Don’t Call it a Comeback They’ve Been Here for Years, Russia Defeats Canada 5-3

(courtesy of Matthew Manor/HHOF-IIHF Images)

They say good things come in threes and if you happened to play on this year’s Russian Junior National Team well tonight’s 5-3 win over Canada to win gold was the perfect end to what has been a monumental tournament. Coming back against Finland to reach the semi-finals, then coming back again to beat Sweden to reach the finals showed the character and spunk these new hero’s had.

Finding themselves down 3-0 entering the third period against the home crowd favorite Canada would leave little room for hope in many, this year’s group? Not even close. Led by Artemi Panarin, Russia scored five unanswered goals to not only complete a modern day “Miracle on Ice” but also retain gold for the junior squad for the first time since 2003.
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Russia Avenges Sweden in Shootout En Route to Gold Medal Game

(courtesy of Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Russia’s junior team is headed back to the gold medal game for the first time since 2007 after overcoming a late deficit to beat Sweden 4-3 in a shootout. A late goal by Sergei Kalinin tied things up for the Russians who let a 2-0 lead slip away. Goalie Dmitri Shikin stood on his head at times stopping 46 of 49 Sweden shots along with all 3 in the shootout.

Shikin originally started out the tournament on the bench but due to the team’s lackluster performance against Canada he has since taken the reigns and gone 4-1 stopping 123 shots of 133 faced. Russia will now face the winner of the US Canada game determined later this evening on Wednesday at 7:30 pm est.
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Buffalo means “Disappointment” in Russian

(courtesy of (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images)

It had always been a dream of mine to go to the World Junior Championships to watch some of the best young talent in the world assembled on their respective national teams. Along with my trip to the games, FRWG is starting a new section of the site that focuses on Russian prospects from around the world, so what better place to start an article than with the Russian National Junior team.

This event once showcased the likes of Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin who were the last ones to bring Gold for Russia at the World Juniors. Needless to say, this Russian team had some shoes to fill, considering they organized a lackluster effort the year prior, failing to bring home a medal.
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