Golden boys.

Jekyll and Hyde.

also known as Team Canada.

One game they look like they could lose to one of the many Team Canada's playing in the under-17. And the next game they play like a bunch of winners.

It was a good time to show up. Seems like the Swedish trash-talking woke some people up.

Specifically, Dustin Tokarski. He looked shaky in the games leading up to the final -- but he turned away 39 shots last night. And he actually didn't look like a fish-out-of-water doing it, as he did in his previous two games. Of course, it did help that his counterpart across the ice spent the better part of the game trying to turn away actual players instead of pucks.

Then there was PK Subban, who couldn't make a good decision at the blueline to save his life during the semi-final, was a force to be reckoned with (wait... who owns his rights? Montreal? really.)

And Angelo Esposito proved why he was (finally) the right choice. Although, I actually found it quite amusing that the TSN panel decided to mention that if NHL clubs actually released players... Esposito woulda met the same fate as he did for the past three years.

And so the streak is alive, and they go for six next year in Saskatoon. The biggest question for Team Canada, is will John Tavares make the jump to the NHL after the draft this summer. It's expected he should be able to make the jump to whatever club wins the Tavares derby. But there's that off-chance that he won't. And if he's around next Christmas. Look. Out.

Tonight.

The game is exactly 3 hours away.

Sweden is a tough opponent. It's obviously a grudge match, since the two teams faced off last year and Canada came out with the gold. And the Swedes have a lot of veteran players who were around last year for that bitter overtime defeat. And, let's face it, Canada has had a lot of trouble in the past few games.

PK Subban said in an interview that it's ok that they didn't play that well last game because they're a good team and good teams find a way to win.

True they do... But, Really? PK, buddy, let's have a heart-to-heart here. You played like an arse against the Russians. I would have benched you if I were the coach. Who do you think you are doing spinaramas at the blueline when you're the last man back during a semi-final against mother russia? UN-REAL. The first time it happened I can look past it. But you you did it a few more times. And it came back to bite you.

Also the goaltending has been suspect. For Canada's previous four gold medals canuck goaltenders have finished first in save percentage. Dustin Tokarski is EIGHTH! Are you kidding me Pat Quinn?

My question is... where is Chet Pickard. I know this is redundant. I've been asking this since Quinn decided to start Tokarski in the final game of round robin against the United States. And then again after Quinn decided that even though Tokarski got down 3-0 to the Americans in the span of 10 minutes, he would start him in the semi-final.

Am I the only person in the country that thought Tokarski looked extremely shaky and scary in the Semi-Final game?

"oh but he played so well in the shootout."

WHAT?!

One attempt hit the post. The second was a very lame attempt at the five hole. A child could've stopped that.

I wouldn't call that playing well.

A few people I was chatting with earlier today expressed concern over the goaltending, and wondered about Quinn's insistence of starting Tokarski. They did express that Quinn will look like a genius if Canada wins gold.

In my books, he'll look lucky.

They deserved to lose.

They had a ridiculous amount of powerplays and couldn't capitalize.

Every time they scored one, the Russians came back with the tying goal pretty much right away.

Esposito scored... (yes, ESPOSITO) shorthanded. And they couldn't even ride the high and hold off the Russians.

PK Subban thought he was Bobby Orr. Trying spinaramas and rushing plays. Couldn't just keep it simple... couldya?

After Canada's first goal (resulting from super-duper excellent boardwork) I thought that Canada could pull this one off.

But it quickly went downhill. The Canadians were running around like... well, like the Americans.

BUT... they didn't lose.

Because Jordan Eberle scored to tie it with 5.4 seconds left.

And in overtime the Canadians were buzzing. They woke up.

And then Eberle all out destroyed in the shootout.

John "THE monster" Tavares put it away with another.

MAGIC. That's all. magic.


pass the rum. let's go celebrate. to the gold medal game!

Canada Russia.

Well Canada now knows they will face Russia, after the Russians won their quarterfinal game against the Czechs.

This game is so hard to call. I would put it in favour of Canada, since Russia was blown out 5-0 by Sweden and they had to play an extra game yesterday while Canada could rest.

But then again, it seems anything is possible in this tournament. And being the favourites really means nothing. (see: USA vs Slovakia)

I'd say the only safe bet is John Tavares being a monster.

All hail Jaroslav Janus.

Because he just destroyed the souls of the Americans. And he faced over 30 shots. Many of them were spectacular saves. And so after the Erie Otters goaltenders performance...the Americans are out. (Did I just type that? Yes I did. Wow.) Slovakia will play Sweden in the Semi-Final tomorrow.

I'm going to pull a Don Cherry here -- let's go back to yesterday and point out my advice to the Americans:

"Slovakia picked off Finland in a shootout last night, so after flying high, the Americans should not take the Slovaks for granted."

Yah. You fail.

I'd say my second favourite quote is from Pierre McGuire. It pretty much summed up the Americans lack of ability to stop, well.... anything.

"Every shot's an adventure for Thomas McCollum right now." - Pierre McGuire on the American goaltender during the second period.

I almost lost my mind.

...When the USA got their third goal to make it 3-0.

And I thought Pat Quinn was going to lose his mind too.

But then it started to turn around. Almost exclusively on the shoulders of John Tavares. The next monster.

During the Winter Classic this afternoon, Don Cherry did point out something really interesting. He showed Jim O'Brien hot-dogging to the Canadian bench after he scored the third American goal. Woke the sleeping bulldog. And man did that bulldog bite. Canada had the game tied before the first period was over.

The choice to play Dustin Tokarski in nets over Chet Pickard, to me, was a little curious. Considering he sat for the past two and was coming into Canada's biggest test of the tournament so far, cold. He couldn't be blamed for most of the goals, but it probably didn't help that he hadn't played since Boxing Day. He did recover and made a number of specatacular saves in a really close game until the two empty netters at the end of the game.

And so that sends Canada directly to the Semi-Finals, they await the winner of the Russia-Czech Republic quarter-final. While the United States plays Slovakia tomorrow. Slovakia picked off Finland in a shootout last night, so after flying high, the Americans should not take the Slovaks for granted.

Canada Canada.

Slight concern, but they'll be ok.
Team Canada played Germany last night at the World Juniors. And it was pretty darn close for the first two periods. At one point it was 2-1 and Canada was playing like... Hmmm, I was going to say the Leafs, but that's just mean. Anyway, luckily for the Canadians they turned it on in the third, and the Germans looks fairly tired. I think Pat Quinn will have some type of coronary at practice today before the big game against the Americans tomorrow.

Oh yah! the Spengler.
Remember that random little tournament held each Christmas in Davos, Switzerland? Where Canada plays random Euro club teams? Well Canada is one win away from the final, they only have to beat the Moscow Dynamo to get there. Sure... why not.

All Star.
Other than the fact that the All Star game is actually somewhere where people care about the game this year... I'm not really that excited. NHL.com is filled with 'breaking news' updating the allstar voting results. I don't care. I like the skills competition. But the game is a farce and a waste of time. They need to change something, just not sure what. I'll think about it and get back to you.

Live Bloggin, Canada versus Kazakhstan.

Guys, I'm gonna quit live bloggin this one. I am heading out for dinner with a few friends. I think Canada's got this one. Don't ask how I know. Just a hunch.

6:01pm: END OF SECOND PERIOD, 9-0 Canada.

This is awesome because you know the web editor is channeling Borat in this headline.

5:57pm: ah Pierre McGuire. The useless fact machine. Apparently Canadian goaltender Chet Pickard plays #37 because that's the number Olaf Kolzig plays. And Olaf Kolzig owns the junior team that Pickard plays for. You're richer for knowing that.

5:55pm: This is a damn nailbiter. I'm really really bored.

5:53pm: GOAL - Canada, John Tavares. Gord Miller literally just finished saying... John Tavares doesn't have one yet in this game. Don't worry Gord, I think everyone will get one before the end of the game.

5:52pm: Kazakhstan takes another penalty. 

5:51pm: shots. 35 -8.

5:50pm: They still have a period and a half left. Kazakhstan looks exhausted.

5:49pm: GOAL - Canada, Tyler Ennis... tictactoe play.

5:47pm: Canada is on yet another powerplay. You kinda have to feel bad for Kazakhstan. They played last night and lost 9-0 to the Germans. Canada had a full day off yesterday.

5:36pm: GOAL - Hat trick, Jamie Benn

5:30pm: GOAL - Canada, Cody Hodgson

14 of the 20 player roster for Kazakhstan play for the same club, the Kazzinc-Torpedo.

5:12pm: END OF FIRST PERIOD, 4-0 CANADA

5:11pm: I'm concerned that this game might be forming some bad habits... like trying to dangle in the neutral zone, and playing with the puck in front of their own goaltender.

5:10pm: sorta like a big game of keepaway.

5:09pm: Ryan Ellis is soooo incredibly short!

5:07pm: GOAL - Canada, PK Subban. Might as well change the name of the Wayne Gretzky office to the John Tavares office. Another nice pass from behind the net.

5:05pm: GOAL - Canada, Jamie Benn, powerplay goal. Nice pass from Wayne Gretzky territory from Tavares.

5:04pm: Kazakhstan goaltender Andrei Yankov makes a nice nice save.
 
5:03pm: annnnnnnd boom goes the dynamite. They just put the puck over the boards. 2 man advantage.

5:02pm: Kazakhstan takes another penalty.

4:58pm: Pierre McGuire just repeated for about the third time, that we all need to just wait until the Kazakhstan players run out of gas. Thanks Pierre.

9:05: The Kazakhstan goaltender seems to be their only player. I've also realized that the timing of the games is extremely confusing. Screw it, i'm using actual times.

10:45: GOAL - Canada, Jamie Benn, powerplay goal.

14:02: Let's do it live! Canada just drew a penalty. It's already 1-0 Canada over Kazakhstan and the shots are 8-1.

One down.

And how.

Canada started the 2009 World Juniors with a bang yesterday. Taking down the Czech Republic 8-1. John Tavares led the way with two goals and a helper, but the other six goals came from six other players. That's one round robin game down.

But the real test won't come until New Year's Eve when Canada faces the USA, since the next victims are Kazakhstan (really?) on Sunday 4:30 AST, and Germany on Monday 8:30 AST.

"Borat put Kazakhstan on the map and now Kazakhstan will try to put Kazakhstan on the map..." - TSN anchor Bryan Mudryk.

And the United States looked great yesterday (although it was against Germany), but they will be the team to beat for Canada. Barring some monumental upset, the two teams will face off twice before Canada can get its hands on a medal. So Canada does have a bit of a tough road. It's definitely hard when you don't have a little adversity to keep your team sharp.

But hey, so far my only complaint is that i'm not IN Ottawa. Can't win em all I guess.

They're a team now.

Team Canada made that final early morning call to make the final cuts Monday.

Angelo Esposito finally... cracked the lineup.

Esposito was cut three times in a row. One especially fond memory was when he refused to chop off his long curly after coach Brent Sutter demanded the team to get a haircut. There has been concerns from NHL teams over his attitude (he dropped a few spots in the draft and was sent packing from the Penguins in the Hossa trade).

We'll see if those "attitude problems" surface during the tournament which starts in 10 days... when Canada takes on the Czech Republic.

The forwards are Esposito, John Tavares, Tyler Ennis, Jamie Benn, Zach Boychuk, Patrice Cormier, Stefan Della Rovere, Chris DiDomenico, Jordan Eberle, Cody Hodgson, Brett Sonne and Dana Tyrell.

goaltenders Chet Pickard and Dustin Tokarski.

The defencemen are Ryan Ellis, Keith Aulie, Cody Goloubef, Thomas Hickey, Tyler Myers, Alex Pietrangelo, P.K. Subban and Colten Teubert

Hickey will take the role of Captain Canada with Tavares, Hodgson and Boychuk as alternates.