Bergeron takes MVP award; Centre leads junior tourney in scoring Phaneuf wins top defenceman honours
05.01.2005. Cox, Damien. Toronto Star
For
all those Canadian hockey fans who feel nothing but spite for the
locked-out NHL these days, pause to offer a little thanks today.
If the NHL were active these days, the national junior team that soared
to gold last night at the world junior tournament probably wouldn't
have had the imposing blue line presence of Dion Phaneuf, the
goal-scoring talents of Jeff Carter or the sniping eye of winger Ryan
Getzlaf.
Not to mention tournament MVP Patrice Bergeron.
Playing with much celebrated 17-year-old Sidney Crosby as his sidekick,
the centre led the tournament in scoring and completed an unprecedented
double after being the youngest player on the Canadian men's world
championship team in Prague.
Last year, Bergeron played 71 games for the Boston Bruins and was set to play an even more important role this season.
Instead, he'll have to settle for being voted the best player on what
many believe to have been the finest Canadian national junior team ever
assembled.
"It was great to play with guys my age and do this," said Bergeron, 19,
who had a goal and an assist in last night's 6-1 gold medal victory
over Russia. "I enjoyed it so much. I was happy every day. As a kid,
during Christmas you always watch the world juniors on TV. Being here
was just amazing."
If there was any argument about Bergeron's selection as tourney MVP, it was that Phaneuf was as, or more, important.
Phaneuf was named the tournament's top defenceman, while Russia's
Alexander Ovechkin was the top forward and the Czech Republic's Marek
Schwarz the best goalkeeper.
Phaneuf, Bergeron and Carter were named tournament all-stars along with Schwarz, Ovechkin and American blueliner Ryan Suter.
Bergeron, who started this season with the AHL Providence Bruins, was
paired with Crosby on the second day of the Canadian selection camp in
December and the duo never parted.
Corey Perry of the London Knights became their regular right- winger,
and for most of the tournament head coach Brent Sutter played the line
against the top trios of the opposition.
Bergeron ended with five goals and eight assists in six games, while
Crosby had six goals - none in the final three games - and Perry
chipped in with two goals and five assists.
Head coach Brent Sutter thanked the Bruins after the game for making
Bergeron available, perhaps a subtle slap at Florida for refusing to
release forward Nathan Horton and the Minnesota Wild for declining to
allow forward/defenceman Brent Burns to play.
"(Bergeron's) attitude was outstanding from Day 1," Sutter said. "I
have nothing but great things to say about him. He bought right in,
jumped right on board and I think he enjoyed it. It's not easy to go
from the pros back to junior, but he did it. He is truly a
professional."
Crosby and defenceman Cam Barker, who left partway through the
tournament with mononucleosis but returned to watch last night's game
from the stands, are the only two players eligible from this team for
next year's tourney in Vancouver.
"It's hard to think about Vancouver right now," Crosby said. "But I hope to be there."
Первая страничка молодежных чемпионатов мира 2005 года
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Подгруппа А - подробнее
США, Россия, Чехия, Швейцария, Белоруссия |
Подгруппа В - подробнее
Канада, Финляндия, Швеция, Словакия. Германия |
За 7-10 места - подробнее
Словакия, Швейцария, Белоруссия, Германия |
1/4 финала - подробнее
Чехия - Финляндия
Швеция - США
|
1/2 финала - подробнее
Канада - Чехия
Россия - США |
Финал - подробнее
За 5 место. Швеция - Финляндия
За 3 место. Чехия - США
За 1 место. Россия - Канада. |
| Страничка статистики |
Молодежные чемпионаты мира (до 20 лет) 2005 года.
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