CANADA SETTLES FOR SILVER MEDAL

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Canada’s National Junior Team 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.

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 beat Sweden by a score of 4-2.