International Hockey

The world's best young hockey talent descends on Helsinki, Finland, starting on Saturday in the 2016 World Junior Hockey Championships. 

Ten countries will compete in the annual tournament made up of players under 20 years old that dates back to 1974. 

Here is a list of the 10 teams involved in the junior championships and what groups they will be playing in:

Group A	Group B
Canada	Russia
Sweden	Slovakia
United States	Czech Republic
Denmark	Finland
Switzerland	Belarus

Continue for the schedule of group-play games, which will be taking place from Dec. 26-31. The tournament will conclude after knockout play leads up to the gold-medal game on Jan. 5:

Matchup	Group	Time (ET)	Venue
Saturday, Dec. 26
Czech Republic vs. Russia	B	9 a.m.	Hartwall Arena
Switzerland vs. Sweden	A	11 a.m.	Helsinki Ice Hall
Finland vs. Belarus	B	1 p.m.	Hartwall Arena
USA vs. Canada	A	3 p.m.	Helsinki Ice Hall
Sunday, Dec. 27
Belarus vs. Slovakia	B	11 a.m.	Hartwall Arena
Denmark vs. Switzerland	A	3 p.m.	Helsinki Ice Hall
Monday, Dec. 28
Slovakia vs. Czech Republic	B	9 a.m.	Hartwall Arena
Sweden vs. USA	A	11 a.m.	Helsinki Ice Hall
Russia vs. Finland	B	1 p.m.	Hartwall Arena
Canada vs. Denmark	A	3 p.m.	Helsinki Ice Hall
Tuesday, Dec. 29
Belarus vs. Russia	B	11 a.m.	Hartwall Arena
Switzerland vs. Canada	A	3 p.m.	Helsinki Ice Hall
Wednesday, Dec. 30
Czech Republic vs. Belarus	B	9 a.m.	Hartwall Arena
Sweden vs. Denmark	A	11 a.m.	Helsinki Ice Hall
Slovakia vs. Finland	B	1 p.m.	Hartwall Arena
USA vs. Switzerland	A	3 p.m.	Helsinki Ice Hall
Thursday, Dec. 31
Russia vs. Slovakia	B	9 a.m.	Hartwall Arena
Denmark vs. USA	A	11 a.m.	Helsinki Ice Hall
Finland vs. Czech Republic	B	1 p.m.	Hartwall Arena
Canada vs. Sweden	A	3 p.m.	Helsinki Ice Hall

There's an abundance of prospects that will soon be plying their trade in the NHL—none more so than on the roster of the defending champions, Team Canada. The 16-time winners have seven players on their roster drafted in the first round of the 2015 draft, including the No. 3 and No. 4 picks.

One of them is my player to watch in this tournament.

Player To Watch 

Dylan Strome, F, Team Canada

The No. 3 overall pick of the Arizona Coyotes in 2015, forward Dylan Strome is one of the brightest young players that isn't playing in the NHL. Applying his talents with the Erie Otters in the OHL, he already has 16 goals and 37 assists (53 points) in just 25 games. 

Strome is attempting to follow up a 2014-15 season that saw him record 129 points in 68 games with 45 goals and 84 assists. 

With great speed for a 6'3" frame, Strome has shown great hockey sense in always knowing where the play is flowing. He has the ability to get his linemates involved on the play while holding the individual brilliance that any future superstar needs. 

His premier play has translated well onto the international stage. In just one appearance with a national team, which came with the U-18 squad, Strome recorded five goals and an assist in five games at the Hlinka Memorial Tournament last season. 

The closer Strome gets to the NHL, the more talent he is going to play with. The more talent he plays with, the more he is going to flourish. This is as close to NHL talent without playing in the NHL as Strome will get to see. 

The Coyotes should be watching these championships with great interest to see how he performs, as one day, he'll be gracing their top line. 

Stats courtesy of EliteProspects.com

The 2015 World Hockey Championships belong to North America. Hours after the United States pushed its way to a bronze medal with a dominant win over the Czech Republic, Canada found a way to drape the gold medal over its neck with a 6-1 triumph over Russia.

Six Canadian players scored goals, and goaltender Mike Smith turned in yet another dominating performance. Despite Canada being billed as the favorite, the final score was far more severe than anyone could have expected.

Perfect in Prague. Canada finishes the #IIHFWorlds undefeated.http://t.co/vKzt7ScgB9 #CANvsRUS pic.twitter.com/3I6fJnhMEo

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) May 17, 2015

Cody Eakin, Tyler Ennis, Sidney Crosby, Tyler Seguin, Claude Giroux and Nathan MacKinnon each scored goals. Giroux, Ennis and Crosby finished the game with two points to lead the way overall. 

Considered by most to be the premier hockey country in the world, Canada's championship triumph is its first since 2007. It was Canada's first final since 2009.

"It's been a while since Canada has been in the finals [2009] and we are aware of that," Taylor Hall said coming into the game, per the Associated Press (via CBC). "There are a lot of guys on this team looking for their first world championship."

The country has won 25 titles overall, which is second behind Russia in the overall standings (counting Soviet Union wins). Russia came into Sunday as the defending champion and recent monolith of the event. The Russians have captured four world championships since 2008, while no other country has taken more than one.

While recent success has largely been absent, this Canadian team came through with an absolutely dominant performance. It ran through its three playoff matches by a combined 17-1 score. Canada took down Belarus 9-0 and the Czechs by a 2-0 score before Sunday's final.

Including the group round, Canada outscored its opponents by 51 goals across 10 games and went undefeated. Canadians were littered atop the event's top scorers. 

Russia came in red-hot from a goal-scoring perspective. It put together nine goals in wins against Sweden and the United States, including a 4-0 thrashing of the U.S. in their semifinal matchup. 

“The Russians, of course, are Russians. They’ve been tremendously skilled and talented,” said Canada coach Todd McLellan, per Carol Schram of the Canadian Press. “They can score. They’ve got a team of players that have played together in the past and they’re dangerous the whole 60 minutes.”

Unfortunately for the Russians, they ran into a two-way Canadian buzz saw. Smith has arguably been the best player of the entire tournament. He shut down a game Czech side in the semis and thwarted Russia every time it attempted to mount an attack. The Arizona Coyotes star finished Sunday with 10 saves and nearly pulled off a third straight shutout.

"He’s been outstanding and we’re lucky to have him back there,” defenseman Tyson Barrie said earlier this week, per Schram.

To be fair, it also helps a goaltender when your superstar scorers come to play. Eakin got things going at the 18:10 mark in the first period, deflecting an Ennis shot past Sergei Bobrovsky for the game's first goal.

Mostly a close matchup for the first 20 minutes, things completely fell apart for the Russian defense in the second period. Ennis atoned for losing his first goal to a deflection less than two minutes into the period, getting an assist from Eakin and Sean Couturier this time around. Crosby and Seguin added their goals within a minute of one another, making it 4-0 before the two teams were even halfway through the game.

https://twitter.com/myregularface/status/600025241256091648

The final 32 minutes were little more than elementary. Russia picked up some frustration penalties, Canada continued to pepper the goal with shots and the two sides played out the string with only a few notable moments. 

Giroux picked up the game's only power-play goal in the third period, taking an assist from Crosby and Ryan O'Reilly. The youngster MacKinnon made it 6-0 less than a minute later, with David Savard picking up the help. 

Evgeni Malkin's garbage-time goal to make it 6-1 was worth highlighting only because it wiped out Smith's shutout streak. 

Sidney Crosby will now join the elite Triple Gold Club (Stanley Cup, Olympic gold and men's IIHF world gold)

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 17, 2015

By the final horn, Canada had outshot Russia 37-12, spent less time in the penalty box and dominated nearly every aspect of the game. Given the history between the two countries, Canada's outright strong-arming has to go down as one of the biggest shockers of the entire tournament.

With its full complement of stars in the field, it'll be interesting to see whether this win will spark a rejuvenation of Canadian dominance on the world championship stage.   

Some of the best junior hockey talent in Canada descended upon Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, for the 2015 Royal Bank Cup.

The preliminary stage of the tournament kicked off with the Portage Terriers and Carleton Place Canadians both picked up victories. Preliminary play stretched through Thursday with the semifinals beginning Saturday, and the final featured Portage defeating Carleton Place 5-2.

Here's a look at the complete schedule for the RBC Cup and how those games impacted the round-robin standings.

Team	GP	W	L	OTW	OTL	PTS
Penticton Vees	4	3	1	0	0	9
Portage Terriers	4	3	1	0	0	9
Carleton Place Canadians	4	2	1	0	1	7
Melfort Dragons	4	1	2	1	0	5
Soo Thunderbirds	4	0	4	0	0	0

Game	Round	Date	Away	Home	Score
1	Preliminary	May 9	Penticton Vees	Portage Terriers	2-3
2	Preliminary	May 9	Soo Thunderbirds	Carleton Place Canadians	0-4
3	Preliminary	May 10	Melfort Mustangs	Penticton Vees	0-4
4	Preliminary	May 10	Portage Terriers	Carleton Place Canadians	0-3
5	Preliminary	May 11	Melfort Mustangs	Soo Thunderbirds	5-3
6	Preliminary	May 12	Carleton Place Canadians	Penticton Vees	3-4
7	Preliminary	May 12	Soo Thunderbirds	Portage Terriers	2-7
8	Preliminary	May 13	Carleton Place Canadians	Melfort Mustangs	3-4 (OT)
9	Preliminary	May 14	Penticton Vees	Soo Thunderbirds	5-2
10	Preliminary	May 14	Portage Terriers	Melfort Mustangs	3-2
11	Semifinal	May 16	Carleton Place Canadians	Penticton Vees	2-1 (2OT)
12	Semifinal	May 16	Melfort Mustangs	Portage Terriers	1-6
13	Championship	May 17	Carleton Place Canadians	Portage Terriers	2-5

May 17 Recap

Off a thrilling double-overtime victory over Penticton, the Carleton Place Canadians didn't have much steam left to carry into the RBC Cup championship game against Portage.

The Terriers were the last team standing, exploding for three goals in the final period to secure a 5-2 victory. MJHL Hockey highlighted how unique and historic Portage's title is:

The @PtgTerriersMJHL become the first MJHL team to win the @HC_RBCCup since 1974! 5-2 is the final score! pic.twitter.com/43MhjCV3ya

— MJHL (@mjhlhockey) May 18, 2015

Grant Valiquette got Portage on the board first, scoring with just under six minutes remaining before the first intermission.

Davis Ross then lit the lamp again for the Terriers at 2:42 in the second. Although Carleton Place bounced back with a goal from Alex Robinson (12:47) to cut the lead in half, two costly penalties by the Canadians allowed Portage to put it away.

Portage capitalized on two different power plays, getting goals from Jordyn Boyd and Brad Bowles. In a desperate effort to rally, Carleton Place pulled goaltender Guillaume Therien, only to see Sean Bowles—who assisted on two other goals—put the puck in the empty net with 2:59 left in the game to add insult to injury.

The Winnipeg Jets sent out support to their fellow provincial club:

Congratulations to the @PtgTerriersMJHL of @mjhlhockey on winning the 2015 @HC_RBCCup tonight!

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) May 18, 2015

This loss will be especially tough for Carleton Place to digest. The team lost in overtime in last year's RBC Cup finale and had a lot of players returning for another deep run. Now that nucleus has suffered heartbreak two years in a row, which will make it hard for the team to thrive in the near future.

The deck was also stacked against the Canadians to a degree. Portage was fortunate to be able to host the championship, yet it also had to earn the right to do so at PCU Centre. 

What a win in this tournament does for the confidence of all the young, promising players involved is invaluable. Perhaps the members of Carleton Place can use it as a rallying point to drive their success later on.

May 16 Recap

Four teams battled it out Saturday for the chance to advance to the RBC Cup title game, and in the end it was the Carleton Place Canadians and Portage Terriers who punched their tickets for Sunday night's championship matchup.

Carleton Place entered its semifinal clash with Penticton Vees as slight underdogs since the Vees went 3-1 during the preliminary round. 

Penticton took the lead in the second period as Tyson Jost netted an even-strength goal, but Carleton Place managed to equalize late in the period by virtue of Stephen Baylis' marker. After a scoreless third frame, the teams would have to go to overtime.

One overtime wasn't enough to settle it, though, which led to a second extra session. According to the RBC Cup's official Twitter account, that marked the longest semifinal game in the tournament in eight years:

https://twitter.com/HC_RBCCup/status/599697411741614080

It didn't take long for a deciding goal to be scored in the second overtime as Jordan Larson found the back of the net for the Canadians less than four minutes into the period. That sent Carleton Place to the final one year after falling to the Yorkton Terriers in the championship game.

Per the RBC Cup, it had been 17 years since a runner-up had returned to the final before Carleton Place accomplished the feat Saturday:

https://twitter.com/HC_RBCCup/status/599713693182529537

The Canadians will look to atone for that loss Sunday, and head coach Jason Clarke seems confident due to the fact that he has a veteran-laden team, according to Matthew Hermiz of The Graphic:

"We didn't panic during overtime at all ... when you've got 11 guys that have played here before you're going to have that experience," Clarke said. "And that experience is exactly what got us on top. When that puck went in it was very, very gratifying for our team."

Bouncing back to win the 2015 RBC Cup title won't be easy for Carleton Place, though, as it will have to deal with a strong Portage squad.

The Terriers went 3-1 during the round robin, and they used that momentum to easily dispatch of the Melfort Mustangs by a 6-1 score in the second semifinal.

There is little doubt that the Terriers were aided by playing in front of their hometown fans in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada, and that is something Carleton Place will have to find a way to overcome in the RBC Cup final.

Melfort simply couldn't as it was thoroughly outplayed by the home team. The Mustangs were out-shot 30-13 as goalie Richard Palmer was peppered throughout. Jordyn Boyd led the way for Portage with a pair of goals, and he figures to be a key player for the Terriers as they search for their first ever RBC Cup.

Thanks to the dynamic of Carleton Place looking for retribution and Portage having the home-ice advantage, the 2015 RBC Cup final could be one of the best in recent memory.

May 14 Recap

The semifinals at the 2015 RBC Cup are set. Following strong showings in their final preliminary games, the Penticton Vees and Portage Terriers sent a message to their opponents and advanced with flying colors.

Penticton turned in a dominant 5-2 triumph over the Soo Thunderbirds, who finished round-robin play without a victory. Patrick Newell scored two goals and added a pair of assists to be the game's top star, helping thrust the Vees into the RBC Cup's top overall seed. Newell's two goals both came in the second period, as Penticton raced out to a 3-0 lead before Soo could get on the board.

Demico Hannoun added three assists, and Steen Cooper had a goal and an assist. Dakota Conroy and Tyson Jost rounded out the scoring for Penticton. Goalie Hunter Miska stopped 20 of the 22 shots that went his way. The Vees dropped only one game in the preliminary round and move on to face the Carleton Place Canadians.

On the other side, Brett Jeffries was responsible for both Soo goals. 

In the day's other matchup, Portage got three first-period goals and rode them the rest of the way for a 3-2 win over the Melfort Mustangs. Brad Bowles finished with one goal and one assist, while Zack Waldvogel was the team's high scorer, assisting on all three goals. Shawn Bowles and London Peel were responsible for Portage's two other goals.

Cole Hyrsky spearheaded Melfort's comeback bid with a goal and an assist. Travis Mayan was responsible for the team's other score.

Portage and Melfort will meet again in Saturday's semifinal. The Mustangs will undoubtedly hope their 2-0 win in the second and third period carries over.

May 13 Recap

The only game on the schedule for Wednesday's RBC Cup action supplied plenty of entertainment, as the Melfort Mustangs defeated the Carleton Place Canadians 4-3 in the first overtime affair of the tournament.

Cole Hyrsky assisted on Adam Fauchoux's equalizer with just over four minutes left in the third period, proceeding then to light the lamp for the game-winner at the 5:36 mark in overtime. 

It was a gutsy effort by Carleton Place. Despite being out-shot 50-27, the Canadians hung tough and got a tremendous effort from goaltender Guillaume Therien. His play between the pipes almost allowed Carleton Place to escape with a third win in four games in regulation. Melfort's relentless attack didn't relent, though.

Since falling to Penticton Vees by a score of 4-0 in the opener, these Mustangs have really picked up the slack by netting nine goals in their two wins since. That response to adversity bodes well the rest of the way.

The Portage Terriers are up next for Melfort. Although Portage lost 3-0 to Carleton Place in its tournament opener, it has rebounded well from its own shutout loss to start, exploding for seven goals in Tuesday's win over the Soo Thunderbirds.

It will be interesting to see how Melfort responds with a quick turnaround to Thursday's showdown with Portage. At least Carleton Place can take solace in the fact that it still secured a point and will play in the semifinals on Saturday.

May 12 Recap

Tuesday was a good day for the Penticton Vees and Portage Terriers, as both came away with wins at the 2015 RBC Cup.

Penticton came back from a 2-1 deficit after the first period to earn a 4-3 triumph over the Carleton Place Canadians, scoring three straight goals in the second and third periods. Steen Cooper had one goal and one assist, while Dante Fabbro turned in two assists to lead the way. Each of Penticton's four goals were scored by a different player.

The defense also came up with a number of strong stops, as Hunter Miska was forced to see only 18 shots. He stopped just enough with 15, overcoming a shaky first period to hold onto the lead late.

Andy Sturtz was the best player on the ice for Carleton Place, scoring a goal and adding an assist. Five different Canadians were credited with at least one point.

In the day's other matchup, Portage was dominant from the outset in a 7-2 romp over the Soo Thunderbirds. Brad Bowles had a hat trick and added an assist to be the game's top star, while four other players added a goal in the dominant showing.

Portage peppered Soo goaltender Mario Culina for 30 shots while forcing their own netminder, Zac Robidoux, to see just 17. Soo got goals from Eric Hillock and Anthony Miller in what was otherwise an embarrassing loss. 

May 11 Recap

The Melfort Mustangs did most of their heavy lifting in the first period against the Soo Thunderbirds on the way to a 5-3 victory Monday night. The final score was closer than the actual game, although the Thunderbirds did make things somewhat interesting down the stretch.

Adam Fauchoux scored the first goal in the first period, and Regan Wilton and Eric Young followed with two more for Melfort. All three goals came within two minutes of each other, and it inspired Soo to pull goaltender Brian Kment in favor of Mario Culina.

Culina was much more effective and allowed two goals on 22 shots compared to the three Kment gave up in 10 shots.

Melfort wasted little time pouring it on in the second period when Travis Mayan scored less than two minutes after the first intermission. The game appeared to be over, even after Soo scored a few minutes later. Dexter Bricker added another goal for the Mustangs to push the overwhelming lead to 5-1 after two periods.

The Thunderbirds did score twice in the final frame, but they also only shot the puck four times in those last 20 minutes. The efficiency was impressive, but there was little chance they would complete a four-goal comeback without mustering up a few more quality looks at the back of the net.

Melfort picked up its first win of the tournament and now sits in a three-way tie for second place with the Penticton Vees and Portage Terriers. The next couple of games are critical in terms of creating separation in the standings.

As for Soo, it is looking up at every other team in the tournament at 0-2 and needs to turn things around quickly, otherwise it will be a disappointing early exit.

May 10 Recap

Both games on Sunday were rather one-sided, featuring a combined score of 7-0. The Penticton Vees easily dispatched the Melfort Mustangs 4-0, and the Canadians followed up with a 3-0 win over the Terriers.

On Saturday, Guillaume Therien pitched a shutout for the Canadians as they dominated the Soo Thunderbirds in a 4-0 win. On Sunday, Therien was up to his old tricks, saving all 13 shots from the Terriers.

According to Andrew Foote of the Central Canada Hockey League, it's the first time Therien recorded back-to-back shutouts since joining Carleton Place:

First back-to-back shutouts for Guillaume Therien in his @CPCANADIANS career. #RBCCup #CCHL

— Andrew Foote (@afooteCCHL) May 11, 2015

Therien deflected credit for his performance after the game.

"They're thinking defense before offense and I think that's what's making us successful," he said of his teammates, per Matthew Hermiz of the Portage Daily Graphic. "I just have to make one save and they get all the rebounds. If you play defense first you're going to win championships. That's how it's gotta be done."

Owen Stewart, Stephen Baylis and Bryce Van Horn were responsible for the goals. Stewart gave the Canadians a 1-0 lead in the second period, while Baylis and Van Horn provided insurance in the third.

The Terriers could arguably consider themselves lucky they only lost by three goals. The Canadians had 10 power-play opportunities and failed to convert any of them. Portage's penalty kill was on point, but it never should have allowed Carleton Place to have that many chances with a man advantage.

The Canadians are the only team that remains unbeaten through two days.

Earlier in the day, the Vees rebounded well from their opening-night loss to Portage. They turned around the next day and outshot the Mustangs 30-17. Penticton jumped on Melfort early, going ahead 2-0 in the first period and never letting up from there.

Matthew Serratore opened the scoring and was followed by Jack Ramsey. Connor Chartier scored a power-play goal in the second period, and Tyson Jost firmly put the game out of reach with his third-period tally.

Vees broadcaster Fraser Rodgers felt the team built a lot of momentum as it takes a break Monday:

That's a great way to go into their off-day. #Vees with a really strong 60-minutes in a 4-0 win over @SJHL_Mustangs. Now 1-1 @HC_RBCCup

— Fraser Rodgers (@Fraser_Vees) May 10, 2015

"We've had a tendency of being able to come back after a loss all season long," said Penticton coach Fred Harbinson, per Hermiz. "Our guys followed the game plan well and part of it was trying to put pressure on Melfort's (defense)."

The win put the Vees second in the standings, while the Mustangs are anchored at the bottom. With a lot of time still left in the tournament, Penticton shouldn't start looking ahead to the semifinals, while Melfort shouldn't prepare for its eventual exit. 

The International Ice Hockey Federation's World Championships are held every year to determine the dominant hockey-playing nation in the world, and the 2015 edition could be one of the best in recent memory due to the star power involved.

Although the World Hockey Championships can be limited at times since the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs restrict the available player pool, several elite superstars are poised to take part in the tournament. Add in top players from other high-level leagues across the world, and it is easy to see why the World Hockey Championships are gaining in terms of popularity and importance.

With preliminary group play set to begin Friday, here is a rundown of everything you need to know in order to enjoy the 2015 World Hockey Championships, along with predictions for who will take home the medals.

Where: Prague, Czech Republic and Ostrava, Czech Republic

When: Friday, May 1 through Sunday, May 17

Watch: NBC Sports Network (Every Team USA game will be broadcast live or on tape delay)

Groups

Group Rank	Team	Abbreviation
1	Sweden	SWE
2	Canada	CAN
3	Czech Republic	CZE
4	Switzerland	SUI
5	Latvia	LAT
6	France	FRA
7	Germany	GER
8	Austria	AUT

Group Rank	Team	Abbreviation
1	Finland	FIN
2	Russia	RUS
3	USA	USA
4	Slovakia	SVK
5	Norway	NOR
6	Belarus	BLR
7	Slovenia	SLO
8	Denmark	DEN

Round-by-Round Schedule

Round	Date	Time (ET)
Preliminary	Friday, May 1 - Tuesday, May 12	Varies
Quarterfinals	Thursday, May 14	9:15 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m.
Semifinals	Saturday, May 16	9:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m.
Bronze Medal Game	Sunday, May 17	10:15 a.m.
Gold Medal Game	Sunday, May 17	2:45 p.m.

*Check out the full schedule at IIHFWorlds2015.com.

Medal Predictions

Gold: Canada

Despite its status as the dominant hockey nation in the world and two-time defending Olympic gold medalists, Canada has not enjoyed much success at the World Championships over the past several years.

In fact, the Canadians haven't won a medal since taking silver in 2009, which is a remarkable drought considering their talent level. Canada doesn't always bring its best players to the tourney, but it should still be good enough to medal on a yearly basis.

It seems as though Canadian players may be a bit fed up with Canada's struggles since 2009, however, as the 2015 roster is stacked with top-flight talent. That includes Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby, who decided to make the trip after the Pens were ousted in the first round of the playoffs.

Crosby hasn't had many chances to play in the World Championships since Pittsburgh usually lasts much deeper into the postseason, but he is excited to be a part of the team this year, according to ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun:

"Any time you can represent Canada, it's an honor," Crosby said. "I looked at the roster Hockey Canada has put together, and I'm excited about the opportunity we have to win gold."

While the team as a whole is excellent, Crosby may have some individual motives for being there as well. Per Chris Johnston, Sid the Kid is looking for gold in the World Championships to go along with his gold medals in the Olympics and World Junior Championships:

Good for Sidney Crosby for joining Team Canada at the world championship. He's a gold medal short of joining the triple gold club.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) April 26, 2015

He won't have to do it all on his own, though, as he will be joined by a cavalcade of gifted players. Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin, Philadelphia Flyers center Claude Giroux and Edmonton Oilers youngster Taylor Hall are just a few of the players who will be joining No. 87.

As seen in this listing of line combinations, courtesy of HockeyBuzz.com's Julie Robenhymer, the Canadians shouldn't struggle to score goals:

Spezza-Crosby-O'Reilly Seguin-Giroux-Ennis Couturier-Schenn-Toffoli Duchene-MacKinnon-Eberle-Hall #TeamCanada #fwds #Practice #2015Worlds

— Julie Robenhymer (@JulieRobenhymer) April 28, 2015

They'll certainly have more question marks on defense and especially in goal where Mike Smith of the Arizona Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings netminder Martin Jones will man the crease.

That may not be an ideal goaltending situation, but with so much firepower up front, Canada will manage to win its first World Championships gold medal since 2007.

Silver: Russia

In many ways, Russia may be the anti-Canada as it relates to international play. The Russians have fallen well short of Olympic expectations, but with four gold medals over the last seven years in the World Hockey Championships, this is their kind of tournament.

Russia won gold last year fairly close to home in Belarus, and it has a great chance to repeat that feat. As strong as Canada is at forward, it can be argued that the Russians are even better. They will be led by a pair of NHL stars in Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin and St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko, as well as former Atlanta Thrashers and New Jersey Devils star Ilya Kovalchuk.

According to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, though, Malkin won't be playing at full health:

GMJR said Malkin said yesterday he will play for Russia in worlds and "play it by ear." He'll play "not at 100 percent."

— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) April 28, 2015

Even at less than 100 percent, however, Malkin is one of the best players in the world.

In addition to the fantastic forwards Russia boasts, it is also solid in goal. Columbus Blue Jackets stopper Sergei Bobrovsky will guard the net, and it wouldn't be surprising to see the 2013 Vezina Trophy winner get hot and lead the Russians all the way through the tournament.

Like Canada, though, there is some uncertainty regarding Russia's defense. It will be anchored by Dmitry Kulikov of the Florida Panthers with most of the other options coming from the KHL.

The larger, international ice means that scoring is of the utmost importance, which is why Russia should at least be able to make it to the Gold Medal Game. When push comes to shove, though, their lack of stability on the blue line prevent the Russians from beating Canada.

Bronze: USA

With just one medal to its credit over the past 10 World Championships, the United States hasn't enjoyed much luck in this tournament. Because of that and a quick look at the 2015 version of Team USA it would be easy to dismiss their chances, but that may not be a very wise move.

There is no question that the Americans are lacking in terms of star power, but they still have some solid pieces in place. Chief among them is Boston University center Jack Eichel, who is expected to be the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft by the Buffalo Sabres.

Eichel enjoyed one of the greatest freshman season in NCAA hockey history, and he has every intention of being a major factor for the Americans in the Czech Republic, according to Mike Halford of ProHockeyTalk:

Eichel said he's been told by USA Hockey to not alter his game & is expected 'to make an impact" at World Championships.

— Mike Halford (@MikeHalford604) April 19, 2015

Despite Eichel's lack of NHL experience, he is among the surest things up front for Team USA. Aside from him, there are plenty of wild cards. That includes fellow, high-scoring NCAA forwards in Jimmy Vesey and Dylan Larkin of Harvard and Michigan respectively.

Also, Steve Moses, who led the KHL in goal scoring and will play for the Nashville Predators next season, has a chance to add some offensive explosiveness to the lineup.

Where the Americans truly shine unlike many of their competitors, though, is along the blue line. Olympian and Carolina Hurricanes star Justin Faulk heads up the defense with Torey Krug of the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs rearguard Jake Gardiner adding some two-way acumen.

Also, Team USA added Seth Jones of the Predators, who is coming off a great showing in the first round of the playoffs, per Chris Peters of CBS Sports:

USA Hockey has added Seth Jones to the World Championship roster. Big boost for D after how he played in playoffs.

— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) April 27, 2015

The defense will have to be stout since the United States has an unstable goalie situation. Connor Hellebuyck of the St. John's IceCaps was a 2015 AHL All Star, while Yale's Alex Lyon was one of the NCAA's top netminders.

Even so, their experience against top-level talent is limited, so they could struggle. If one of them is able to establish themselves as the clear-cut starter and play respectable hockey, though, the Americans have the talent and youthful exuberance needed to nab a surprising bronze medal.

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Defending Rabobank Hockey World Cup holders Australia have returned to the final and will face the Netherlands. Both nations enjoyed contrasting semi-finals.

The Dutch survived a gruelling affair, thanks to a solitary goal that beat a resolute England team. Meanwhile, the Hockeyroos outlasted a talented Argentina squad, eventually winning, 5-1.

The Australians produced a powerful display of attacking quality with some familiar names dominating on the day.

Here are some keys for victory for both teams ahead of the final.

Jaap Stockmann's Form in Goal

It was all about defensive solidity for the Netherlands. That will be a major key against the rampant Australians. Jaap Stockmann will be a vital figure in the Netherlands' attempts to frustrate the Hockeyroos.

He was aided by a stout defensive showing against the English in the semi-finals. The Dutch swarmed high up the field.

That meant Stockmann wasn't exposed too often, as The Times Of India highlighted:

England were constantly under pressure from the Dutch strikers, but managed to build some raids into the rival circle. 

Dutch custodian Jaap Stockmann, however, was not unduly troubled by the English shots at the goal.

But Stockmann won't have such a comfortable ride against the Australians. The defending champions are bold and expressive going forward.

Netherlands coach Paul van Ass credited the Hockeyroos with playing an expansive game, and he was quoted as saying that he would rather play them. "I would prefer it to be Australia," said van Ass, via the International Hockey Federation website. 

Van Ass may be welcoming an open match, but he'll still need Stockmann to be at his best to help limit Australia's ample scoring potential.

Netherlands Must Return to its Attacking Game

Of course, the Dutch are equally capable of attacking with verve and style. Unfortunately, England rarely gave them the chance to show it, stifling the Netherlands' natural attacking instincts.

Van Ass was not impressed by the claustrophobic nature of the semi-final, per FIH.ch: "They gave us the midfield, and I understand why. But I like to play more attacking hockey, and when it is like that, we can always concede a goal."

If Van Ass wants a return to his team's forward-thinking style, he'll need players such as Mink van der Weerden and Rogier Hoffman on top form.

Jeremy Hayward Must Deliver

Jeremy Hayward was in match-winning mood in the semi-final demolition of Argentina. He's skilled and dangerous and has so far delivered in the big matches.

But it won't all be about Hayward in the final. Kieran Groves is certainly not shot-shy. His confidence, allied with the acceleration of Hayward, forms Australia's primary means of scoring.

If players like Jacob Whetton can also pull the Netherlands across the field, the Dutch will struggle to cope with Australia's forward proficiency, even on home soil. 

The Netherlands boast home advantage, along with a willingness to break forward in numbers. However, Van Ass might regret being too progressive against the kookaburras.

Australia simply possess too many potent weapons. The Hayward-led attack can propel them to a second-straight final victory.

After a wild road to the 2014 IIHF World Hockey Championship, it was Team Russia that defeated Team Finland by a score of 5-2 to win the title at Minsk Arena on Sunday.  

The first goal of the game was scored by Sergei Shirokov on the power play and put Russia up 1-0 early. With just three seconds left in the period, Iiro Pakarinen evened the score with an even-strength goal for Finland.

In the second period, Team Finland took the lead on a power play goal from Olli Palola, but Team Russia wasted little time bouncing back on the even-strength goal from Alexander Ovechkin. The Russians also added a third goal when Evgeni Malkin lit the lamp late in the period.

Danis Zaripov added another power play goal for Team Russia early in the third period and Viktor Tikhonov added the third power play goal of the game for the eventual winners.

Playoff Bracket

*Bracket via IIHFWorlds2014.com.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkCKZGwi01k

Team Russia came into Sunday’s final matchup as the best team in the tournament. Even with an injury to Alexander Ovechkin that forced him to miss a game, the Russians went unbeaten in the group stage and finished with an astounding goal differential of +26.

After dominating the group stage—including a 4-2 victory over Finland—Russia handled France, 3-0, in the quarterfinals. Russian netminder Sergei Bobrovsky looked incredible during the tournament, racking up a save percentage of .955, a goals-against average of 1.00 and two shutouts coming into the final.

Group A
Team	Wins	OT Wins	OT Losses	Losses	Goal Differential	Points
Group B
Team	Wins	OT Wins	OT Losses	Losses	Goal Differential	Points
Canada	5	1	1	0	+15	18
Sweden	5	1	1	0	+11	18
Czech Republic	2	2	2	1	+2	12
France	2	2	1	2	+5	11
Slovakia	3	0	1	3	-1	10
Norway	2	0	1	4	-3	7
Denmark	1	1	0	5	-10	5
Italy	1	0	0	6	-19	3
Russia	7	0	0	0	+24	21
United States	4	1	0	2	+4	14
Belarus	4	0	0	3	+1	12
Finland	3	1	0	3	+3	11
Switzerland	3	0	1	3	-2	10
Latvia	3	0	0	4	-4	9
Germany	1	1	0	5	-10	5
Kazakhstan	0	0	2	5	-16	2

The offense for Russia was the key in the 3-1 semifinal victory over Sweden, and it was the success of Sergei Plotnikov, Viktor Tikhonov and Ovechkin throughout the tournament that helped the team play as well as it did.

The three players combined for 37 points in the first nine games of the tournament.

While Team Finland’s run to the final was unorthodox, the team was disappointed by their effort and should be looking for redemption after taking two losses to Russia in the tournament.

Before the final matchup, Nashville Predators star and Finnish goaltender Pekka Rinne told NHL.com, “I'm really excited with the opportunity and what we've accomplished so far. Let's see what happens tomorrow.”

Finland beat Switzerland out for the final playoff position after struggling to find any consistency during the group stage. When the elimination games began, though, Team Finland stunned Canada in the quarterfinals, 3-2, and beat a red-hot Czech Republic team in the semifinals, 3-0.

Led by Rinne in net and the combination of Jori Lehtera and Petri Kontiola setting the pace in the offensive zone, the Finnish team proved it deserved to make it to the final after running through some of the toughest competition in the tournament.

After an incredible IIHF World Championship that featured an exciting group stage and an even more enthralling playoff bracket, hockey fans will remember this as a great distraction during the NHL playoffs.

While many of the top stars in the sport were not involved in this tournament, it was a great showcase of the talent starting to make their mark on the NHL or impacting the sport in other countries.

*Stats via IIHF.com.

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There’s cool, and then there’s “no-look stick-pass to your buddy cool.”

These Canadian players in Germany fall into this latter category, as they managed to pull off a simple but exceedingly slick feat in the middle of a recent game.

According to Stephen Douglas of The Big Lead, the two men in on the play were Canadian nationals Kevin Clark and Adam Courchaine. They are teammates on Krefeld Pinguine, a team in the German Deutsche Eishockey Liga. 

The incredibly cool moment occurred after Clark lost hold of his stick following a faceoff.

Seeing an opportunity, Courchaine simply hooked the stick and flipped it back to Clark, who deftly caught it with both hands. All of it happened at game speed, and no, you can’t teach this stuff. 

Here’s a GIF of the assist, courtesy of Barry Petchesky of Deadspin—because you can’t see enough of this kind of smooth operating. These are the instances in sports that deserve to be seen over and over again.

Unfortunately, we won’t be seeing this kind of teamwork in NHL. Throwing sticks (or any other equipment) onto the ice is strictly prohibited by league rules. 

A player who loses a stick can only have it handed back to him. If a player breaks a stick, he has to go back to the bench and receive a new one. No throwing or flipping of the stick is allowed, not matter how extremely cool or B.A. it looks.

While I don’t forecast this rule to change, I will say this—don’t be surprised if you see this move replicated in a hockey movie sometime down the road. If it does happen, you’ll be the first to say, “Actually, that does happen in real life.”

Join me on Twitter for more sports news. 

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The Swedish national team beat the Russian squad, 2-1, in the 2014 World Junior Championship Semifinal on Saturday, Jan. 4, to advance to the gold-medal game, but the win was marred by a subsequent on-ice brawl.

With fighting not allowed in this tournament or in international hockey whatsoever, the postgame fight could cost the Swedish team dearly as it prepares for the final matchup against Finland.   

Emotions were running high in this elimination game and tempers were flaring as the final horn sounded, but the situation got out of control when Swedish defenseman Jesper Pettersson (No. 6) left the penalty box and began throwing punches at Russian defender Andrei Mironov (No. 22).

Pettersson had been issued a slashing minor with 30 seconds remaining in the game. After seeing the fight taking place along the boards, the Swedish star left the penalty box and skated out of his way to attack Mironov from behind.

*GIF via @PeteBlackburn

Both men exchanged punches, but it was clearly Pettersson that instigated the fight.

According to Adam Steiss of the tournament’s official website, the IIHF Disciplinary Panel has issued Pettersson a one-game suspension for his actions. With only one game left on the schedule—the gold-medal matchup against Finland—the young defender has hurt his team’s chances of winning a world championship this season.

Both players were issued coincidental minors for roughing on the play, but the IIHF reserves the right to review any conduct viewed as detrimental to the event’s reputation.

The governing body’s swift action sends a clear message to the rest of the players across the world that this type of action will not be tolerated.

Hockey is a physical game that provides ample opportunities for emotions to get out of hand, but the players must do a better job controlling themselves. If Pettersson’s actions and his subsequent suspension cost Sweden a gold medal, the team will have no one to blame but itself.  

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There are two ways to carry yourself after a big win.

You can hold your head high and acknowledge the efforts of the vanquished, or you can taunt the other team like middle school kids gesturing through a school bus window.

Members of the Russian team took the lower, more demonstrative road after bouncing the U.S. from the World Junior Championships Thursday morning.

According to Pete Blackburn of Next Impulse Sports (h/t Travis Hughes, SB Nation), Russia's junior squad bested the reigning champs 5-3 in the quarterfinal round of the tournament.

The Americans couldn't find a way past Russia's suffocating zone in the second and third periods of the game, and they struggled to find any penetration. The U.S. team pulled its goalie in the third, and a muffed puck by Boston University's Matt Grzelcyk led to the coup de grace—an easy, open-net goal by Russia's Pavel Buchnevich. 

After scoring, Buchnevich skated past the U.S. bench and taunted the Americans before catching a stick to the face, courtesy of Chicago Blackhawks 2013 draftee Ryan Hartman.

Both players made unfortunate choices in this classless scenario, but the low-brow behavior ratcheted up to a new high when a member of Team Russia's staff began gesturing toward the U.S. bench.

Instead of trotting out the old, “You stay classy, Frozen Police State” line, it's best we all just shake our heads and put this behind us.

The Cold War is dead, and both Russia and America have bigger concerns than junior hockey gamesmanship.

We have a national debt situation to worry about, while they have a raging Pussy Riot to quell. In the meantime, let's try to make nice and be civil.

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