TORONTO, Ont. – Canada’s National Junior Team has won the gold medal at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship after a 5-4 win over Russia in the gold medal game Monday night at the Air Canada Centre.
Max Domi (Toronto, Ont./London, OHL) led the Canadian offence with a goal and two assists, Anthony Duclair (Laval, Que./N.Y. Rangers, NHL), Nick Paul (Mississauga, Ont./North Bay, OHL), Connor McDavid (Newmarket, Ont./Erie, OHL) and Sam Reinhart (West Vancouver, B.C./Kootenay, WHL) also scored and Zach Fucale (Rosemère, Que./Quebec, QMJHL) made 26 saves to help Canada’s to its 16th gold medal at the World Juniors, and first since 2009.
After Duclair and Paul scored in the first 2:32 to give Canada an early 2-0 lead, goals from McDavid, Domi and Reinhart in a span of 7:22 in the second gave the Canadians a 5-1 advantage; the Russians mounted a comeback to get within one, but Fucale made 11 saves in the third period to clinch the win.
Reinhart (five goals, six assists), Nic Petan (Delta, B.C./Portland, WHL) (four goals, seven assists) and McDavid (three goals, eight assists) tied for the tournament lead in scoring with 11 points apiece.
Following the game, the IIHF Directorate award winners and media all-star team were announced.
Domi was named Top Forward and joined McDavid, Reinhart and Josh Morrissey (Calgary, Alta./Kelowna, WHL) on the media all-star team. It is the first time since 1995 (Jason Allison, Éric Dazé, Bryan McCabe, Marty Murray) that Canada placed four players on the all-star team, and the first time since 1995 (Canada – Allison, Dazé, Murray) that one team swept all three forward positions.
IIHF Directorate award winners:
Top Forward – Max Domi (Canada)
Top Defenceman – Vladislav Gavrikov (Russia)
Top Goaltender – Denis Godla (Slovakia)
Most Valuable Player – Denis Godla (Slovakia)
Media all-star team:
G – Denis Godla (Slovakia)
D – Gustav Forsling (Sweden)
D – Josh Morrissey (Canada)
F – Max Domi (Canada)
F – Connor McDavid (Canada)
F – Sam Reinhart (Canada)
TEAM CANADA RETURN FLIGHT ITINERARY INFORMATION (UPDATED) – TUESDAY, JAN. 6
Players and staff will return to their club teams on Tuesday, Jan. 6. See below for specific flight itineraries for Canada’s players. Information is listed alphabetically by FINAL destination. Arrival times are all LOCAL TIMES. Flight information may change without notice.
Calgary, Alta. / AC173 / 2:21 p.m.
Ryan Jankowski (director, player personnel), Misha Donskov (video manager), Bayne Pettinger (manager, hockey operations), Dr. Ian Auld (team doctor), Kent Kobelka (therapist)
Kelowna, B.C. / AC8412 / 11:23 a.m.
Bruce Hamilton (management group)
Montreal, Que. / AC410 / 1:18 p.m.
Frédérik Gauthier, Martin Raymond (assistant coach)
Ottawa, Ont. / AC450 / 1:16 p.m.
Nick Paul, Benoit Groulx (head coach), Fred Brathwaite (goaltending coach), Serge Hache (equipment manager)
Quebec City, Que. / AC8916 / 3:37 p.m.
Samuel Morin
Quebec City, Que. / AC8912 / 11:37 a.m.
Michael Morin (therapist)
Regina, Sask. / AC1115 / 1:15 p.m.
Dillon Heatherington, Brayden Point, Jake Virtanen
Saskatoon, Sask. / AC1123 / 2:53 p.m.
Josh Morrissey
Victoria, B.C. / AC8071 / 3:25 p.m.
Joe Hicketts, Dave Lowry (assistant coach)
Winnipeg, Man. / WJ475 / 3:14 p.m.
Madison Bowey
Players and staff members not listed are driving to their destination, going to a U.S. destination or not leaving the Toronto area until a later date.
For more information on Hockey Canada, Canada’s National Junior Team and the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca, www.hockeycanada.ca/2015juniors, or follow on social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.facebook.com/worldjuniors, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hc_wjc and www.twitter.com/hc_men.
Source Hockey Canada