By Tamsyn Burgmann
TORONTO - Fresh off their championship victory, members of Canada's
junior hockey team arrived at Toronto's Pearson International Airport on
Tuesday with gold medals around their necks and fans cheering their appearance.
A small throng of supporters was on hand to greet several members of
the team, which won its fifth straight world junior title with a 5-1 win
Monday night over Sweden at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa.
Tournament MVP John Tavares, who plays for the Oshawa Generals of the
Ontario Hockey League, said winning the championship on home ice before
a crowd of 20,380 - a single-game record for the competition - made the
victory that much sweeter.
"You couldn't hear the whistles sometimes, it was so loud - it was rockin',"
said Tavares, who has been touted as the possible No. 1 pick in this June's
NHL entry draft.
"When you hear the final buzzer go off and we'd won gold, it felt like
the roof was going to come off. It was an amazing experience - something
I'll never forget."
Canada's streak of five straight titles matches the tournament record
set by the Canadians from 1993 to 1997.
Cody Hodgson, who scored twice against the Swedes and led the tournament
with 16 points, said the team is confident it can make it six championships
in a row.
"It doesn't matter who's here, I'm sure the guys will pull together,"
said Hodgson, a member of the OHL's Brampton Battalion. "Canada is such
a great hockey nation that we should be able to get it done again."
Eleven-year-old fan Blake Carey wore a Team Canada jersey that flowed
down to his knees as he eagerly awaited the players' arrival.
"I just thought it was amazing that they won five in a row," he said.
With their championship caps worn backwards, the players shook hands
with fans and signed autographs.
"The only way to top (this year) is to get to six in a row, and keep
going from there," said defenceman Alex Pietrangelo of the OHL's Niagara
IceDogs.
"I think every kid on our team this year has watched (the tournament)
every single year, and I watched it last year knowing maybe this year I'll
get a chance.
"It was better than anything I'd imagined. And having a gold around
your neck makes it that much better."
Pietrangelo's aunt Caroline was waiting with him with a sign in hand
as he strolled through the arrivals gate with his medal on display.
"I think they just pulled together," she said of the team. "You could
see there was a real camaraderie between them, and I think that's the difference
between winning and losing, is how you interchange with each other."
Head coach Pat Quinn said he hadn't slept since the previous night except
for a little shut-eye on his flight to Vancouver on Tuesday.
"But you don't mind that after such a thrilling ride with those young
men," he said after arriving at the city's airport. "They did a wonderful
job under immense pressure.
"There's nothing you can imagine that matches standing there watching
your flag go up after winning a gold."
Tavares said the team celebrated the victory with family members before
gathering in their Ottawa hotel until the wee hours to hang out for the
last time.
He reflected on hard-fought victories against the U.S. and Russia, but
called the championship match the team's best performance.
"We got better as the tournament went along - our confidence grew,"
he said. "We believed in ourselves and that was key. Our confidence was
high and we had the support of the country."
Team Canada will be gunning for a record-breaking sixth consecutive
gold medal at next year's tournament in Saskatoon and Regina.