Team Canada Takes Silver Medal at 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Canada’s National Junior Team which includes 20 CHL players has earned the silver medal at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship after losing 5-3 to Russia in Wednesday night’s gold medal game at HSBC Arena.
Canada took a 3-0 lead into the second intermission on goals by Ryan Ellis (Freelton, Ont./Windsor, OHL), Carter Ashton (Saskatoon, Sask./Tri-City, WHL) and Brayden Schenn (Saskatoon, Sask./Brandon, WHL), only to see the Russians score five unanswered goals in the third period, leaving the Canadians with silver for the second year in a row.
Russian netminder Igor Bobkov of the London Knights made 20 saves in relief to earn the gold medal and Player of the Game honours.
Schenn’s goal and assist in the game gave him 18 points in the tournament, tying him with Dale McCourt (1977) for the most by a Canadian in a single IIHF World Junior Championship. Ellis finished his three-year National Junior Team career as the highest-scoring defenceman in tournament history (25 points), and holds the all-time record for most assists by a Canadian (20).
For Canada, it is the eighth time it has won the silver medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship since 1977, to go along with runner-up finishes in 1977, 1986, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2010.
Following the game, the IIHF Directorate awards and media all-star team were announced.
IIHF Directorate award winners
Most Valuable Player – Brayden Schenn (CAN)
Top Goaltender – Jack Campbell (USA)
Top Defenceman – Ryan Ellis (CAN)
Top Forward – Brayden Schenn (CAN)
Media all-star team
G – Jack Campbell (USA)
D – Ryan Ellis (CAN)
D – Dmitri Orlov (RUS)
F – Ryan Johansen (CAN)
F – Evgeny Kuznetsov (RUS)
F – Brayden Schenn (CAN)
In the bronze medal game earlier Wednesday, the United States, which includes four current CHL players, beat Sweden by a score of 4-2.