22 CHL Graduates Win World Cup with Canada
Brad Marchand (Boston Bruins/Halifax Mooseheads) scored inside the final minute of the third period, bringing the Air Canada Centre to its feet as Canada secured the World Cup of Hockey Championship with a 2-1 win over Team Europe.
Marchand’s shorthanded winner capped a thrilling comeback as Canada swept Europe 2-0 in their best-of-three final series. Marchand’s goal came just over two minutes after Boston Bruins teammate Patrice Bergeron (Acadie-Bathurst Titan) tied the score at one on the power play.
Goaltender Carey Price (Montreal Canadiens/Tri-City Americans) made 32 saves in the win, being beaten just once on the night on a shot off the stick of Zdeno Chara (Boston Bruins/Prince George Cougars).
Canada captain Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins/Rimouski Oceanic) was named Tournament MVP, leading all players in scoring with three goals, seven assists and 10 points over six contests.
“Just crazy the way everything worked out,” Crosby said post-game. “When you get a penalty that late in the game you’re just trying to force overtime and then Marchy comes down and buries one like that. Pretty unbelievable feeling considering how hard we had to work to get our chances here tonight. It wasn’t easy.”
Crosby, who led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a Stanley Cup title last season, was one of six QMJHL graduates on the roster while 11 OHL grads and five former WHL standouts rounded out the 22 CHL grads on the roster.
Canada played to an overall record of 6-0 in the tournament, defeating Russia 5-3 in the semi-finals before edging Europe 3-1 and 2-1 in their two championship matchups.
The win was Canada’s 16th straight best-on-best victory, a run of success that dates back to the preliminary round of the 2010 Olympics.
TEAM CANADA – WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY CHAMPIONS
22 CHL GRADUATES
Goaltenders:
Corey Crawford (Moncton Wildcats, 2001-05)
Braden Holtby (Saskatoon Blades, 2005-09)
Carey Price (Tri-City Americans, 2002-07)
Defencemen:
Jay Bouwmeester (Medicine Hat Tigers, 1998-02)
Brent Burns (Brampton Battalion, 2002-03)
Drew Doughty (Guelph Storm, 2005-08)
Jake Muzzin (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, 2006-10)
Alex Pietrangelo (Niagara IceDogs/Barrie Colts, 2006-10)
Marc-Edouard Vlasic (Quebec Remparts, 2003-06)
Shea Weber (Kelowna Rockets, 2001-05)
Forwards:
Patrice Bergeron (Acadie-Bathurst Titan, 2001-03)
Logan Couture (Ottawa 67’s, 2005-09)
Sidney Crosby (Rimouski Oceanic, 2003-05)
Matt Duchene (Brampton Battalion, 2007-09)
Ryan Getzlaf (Calgary Hitmen, 2001-05)
Claude Giroux (Gatineau Olympiques, 2005-08)
Brad Marchand (Moncton Wildcats, 2004-06)
Ryan O’Reilly (Erie Otters, 2007-09)
Corey Perry (London Knights, 2001-05)
Steven Stamkos (Sarnia Sting, 2006-08)
John Tavares (Oshawa Generals/London Knights, 2005-09)
Joe Thornton (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, 1995-97)
For more information on the World Cup of Hockey, please visit WCH2016.com.