Team Canada downs USA 2-1 - 2013 World Junior Championship Update
Team Canada continued to roll to victory as they claimed their third straight win of the 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship by downing the United States National Team, 2-1 on Sunday, December 30, 2012, at Ufa, Russia.
This matchup was one of the most looked forward to by spectators as it was between archrivals, Team Canada and Team USA and with some of the best in the world going up against each other, the contest did not fail to surprise with each passing minute.
Canadian National Team goalie and Boston Bruins prospect, Malcolm Subban, really made his presence felt after a wonderful performance against Slovakia in their previous matchup. He blocked 36 saves, outplaying his counterpart in the American net, John Gibson.
"Coming in, I felt really good and I just wanted to have a really good game," Subban told TSN. "I felt really confident, so that helped a lot."
Team Canada captain and top pick of the 2011 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins put up another top level performance by scoring along with Ryan Strome in the first period to secure the contest in their favour.
But in the end, all credit had to go to Subban for keeping it that way.
"[Subban was] outstanding," he told TSN. "There's not much else you can say there. He was there from the first minute to the last, and with goaltending like that, you get that much more comfortable up front."
Canada is now perfect thus far in the series as they beat Team Germany in the series opener, followed by Slovakia and now Team USA. The United States on the other hand is now 1-2 as they faced a loss in their previous matchup against top contender, Team
Russia and now against Canada.
"I think we'll be fine … it's just one game and winner moves on so I think that's the way we'll look at it," American goalie John Gibson told NHL.com. "We'll put what happened behind us and just worry about advancing. If we advance, then anything can happen.
We just have to win against Slovakia."
It will be interesting to see how Canada performs in their next matchup, which is on Monday against Russia while the United States will now be going up against Slovakia the same day.
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