- Hockey Canada cuts seven players from world junior selection camp
Globe and Mail-- Canada's best will be missing from world junior hockey championship
Globe and Mail-- A Wolverine leads the charge at Canada junior intra squad game
Globe and Mail-- Scheifele wants to be Canadian juniors' top centre


Portals for the tournament


IIHF homepage
TSN World Juniors homepage
Globe and Mail World Juniors homepage
Toronto Star World Juniors page
Sun newspapers World Juniors page
National Post World Juniors page
Canada.com World Juniors page

World Junior Hockey Tournament 2012 Results page

Tournament results

Medal round 


Gold Medal Game


January 5-- Russia vs Sweden


Bronze Medal Game


January 5-- Canada vs Finland

Semi Finals

January 3-- Sweden 3 vs Finland 2
January 3-- Team Canada 5 vs Russia 6


Quarterfinals

January 2-- Finland 8 vs  Slovakia 5
January 2-- Russia 2 vs Czech Republic 1


Relegation Round

January 4-- Latvia 2  vs Denmark 1
January 4-- Switzerland vs USA
January 4-- Czech Republic vs Slovakia
January 3-- USA 12 vs Latvia 2
January 2-- Switzerland 4 vs Denmark 3

Opening Round

December 31-- Russia 3 -- Sweden 4
December 31-- Team Canada 3 -- USA 2
December 31-- Slovakia 6 -- Switzerland 4
December 31-- Czech Republic 0 -- Finland 4
December 30-- Switzerland 5 -- Latvia 3
December 30-- Finland 10 -- Denmark 1
December 30-- Sweden 9 -- Slovakia 1
December 30-- USA 2 -- Czech Republic 5
December 29-- Latvia 0 -- Russia 14
December 29-- Team Canada 10 -- Denmark 2 (Game Review)
December 28-- Russia 3 -- Slovakia 1
December 28-- Team Canada  5 -- Czech Republic 0 (Game Review)
December 28-- Sweden 4 -- Switzerland 3
December 28--  USA 1 -- Finland 4
December 27-- Slovakia 3 -- Latvia 1
December 27-- Caech Republic 7 -- Denmark 4
December 26-- Russia 3 - Switzerland 0
December 26-- USA 11- Denmark 3
December 26-- Sweden 9 -- Latvia 4
December 26-- Team Canada 8 - Finland 1 (Game Review)


World Junior Tournament Schedule


Articles of interest from the tournament

Alberta welcomes the World as tournament opens

The puck has dropped and the games are underway, with Alberta showing its stuff on the world hockey stage with ten days of hockey madness as only the World Juniors can provide for.

The growth of the World Junior Championship's resonance in Canada can be seen rather easily these days, as where ever the tournament is hosted in Canada it finds success beyond organizer's imaginations it seems.

However, such is the growth of this tournament that gone are the days of the small market hosts, replaced now it seems forever, by the large metropolis centres of Canada.

This years tournament is now under way, with both Calgary and Edmonton playing host to the ten teams of the two groups which take to the ice over the next ten days. The large NHL size arenas the setting of what has become Canada's Holiday time tradition, the buzz in both cities equal to the passion that its fans are bringing to the games.

This marks the last in a string of Canadian hosted events for the World Juniors, they will return to Europe for the next two tournaments of 2013 and 2014,  if past precedence is an example, destined to a more subdued presentation  for the next few years, the passion for the tournament seemingly not quite as vivid in Europe as it has become in Canada.

So with Hockey Canada bidding farewell to the hosting duties for a few years, we imagine that these next ten days will be a combination Stampede/Klondike Days type festival to set a new benchmark for host cities.

Canada opened up its tournament in Edmonton with a convincing 8-1 victory over Finland, setting their tone for this tournament, which it would seem is one of redemption for last years loss to the Russian squad.

Through the next ten days we'll provide a review of the events of the tournament, the scores and other items of interest, all of which you can find from this page on the portal.

Look for it on the right hand side in our HockeyNation extras section.

The schedule and scores page can be found here.

While our coverage of the background stories and reviews of the game action can be found here.

Enjoy the games, as Canada rings out the old year and welcomes in the new one, perhaps with a gold medal by the time we're five days in to 2012!

Have sticks, will travel

It's tournament time for Canada once again, and while the majority of our focus will be on the World Junior Hockey Championships set to begin in Alberta, across the ocean, another tournament of note is taking place as those Canadian mercenaries of the puck are now engaged in the annual Spengler Cup competition.

Canada, is represented for the most part by those players that currently find employment among the ranks of the European hockey leagues, gathered together over the Holiday week to wear the Canada crest on their jersey and seek to reclaim some bragging rights for the Maple Leaf among the teams in Davos.

This years compilation is being coached by Marc Crawford, who takes time out from his TSN duties to polish up the resume and no doubt keep his name in the mix for any upcoming NHL coaching opportunities (though we imagine he like many others might have to think a wee bit about events in Montreal).

The Canadians for the most part are names that might be familiar to friends and family or former college or minor pro team mates, this years squad features a smattering of former NHLers, but for those following along at home, the majority of the roster is going to be a collection of names that might sound familiar, but perhaps can't be placed.

Regardless, like any Canadian squad that heads into a tournament, once that sweater gets pulled on, it's all for one and one for all, their exploits beamed back to an audience of the curious over TSN, with Paul Romaniuk, who now calls Europe home, once again picking up some spare cash at Christmas with the play by play duties..

Canada opens up their Spengler experience today against HC Vitkovice Steel, a lower echelon member of the Czech league.

HockeyNation items on the Spengler Cup

December 29-- 3 and out at Spengler

The full Spengler schedule and results can be found from the Spengler home page, though we will provide updates of the Team Canada games below.

December 29-- Team Canada 2 vs GA Wolfsburg 3 (shoot out) (Canada eliminated)
December 28-- Team Canada 1 vs HC Davos 8
December 26-- Team Canada 7 vs HC Vitkovice Steel 1

December 31-- Spengler Final-- HC Davos 3 vs Dinamo Riga 2

December 30-- Spengler Semi Final-- Dinamo Riga vs EHC Wolfsburg
December 30-- Spengler Semi Final-- HC Davos 4 vs Vitkovice 2

For more previews and reviews of the Spengler tournament we've filed below some notes from a variety of portals that are keeping an eye on the tournament.

Globe and Mail-- Canada eliminated from Spengler Cup
Canada.com-- Canada ousted at Spengler Cup
IIHF Website-- Wolfsburg with Sensational Win against Team Canada
Globe and Mail-- HC Davos hammers Canada at Spengler Cup
Sun Newspapers-- Canada blown out at Spengler Cup
Canada.com-- Davos flattens Canada at Spengler Cup
TSN-- When was the last time Canada lost this big?
IIHF website-- HC Davos humiliates Team Canada
TSN-- Canada readies for stiff competition at Spengler Cup
Globe and Mail-- Marc Crawford prepares for new challenge as Canadian coach at Spengler Cup
Winnipeg Free Press-- Crawford anxious to be back behind the bench
TSN-- Turco expected to join Canada for Spengler Cup