International Hockey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9Qx3M7HrGE

A wise man once said, “Momma don’t take no mess.” Well, neither do Swedish hockey refs, it would appear.

A fight at a hockey game in Sweden was threatening to turn into a bench-clearing war before officials waded into the fray and began laying down their own special brand of martial law.

The ridiculous incident was spotted by Redditor @Combzy89 (h/t Ramin Rezvani of Next Impulse Sports), and ended with one player being choked out and scolded like a school boy.

GIF via Next Impulse Sports

The game in question was a Swedish Hockey League match between Vaxjo and Farjestad, and the fight began as a minor spat, which slowly grew into a fracas and threatened to reach “brouhaha” levels.

The fight began near center ice after two players became entangled. Slowly and methodically, the dustup gravitated toward the benches and turned into a close-quarters grappling match.

Referees responded almost immediately to the fisticuffs, unwilling to let the boys sort things out for themselves. Every official available entered the jersey-pulling mix-up, and it wasn’t long before a hilarious and incredibly dumb moment occurred.

In the confusion of the crush, Farjestad winger Marius Holtet grabbed Referee No. 6 and took him to the ground, presumably believing he was grappling with a member of Vaxjo.

Little did Holtet know, but he had just grabbed hold of Robo Ref—a hockey official who will grip you by the gizzard and make you squeal for leniency.

Realizing he had the wrong guy, Holtet released Referee No. 6 and began patting him on the back as if to say “Oh, sorry about that, old boy. You know how these hoodangs go.”

Referee No. 6 didn’t care for being tackled, however, and grabbed Holtet in a front-choke hold and dragged him onto the open ice. Feeling his supply of delicious oxygen fading away, the hockey player frantically began tapping out of the contest.

Screenshot via @SportsNewsNow

The referee eventually relented, and that, my friends, is when the mighty index finger of judgement rained down.

Screenshot via @SportsNewsNow

Learn your lesson, sonny boy. You don’t pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger, and you don’t mess around with refs.


I made the Swedish hockey players sound British because it’s funnier that way.

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In a season where the Minnesota Golden Gophers have grabbed all the headlines, Brianne Jenner has quietly assembled a remarkable campaign. With 50 points in 21 games, Jenner is one of the elite forwards in the NCAA. The native of Oakville, Ontario is looking to make Cornell’s Frozen Four title dreams come true.

Among the Canadian born NCAA stars, Jenner is emerging as the finest of the group. With a group that boasts such remarkable Canadian talent like Erin Ambrose, Christine Bestland, Laura Fortino, Marie-Philip Poulin, Jamie Lee Rattray and Jillian Saulnier, Jenner led these remarkable Canadians to the gold medal at the 2013 Meco Cup.

Named ECAC Player of the Month for January 2013, Jenner continues to solidify her legacy as one of the program’s greatest players. Only twice this season has Jenner been held scoreless (November 24 at Harvard, and November 30 at Clarkson). Currently, she holds an 11 game point scoring streak.

In only eight games (January 12-29, 2013), Jenner’s January was one to remember. She accumulated 12 goals and 11 assists for an astounding 23 points. Her stellar play led Cornell to a 7-1-0 mark in the month as they climbed to second in the ECAC standings.

In only one game (a January 13 road contest versus Boston College) she was held to less than two points. Statistically, her highest output was a five point night (three goals, two assists) versus the Syracuse Orange on January 15.

Her greatest performance may have come on January 29, when she scored twice in a historic win for Cornell. With a 4-0 blanking of Mercyhurst, Cornell coach Doug Derraugh broke the program record for career wins.

Jenner followed it up with an eye opening six point performance on February 1. For many hockey fans, this was more than another superlative contest for Jenner. Her five goals and one assist against the Union Dutchwomen was an inspiring performance.

In a game that recognized the Do It for Daron Foundation (honoring the late Daron Richardson, sister of Big Red teammate Morgan Richardson), her performance gave a message of encouragement.

Her spirit for the game is unquestioned. This season, she has already surpassed her NCAA career high for goals with 26 (in only 21 games). In addition, she has already tied her career high for game winning goals with five. Her 2.38 points per game is third overall in the NCAA, respectively.

She will be the key for Cornell’s aspirations in reaching a fourth consecutive Frozen Four. Should Cornell and Minnesota meet in the 2013 Frozen Four, Jenner (along with teammates Jillian Saulnier and Laura Fortino) may prove to be the Golden Gophers’ biggest test.

As Minnesota players Hannah Brandt, Amanda Kessel and Noora Raty are all emerging as front runners for the Patty Kazmaier Award, Jenner’s career year may lead to her being overlooked for the award. An opportunity to upset the Gophers in the postseason may be more valuable than any award for the remarkable Jenner.

Once her Big Red career reaches its end, she is poised to become one of next generation of superstars in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League.

Eligible for the 2014 CWHL Draft (although her eligibility may be pushed back one year if she plays at Sochi 2014), Jenner may be the final piece for a franchise looking to claim the Clarkson Cup.

Before the CWHL can come calling, Jenner is also a member of the Canadian national women’s team.

Gearing for an opportunity to compete at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, she is the embodiment of the dedication and perseverance of the great Canadian players that came before her. As the future of Hockey Canada, the 2013 IIHF Women’s World Championships (being held in Ottawa) may be Jenner’s coming out party.

Go, Johnny, go.

Small wonder that the U.S. National Junior Team has been rolling ever since diminutive forward Johnny Gaudreau got untracked offensively.

After going scoreless in the first three games of the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia, the New Jersey native and Boston College sophomore has struck for seven goals and two assists in the last three games as the U.S. has rolled to a berth in the gold–medal game on Saturday against defending WJC champion Sweden.

Gaudreau, who led Dubuque to a United States Hockey League title in 2010-11 and BC to last year’s NCAA title, has been practically unstoppable since the U.S. needed to start winning to stay alive.

Following a preliminary round win over Germany and one-goal losses to Russia and Canada in which he didn’t register a point, the small but speedy winger scored two goals in a 9-3 win over Slovakia to close out the first round.

He then opened the quarterfinals by notching a hat trick in a 7-0 whitewash of the Czech Republic, and added two more goals in yesterday’s 5-1 conquest of Canada, both coming on high shots. The first came following a nifty toe-drag of the puck that got him around a defenseman and the second was an insurance marker on a breakaway that came with less than five minutes remaining in regulation.

“It’s sort of like in Miracle (in 1980) when the Americans beat the Russians in the semifinal and still had to win another game to win the gold,” said Gaudreau in the Camden Courier-Post of the U.S.’s remaining mission. “We beat Canada, and it’s exciting, but we have one more game to play.”

The 5’6”, 141-pound native of Carney’s Point, N.J., who burst onto the public hockey consciousness last spring with his spectacular backhand-to-the-far-side goal that clinched the 2012 national title game against Ferris State, has Calgary Flames’ fans salivating about the fourth-round draft choice from 2011.

Gaudreau already has 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points in 14 games so far this season for BC, after recording 36 goals and 72 points in Dubuque, and 44 points last season as a freshman with the Eagles. He’ll surely look good in a Flames uniform one day—if the NHL ever gets back to actually playing, that is.

Before heading back to BC, he’s hoping to bring back America’s first WJC gold medal since 2010.

His recent production has certainly given his teammates hope.

“It’s a fantastic thing when one of your top six forwards is producing like that,” said U.S. captain Jake McCabe.

Johnny be good.

Only two teams remain at the IIHF World Junior Championships in Ufa, Russia. The United States and defending champion Sweden shocked favorites Canada and Russia respectively to earn the two coveted spots in Saturday's gold medal game.

Here's a look at the semifinal matches:

Game 1

USA 5, Canada 1

A confident Team USA thumped the so-called Canadian Dream Team and sent their neighbors from north of the border into mourning. Near unanimous favorites entering the tournament, the Canadians will return from the World Juniors without gold medals for the fourth consecutive year. 

The Americans, on the other hand, seem to have justified Seth Jones' pre-tournament belief that they are the team to beat in Ufa. Now having won their last three games by a combined scored of 21-4, Phil Housley's boys have suddenly become favorites to finish on top in Russia. 

The U.S. looked like a brand new team compared to the squad that lost to Canada 2-1 on December 30. 

Their newfound confidence was evident from the get-go Thursday. After a number of quality early chances, the United States took the lead seven minutes into the first period. Riley Barber's pass from behind the net found captain Jake McCabe in the slot and his shot sailed by helpless Canadian goalie Malcolm Subban who was screened by a mob of skaters. 

Captain America doubled his team's lead nine minutes later. Rocco Grimaldi set up McCabe for a beautiful shot that was once again heavily screen-assisted. 

Canadian coach Steve Spott tried to rally his team during the first intermission, but the Canadians fared no better after the break. They looked sluggish and discombobulated throughout despite coming off an extra day of rest. 

Early in the second, Team USA's John Gaudreau extended his country's lead with his sixth goal in a three-game span. The high-scoring Boston college star was shut out early in the tournament but seemingly regained his confidence with a two-goal effort against Slovakia. Gaudreau netted a hat trick in the USA's 7-0 quarterfinal win over the Czech Republic on Wednesday, and he was constantly threatening in the semis. 

Nearing the midway point in the game, Harvard freshman Jim Vesey dinged a shot into the net off the inside of the post to mark the end of Malcolm Subban's day.

The oft-criticized Subban will be a likely scapegoat for the loss by a Canadian fanbase all too familiar with goaltending meltdowns, but his performance was hardly the cause of Canada's disastrous loss. Subban failed to bail out his teammates' unacceptable play and did not match the spectacular performance from his first battle against the U.S., but he was the least of Canada's problems. 

Backup Jordan Binnington finally got his tournament debut but could not change his team's fate despite a strong outing. 

Unlike Subban, American goalie John Gibson has received nothing but praise for his dominant performance in Ufa. The Anaheim Ducks prospect dazzled in net once again on Thursday making 33 saves. He was unbeatable with the exception of Ty Rattie's dubious third period goal. 

The Canadians only found their way onto the scoreboard with the help of an errant whistle that allowed Rattie to beat a pack of American defenders who had stopped playing. After an official review, the goal stood despite clear evidence of a whistle preceding the goal. 

The American defensive corps led by Jacob Trouba and Seth Jones was excellent throughout the day, muzzling any attempts at a Canadian rally. The quality chances that did sneak through were stonewalled by Gibson. 

As time rapidly slipped away in the third period, Canada failed to muster much of anything. With just four minutes remaining, John Gaudreau took advantage of the frustrated Canadian team to score his seventh goal of the tournament. The so-called "Johnny Hockey" now sits atop the tournament goal-scoring charts and looks to be Team USA's most potent threat. 

Gaudreau's long-awaited arrival as an offensive force has extinguished concerns over an American shortage of scoring depth. He will be a player to watch in the final. 

Canada had hoped that 2013 would shape up like 2005, the last time that an NHL lockout allowed the team to field its very best 19-year-olds. However, the presence of NHL-ready stars Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jonathan Huberdeau, Ryan Strome, Mark Scheifele and Dougie Hamilton was not enough to end Canada's gold medal drought. 

Steve Spott's gang is left with no excuse for their lackluster semifinal performance. Their final three periods in Ufa simply did not match the talent on the roster. Even though hope still remains for a 15th consecutive medal, it is impossible to view Canada's 2013 campaign as anything other than an embarrassing failure. 

The dark-horse Americans proved to be greater than the sum of their parts, receiving contributions from every member of their lineup. Though this victory is far less shocking than the famous Miracle on Ice at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, coach Phil Housley likely channeled the legendary Herb Brooks who coached him to Olympic silver in 2002. 

He compiled a squad full of role players with mountains of heart who came to Russia ready to outwork, out-skate and out-hit more talented competition. 

It certainly helped that he was afforded stars like Jacob Trouba, Seth Jones and Alex Galchenyuk, but this tournament run has required equal contributions from grinders like Cole Bardreau, Ryan Hartman and Blake Pietila. 

If the Americans produce another complete team effort in the gold medal game, they will likely walk away as World Junior Champions. 

Game 2

Sweden 3, Russia 2 (SO)

The second semifinal pitted host country Russia against Sweden in a rematch of the 2012 gold medal game, won by Sweden in a 1-0 overtime thriller. With a shootout victory, Sweden has once again ended Russia's gold medal hopes. 

Despite claiming gold in Canada a year ago, Sweden is a surprising finalist in this year's competition. The Swedes suffered major pre-tournament setbacks, losing three first round picks from their defensive corps due to injury.

The absence of star defenders Jonas Brodin, Oscar Klefbom and Hampus Lindholm was compounded by the Ottawa Senators' decision to withhold forward Mika Zibanejad from the tournament. Selected sixth overall in the 2011 draft, Zibanejad scored the golden goal for Sweden in the 2012 final. 

Despite their depleted lineup, the Swedes were able to knock off a Russian team that was expected to challenge for gold on home ice. Led by 2012 first overall pick Nail Yakupov, Team Russia has suffered a major disappointment as they prepare to face an equally devastated Team Canada in Saturday's bronze medal bout. 

The Russians seemed completely absent in the first period, much like fellow favorites Canada who were blown out by the U.S. several hours earlier. They were credited with just two shots on goal in the first compared to Sweden's 14. Unfortunately for Russia, both those shots struck the outside of the net. 

Meanwhile, Sweden bombarded Russian goalie Andrey Vasilevskiy for the entire 20 minutes. Elias Lindholm gave Sweden the lead with a power play goal six-and-a-half minutes into the game. The potential 2013 first-rounder came across Vasilevskiy's face and slotted the puck through the five hole for his second goal of the tournament. 

Three minutes later, Swedish captain Filip Forsberg doubled the lead on assists from Rasmus Bengtsson and Robert Hagg. 

The Russians finally arrived after the intermission, coming out of the tunnel with a much better effort. Seven-and-a-half minutes into the period Nail Yakupov and Kirill Kapustin set up Andrei Mironov to cut the lead in half. 

In the third period, Mikhail Grigorenko gave the capacity crowd at Ufa Arena what they desperately craved when he knocked a rebound past Swedish goalie Niklas Lundstrom to tie the game at two. 

The Buffalo Sabres prospect has been Russia's best skater throughout the tournament, coming up huge in the clutch on a number of occasions. He assisted on Nikita Kucherov's game-tying goal against Switzerland in the quarterfinals, and Kucherov returned the favor by setting up Grigorenko's crucial strike on Thursday. 

Lundstrom and Vasilevskiy stole the show late in the third, each rejecting a number of attempts to end the game in regulation. 

The goalies held their nerve in overtime, pushing the game into a shootout.

Both teams failed to score in the first two rounds of the shootout, but in round three, Sweden's Sebastian Collberg, who stepped to center ice with three tournament goals on his resume, put his country on the brink with a spectacular goal that left the puck lodged in the top of the netting. 

Russia's Nikita Kucherov, who scored the shootout winner against Switzerland on Wednesday, needed to beat Lundstrom to keep his team alive. Kucherov's attempt asked the question but Lundstrom's answer was a definitive no. 

The Swedish bench erupted, as the nearly eight thousand Russian fans in Ufa Arena settled into the realization that their team's run was over. 

The undefeated Swedes will now look to carry their momentum to gold against the red-hot United States. 

Sweden lost to the USA 3-2 in a pre-tournament game on December 20, with American defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere scoring the overtime winner. Though the teams are somewhat familiar with each other, both have vastly improved over the last two weeks. 

Despite their 5-0 record in Ufa, Sweden will likely find themselves as the underdog in the gold medal game, having failed to match the Americans massive scoring outbursts in the tournament.

Though they have scored nine fewer goals than the United States, Roger Ronnberg's defending champions are not to be underestimated. 

Three Stars

1. John Gibson - USA

John Gibson carried Team USA to a colossal upset victory over rival Canada with 33 saves. He would have pitched his third shutout of the tournament had Canada's Ty Rattie not scored after a whistle. Monster saves denying the likes of Ryan Strome and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins gave Team USA the necessary confidence to control every facet of the game. 

2. Andrey Vasilevskiy - Russia

Even in a losing effort, Andrey Vasilevskiy was the best player on the ice in Thursday's second semifinal. Vasilevskiy made 38 saves to keep his team in the game, surrendering just two goals. Though he conceded to Sebastian Collberg in the shootout, the Tampa Bay Lightning first-rounder is deserving of major praise for his performance. 

3. John Gaudreau - USA

John Gaudreau has become a regular in the three stars section with three consecutive multi-goal games. "Johnny Hockey" scored twice in the USA's 5-1 win over Canada. The Calgary Flames prospect suddenly looks like the most confident player in the tournament and his recent form will give Sweden's goaltenders nightmares as they prepare for Saturday's gold medal game. 

The group stage has come and gone at the World Junior Championships in Russia, with the final preliminary games completed on Monday. Six teams will now advance to the knockout stages, while the less fortunate four will fight to avoid relegation. 

Let's take a look at Monday's games. 

Game One
Czech Republic 4, Switzerland (OT)

The Czech Republic punched its ticket to the knockout round with an overtime victory over Switzerland, and by pushing the game to overtime, Switzerland picked up the vital point they needed to earn a quarterfinal bid. 

The Czech Republic beat Latvia on Sunday to put them in position to survive. Meanwhile, the Swiss lost in overtime to Finland creating a three-way tie for second in Group A between the Czechs, Finns and Swiss. Only two of the three teams could advance, making this matchup appear to be a must-win for both sides. 

Matej Beran gave the Czech Republic the early edge with a goal three minutes and 46 seconds into the game. Switzerland drew even by way of Christian Marti ten minutes later. 

The intermission proved to favor the Czechs as they stuck twice early in the second, with goals from Michal Svihalek and Tomas Hyka. Down by two heading into the third, Switzerland's World Junior run seemed to be over. 

However, the Swiss proved that they would not give up so easily. With less than ten minutes remaining in regulation, Christoph Bertschy brought his team within one. Six minutes later Dario Simion played the hero for Switzerland, as he forced overtime with his second goal of the tournament. 

San Jose Sharks first-rounder Tomas Hertl won it for the Czech Republic less than two minutes into overtime, securing a quarterfinal spot for his team. Despite the loss, the Swiss were ecstatic with the result as the one point earned from the overtime loss was enough to propel them past Finland in Group A. 

As the only true surprise team in the knockout round, Switzerland will face Russia on Wednesday to play for a semifinal date with defending champion Sweden. 

The Czech Republic will take on the USA in their quarterfinal, with Canada awaiting the winner. 

Game Two
USA 9, Slovakia 3

Tied for third in Group B, the USA and Slovakia met with a quarterfinal place on the line. In the first de facto knockout game of the tournament, Team USA rebounded from consecutive losses to blow out Slovakia and advance to the medal round. 

After losing to both Russia and Canada by a 2-1 margin, the Americans hoped to find their offensive stride. They did just that, striking the twine nine times, with a number of slumping stars netting their first goals of the tournament. 

Slovakia beat Germany in overtime on Sunday and sought to follow up with their second win of the tournament. After losing to the U.S., Slovakia finds itself joining Germany in the relegation round. 

Gritty American center Cole Bardreau put the U.S. ahead with a beautiful breakaway goal four minutes into the first period. Slovakia kept pace early on, with Matus Matis knotting the game at one just 14 seconds later. 

American captain Jake McCabe made sure that the Slovakians didn't hang around long, as he returned the lead to the U.S. after just 51 seconds off of a beautiful Jim Vesey pass. 

Boston College scoring star John Gaudreau finally broke his duck, scoring his long-awaited first goal of the tournament to put Team USA up 3-1. He finished the contest with two goals and an assist. 

Gaudreau's first goal chased Czech goalie Adam Nagy to the bench. He was replaced by backup Patrik Romancik who didn't fare much better. 

American defensemen Mike Rielly and Jacob Trouba both beat Romancik to complete a five goal period for the USA. Trouba's goal was his fourth of the tournament, with one scored in each of Team USA's group games. 

Despite a goal from Slovakia's Richard Mraz, the game was essentially over entering the first intermission with the score 5-2 in favor of the U.S.

Vince Trocheck was the star of the second period with three points, including his first two goals of the tournament. 

The Americans relaxed in the third allowing Matis to score his second, but they still expended the energy necessary for Alex Galchenyuk to post his second goal of the tournament. Galchenyuk's seven points trail only Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' 11 for the tournament lead. 

The scorching-hot Americans will face the Czech Republic on Wednesday as favorites to meet Canada in the semifinals. 

Slovakia will play Latvia in a relegation round game the following day. 

Game Three
Sweden 7, Finland 4

Having already clinched survival as the top team in Group A, Sweden knocked out fierce rival Finland, who needed at least a point to survive. 

Entering the game at 3-0, Sweden had a three point edge in Group A over Finland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland, who were all tied with five points.

Finland likely needed just one point to advance, so any result other than a regulation loss would have kept the pre-tournament medal favorites in the hunt. 

Midway through the first period, defeat and a trip to the relegation round seemed certain for Finland as the Swedes took a three goal lead. Alexander Wennberg, Robert Hagg and Victor Rask each scored to seemingly guarantee Sweden the three points. 

However, Finland made a tremendous comeback scoring three unanswered goals to tie the game. Joel Armia led the Finnish charge with two scores. 

Late in the second, Sweden surged once again to reclaim the lead with Viktor Arvidsson and captain Filip Forsberg scoring 44 seconds apart.

Ville Jarvelainen brought Finland within one in the third period but Sweden's Emil Molin and Viktor Arvidsson both scored late goals to seal Finland's fate.

After beating the USA and Canada in pre-tournament warm-up games, Finland will be devastated with its early exit from the tournament. The Finns will play Germany in their first relegation round game on Wednesday. 

The Swedes will await a semifinal matchup with the winner of Wednesday's game between Russia and Switzerland. 

Game Four
Canada 3, Russia 1

The final game of the six-day group stage pitted gold medal favorites Canada and Russia against each other for the top spot in Group B. 

The two undefeated teams had already clinched survival but fought for the coveted quarterfinal bye awarded to the group winner. 

A furious first period saw both sides fire off a number of chances with Canada's Malcolm Subban and Russia's Andrei Makarov playing very well in net. 

The first score finally came on the power play 14 minutes into the contest when Canadian defenseman Dougie Hamilton launched a rocket from the point past Makarov for his first goal of the tournament. 

Less than two minutes later, Mark Scheifele notched his fourth tally of the competition, sneaking a backhand shot just inside the post to give Canada a two goal lead. 

Russia answered back before the intermission with sniper Nikita Kucherov putting the puck into the top corner of Subban's net. 

Canada outshot the Russians 48 to 22 but Makarov was incredible in goal. He conceded only once in the second period to probable 2013 first-rounder Jonathan Drouin. Before the game, Canadian coach Steve Spott promoted Drouin to Canada's top-line, to play with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Mark Scheifele, and Drouin certainly justified the decision. 

He was one of Canada's most dangerous threats throughout the day, giving Canada a 3-1 lead with his second goal of the tournament. 

For the second straight game, Boston Bruins first-rounder Malcolm Subban was nearly unbeatable in the Canadian goal, stopping 21 of the 22 shots he faced. His dominance eliminated any chance of a Russian comeback. 

With just seconds remaining Jonathan Huberdeau flipped the puck down the ice and into an empty net to seal the 4-1 victory for Canada, making them the top team in Group B with a perfect 12 points. 

The Canadians will now await the winner of Wednesday's USA vs Czech Republic clash. 

Russia will face Switzerland in the hopes of setting up a rematch of the 2012 gold medal game against Sweden in the semifinals. 

Three Stars

1. John Gaudreau - USA

After a frustrating goal drought in his first three games of the tournament, John Gaudreau broke out in a big way. He scored two goals and assisted on another to lead Team USA to a much-needed 9-3 victory over Slovakia. The Boston College star was expected to be among the USA's top scorers in the tournament and he'll need to stay hot in the knockout stage to help his team earn a medal. 

2. Viktor Arvidsson - Sweden

Viktor Arvidsson was spectacular as helped eliminate Finland from medal contention. He scored to give Sweden the lead after Finland tied the game at three in the second period. He then assisted Filip Forsberg on the game-winning goal. An empty-netter gave Arvidsson two goals on the day. He is now tied for the tournament goal-scoring lead with four. 

3. Malcolm Subban - Canada

Subban was stellar in goal as he led Canada past Russia with 21 saves. He was perfect in the second and third periods to secure a quarterfinal bye for the undefeated Canadian team. 

With six games on the docket Friday, the World Junior Championships are hitting their stride. With eight of the 10 teams taking the ice in Ufa, Russia today, fans enjoyed a four course meal of hockey excitement. 

Here's a look at Friday's games:

Game One:

Czech Republic 3 - Finland 1

The Czech Republic recovered brilliantly from their opening loss to Sweden on Wednesday by shocking Group A favorites Finland by a two goal margin. 

Considered the third best team in Group A behind Sweden and Finland upon arriving in Ufa, it seemed unlikely that the Czech Republic would have anything to show for their first two games.

The Czechs' 4-1 loss to Sweden was more or less expected and a similar result seemed to be in the cards for Friday as well. The surprising result makes the Czech Republic a virtual lock to reach the knockout stage as the team will likely need only one win from their next two games, against Switzerland and Latvia. 

The Finns entered the contest with ever climbing expectations. Pre-tournament wins over the USA and Canada made Finland the popular dark horse candidate for gold in Ufa.

Finland opened the tournament with an encouraging 5-1 win over lowly Latvia on Wednesday, but their first loss of the competition will likely see many hastily jump from the bandwagon. 

Though the Finns outshot their opponents throughout the game, the Czechs did a superior job of capitalizing on their opportunities. Tomas Hyka opened the scoring on behalf of the Czech Republic 14 minutes in, and Marek Hrbas doubled the lead two minutes later. 

Teuvo Teravainen scored Finland's only goal and his second of the tournament early in the second period.

The Finns were stonewalled all day by Czech goalie Patrik Bartosak. Bartosak made 29 saves on 30 shots, carrying his country to victory. 

Dmitrij Jaskin tapped in the empty netter with just seconds remaining to seal the first upset of the tournament. 

Both teams will take the day off tomorrow, before returning to action on December 30. Finland will face Switzerland, while the Czech Republic should have an easy matchup with Latvia. 

Game Two

Canada 6 - Slovakia 3

For the second time in three days, Slovakia gave a gold medal favorite a serious scare. They led Canada for nearly half of the game, before succumbing to a much more talented force. 

The Slovakians forced overtime against heavily-favored Russia on Wednesday with a last minute goal, before losing in the extra frame. The plucky Slovakians tried their best to cause chaos in Group B today before eventually accepting their second loss. 

Canada, on the other hand, blew the doors off of Germany in their opener. The 9-3 victory showed off their incredible offensive talent, but also exposed a few defensive issues that required correction. The Canadians needed to take care of business against Slovakia before looking towards upcoming clashes with contenders Team USA and Team Russia. 

Canada conceded early in this one, allowing Marko Dano to force in a rebound that sent Canada into a tailspin.

Later in the first, Canadian winger J.C. Lipon was ejected, giving Slovakia an opportunity to score on the ensuing power play. Tomas Mikus' goal enticed a full-scale panic among Canadian fans. 

Ryan Strome pulled one back in the second period before winger Anthony Camara was ejected for a devastating blow that sent Slovakia's Patrik Luza to the hospital. Though it looked like a clean hit, Slovakia was afforded another five minute power play, which allowed Dano to score his second and restore Slovakia's two goal lead. 

From that point on, however, the Canadians took over the game.

Defenseman Morgan Rielly scored from the point, cutting the lead in half midway through the second. Then Xavier Ouellet fed Ty Rattie for the game-typing tap-in less than four minutes later. 

Mark Scheifele tipped in a Ouellet shot to give Canada the lead before the second intermission, effectively ending the contest. Slovakia showed little resistance in the third, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Strome padding their stats with insurance goals for Canada. 

The 6-3 win raised concerns about Team Canada but it leaves them in comfortable shape in Group B. 

After a day off for both teams, Slovakia will face Germany in a must-win game. Meanwhile the Canadians will take on their familiar neighbors, Team USA.

Canada will await news from the IIHF regarding potentially suspended forwards J.C. Lipon and Anthony Camara. If both players are banned in addition to the already suspended Boone Jenner, Canada will only have 11 forwards available to take on the Americans. 

Game 3

Sweden 3 - Swtizerland 2

Underdog Switzerland pushed the defending gold medalists to a shootout on Friday, confirming that the Swiss' 7-1 victory over Latvia on Thursday was no fluke. 

Sweden beat the Czech Republic 4-1 in their first game, giving the Swedes plenty of confidence to carry through the group stage. 

The Swiss took a 1-0 lead at the end of the first period with Eliot Antonietti beating Swedish goalie Joel Lassinantti.

Sebastian Collberg tied it for Sweden scoring his second goal of the tournament halfway through the second period, but Switzerland continued to put pressure on the Swedes. 

Mike Kunzle returned the lead to Switzerland with his third goal in two games, tying him with Canadians Ryan Strome and Mark Scheifele for most goals in the tournament. 

Six minutes into the third Sweden's Emil Djuse deadlocked the contest once again. Djuse's goal would eventually force the game into overtime. When the extra frame failed to produce a winner, the shootout was called upon for the first time in the tournament. 

Swiss goalie Melvin Nyffeler saved 36 shots in regulation and two more in the shootout, but he conceded the decisive strike to Victor Rask on Sweden's third attempt. 

Lassinantti was replaced for the shootout by Niklas Lundstrom, who denied everything he faced to put Sweden atop Group A with 5 points. 

Sweden, the only undefeated team in Group A, has secured the inside track to a knockout phase bye. The Swedes could annihilate Latvia tomorrow to clinch a knockout berth. 

Switzerland will rest tomorrow before a huge clash with Finland on Sunday. 

Game 4

Russia 2 - USA 1

In the day's marquee matchup, Team Russia barely pulled off a crucial Group B victory. 

The United States were playing for the second straight day after their 8-0 demolition of Germany on Wednesday. On the other side, the Russians beat Slovakia in overtime on Wednesday. 

The Russians made the decision to start Andrey Makarov in net over Tampa Bay first rounder Andrey Vasilevskiy, who played very well against Slovakia.  

Makarov rode the bench at last year's tournament until earning the start in the gold medal game. He then made an unbelievable 57 saves before losing in overtime to Sweden. He was excellent against the United States. 

Team USA came out fast and hungry with the trio of J.T. Miller, Rocco Grimaldi and Johnny Gaudreau creating superb scoring chances. Despite their control of the game, it was Russia who struck first off the stick of Albert Yarullin, who scored the OT winner against Slovakia. 

Yarullin's shot took a number of difficult bounces before beating USA goalie John Gibson on the power play. After the goal, the game seemed very evenly matched, with the two teams trading chances. 

Team USA caught a break late in the second when they were awarded a power play.

Defenseman Jacob Trouba launched a rocket from the point that took a few wacky bounces of its own before striking twine. It was the Winnipeg Jets first rounder's second goal of the tournament. 

With the game deadlocked early in the third, Valeri Nichushkin, considered to be the top Russian prospect eligible for the 2013 draft, drove to the net. The rebound produced by his shot was slid under Gibson's pad by Vladimir Tkachyov. 

Team USA would play catch up for the remainder of the game, getting a few nice chances but also relying on huge saves from Gibson.

With less than two minutes remaining it seemed like Deja Vu for Russia as they took a horrible penalty while trying to close out the game. The ensuing US power play created a chance or two, but the excellent goaltending of Makarov allowed the Russians to escape with the three points. 

The United States can still be proud of its effort. With a few different bounces they would be sitting atop Group B. They will face another tough test against Canada on Sunday. 

Russia will take on Group B doormat Germany tomorrow. 

Three Stars: 

1. Andrey Makarov - Russia

Despite riding the bench behind Andrey Vasilevskiy against Slovakia, Andrey Makarov was spectacular for the host country against the United States. He made 41 saves to seal his team's one goal victory. Most notably, he weathered a six on four barrage in the final minute, doing what teammate Andrey Vasilevskiy could not do against Slovakia. 

2. Patrik Bartosak - Czech Republic

On a day dominated by great goaltending, Patrik Bartosak produced arguably the best performance. He stopped 29 of Finland's 30 shots to give the Czech Republic a key upset that could ultimately earn them a trip to the knockout stages. With Switzerland surging in Group A, the Czech Republic needed to steal this one from the favored Finns. 

3. Mark Scheifele - Canada 

Canada winger Mark Scheifele played an excellent game, leading Canada to a come-from-behind victory. He assisted on Morgan Rielly's goal, which started the comeback, and later tipped in a Xavier Ouellet shot to give Canada the lead late in the second. 

Group Standings:

Group A	GP	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	Pts
Sweden	2	1	1	0	0	7	3	5
Switzerland	2	1	0	1	0	9	5	4
Finland	2	1	0	0	1	6	4	3
Czech Republic	2	1	0	0	1	4	5	3
Latvia	2	0	0	0	2	3	12	0

Group B	GP	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	Pts
Canada	2	2	0	0	0	15	6	6
Russia	2	1	1	0	0	5	3	5
USA	2	1	0	0	1	9	2	3
Slovakia	2	0	0	1	1	5	9	1
Germany	2	0	0	0	2	3	17	0

With six days remaining before the puck drops at the IIHF World Junior Championships, Team USA snatched an encouraging overtime victory from defending gold medalists Sweden. Coach Phil Housley is tasked with making three more cuts to his squad before traveling to the Russian host city of Ufa. 

The tilt was the first of two warm-up games that the United States will play before beginning the World Juniors against Germany on Dec. 27. The team will take on Finland in Helsinki on Saturday, before announcing their final 23-man roster. 

Housley scratched six of his 26 players for today's game, all six of whom are considered locks for the team.

Highly touted defenders Jacob Trouba and Seth Jones sat out having solidified their roles long ago.

Trouba, who was drafted by Winnipeg ninth overall in the 2012 NHL draft, is one of three returnees from last year's team and will undoubtedly play a major role in Russia. Jones, on the other hand, is expected to go head to head with Canadian center Nathan MacKinnon in a battle to become the top overall pick in the 2013 NHL draft. 

Forwards Rocco Grimaldi, J.T. Miller and Johnny Gaudreau were also healthy scratches. The trio is expected to be America's top line, after showing excellent chemistry during training camp in Tarrytown, N.Y. Starting goaltender John Gibson also made way for battling backups Garret Sparks and Jon Gillies. 

With the team looking to cut one forward and two defenseman, the game was a crucial opportunity for bubble players to make an impact and earn a spot on the final roster.

Though the Americans came out looking fast and dangerous, the Swedes struck first off the stick of Emil Molin. 

Team USA fired back quickly less than three minutes later when Phoenix Coyotes first-rounder Connor Murphy went high glove side on Niklas Lundström, assisted by Vince Trocheck and Jim Vesey. 

The red, white and blue took the lead in the second when Notre Dame winger Mario Lucia found Ryan Hartman for the strike. 

The Swedes clawed back in the waining moments of the second when Rickard Rackell beat Gillies to tie the game at two. 

The game was ruled by constant penalties, with players from both teams sentenced to two minutes in the sin bin a total of 18 times. 

Despite the strict refereeing the Americans got the last laugh in the extra frame. Bubble defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere launched the walk-off blast off of a Sean Kuraly faceoff win just 1:38 into OT. 

Gostisbehere's goal should go a long way toward earning him a spot in a hotly contested battle among the blueliners. Assuming Trouba and Jones are locks, seven players are fighting for five spots. 

Connor Murphy, Jake McCabe and Matt Grzelcyk made strong cases in camp and should find their way to Russia. 

Union College's Gostisbehere, Patrick Sieloff, Mike Reilly and Brady Skjei are among those fending off the axe. Skjei, a New York Rangers first-round pick, could be on his last legs for the US. 

The big defender is a strong skater, but he has struggled to contribute for the University of Minnesota this fall with just two points. 

Chris Peters of The United States of Hockey blog had the following to say about him after the game:

When he was skating in open ice and using his strengths, he looked just fine, but I don’t know if he did enough today to move himself off the bubble.The big question for Skjei right now is, is he ready for this tournament? He has another year of eligibility and while experience this year would be good, I’m uncertain it’s his time just yet.

Forward Jim Vesey may have done the most to earn himself a spot with a very strong performance. The Harvard University freshman took an exam in the morning and was named player of the game in the afternoon. The winger was a constant threat and assisted on Connor Murphy's goal. 

The question remains, if Vesey is in, then who is out? 

It could be anyone's guess at this point, because no forward in particular looks deserving of a lonely flight home. 

A close eye will be kept on proceedings over the next few days, as Phil Housley prepares to make some very tough decisions. 

Meanwhile, Team Canada, the clear gold-medal favorites, lost to Finland 3-2. The Canadians are stocked with future superstars made available by the NHL lockout and will be very tough to beat. 

Despite the looming threat of the Canadian juggernauts and the Russian hosts, Team USA should feel very positive about their victory over Sweden. The team should look even better with the likes of Trouba, Jones, Miller and Gibson on the ice. 

Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and the Russians defeated Slovakia 6-2 to win gold at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.

Slovakia opened the scoring just over a minute into the first period on a slap shot from captain Zdeno Chara.

Slovakia would hold the lead until the midway point of the period when Ovechkin slipped a backhand pass to Semin, who scored five-hole to even the score at one.

It was all Russia in the second period. Alexander Perezhogin and Alexei Tereshenko made it 3-1 before Semin notched his second of the game to give Russia a commanding three goal lead.  

Pavel Datsyuk registered his third point of the game on a goal that made it 5-1 Russia in the third period. Chara scored his second of the game on the power play midway though the third, but that was it for Slovakia. Evgeni Malkin capped a brilliant tournament with a goal late in the third, to secure a 6-2 Russian win. 

Russia would finish the tournament with perfect record of 10-0 to capture their 26th gold medal in tournament history. 

The Washington Capitals' playoff run caused Ovechkin and Semin to miss the entire preliminary round, but they made up for it in the medal round.

Ovechkin had two goals and an assist for three points in three games, while Semin’s two goals and three assists gave him five points in three games. Not bad for a player who was a non-factor in the Capitals’ 14 playoff games, registering only four points and a minus-four rating.