from Canada.com:

Canada opens World Juniors 2-0
U.S. still looking for first win

Michael Petrie
CanWest News Service
Wednesday, December 27, 2006

MORA, Sweden -- While the score suggests otherwise, it wasnt easy for Team Canada to continue its remarkable run at the world juniors.

Two late goals by Darren Helm secured a 6-3 win over the United States in Mora, Sweden on Wednesday night but the Canadians were forced to play some desperation hockey after nearly blowing a 3-0 lead.

Jonathan Toews scored twice for Canada, while Steve Downie and Tom Pyatt had singles. Erik Johnson scored twice and Bill Sweatt once for the losers.

The win puts Canada atop Pool A with a 2-0 record as it tries to defend back-to-back world junior titles. It also marked Canadas 14th world junior win in a row, dating back to the round-robin opener of 2005. Its the second-longest run in team history, behind an 18-game stretch from Dec. 30, 1994 to Dec. 27, 1997.

It was fitting that Downie, the Canadian agitator, should draw first blood.

When they met last in last years tournament, American Jack Johnson laid a vicious cheap shot on Downie after Canada scored a goal in the round robin. Downie absorbed the abuse and walked away but got his payback on Wednesday.

The feisty winger took a pass in stride from Kristopher Letang and swooped on net with Brad Marchand, with Kyle Lawson the lone defender back. With no pretenses, Downie simply ripped the puck through Jeff Zatkoffs wickets for a goal.

Shortly after, Canada was on the powerplay when Cody Franson took a wrist shot from the point that Tom Pyatt tipped past Zatkoff for a 2-0 lead.

Early in the second period, Downie drew a penalty on Lawson and the Canadians quickly capitalized. Franson wristed another hard shot, Pyatt knocked it down, Jonathan Toews grabbed it and deked to his backhand around Zatkoff for a goal.

While folding was an option, the Americans instead responded with a quick goal when Eric Johnson beat a screened Carey Price to give them hope. Mike Carman then went end-to-end and had his shot miss the net but bounce right to Bill Sweatt, who caught Price out of position for a goal.

The Americans threatened in the third period until Toews was on a breakaway and Erik Johnson threw his stick at the Canadian forward. Toews wired the ensuing penalty shot past Zatkoff to give Canada a cushion.

Helm followed by hustling for a breakaway goal and finished with an empty-netter.

Carey Price was solid again in Canadas net but saw his shutout streak snapped after 22 minutes and 24 seconds. However, Price and Team Canada set a new record for the longest shutout string in world junior history 234 minutes, 14 seconds. The run began last year in the final round-robin game, after American Peter Mueller scored 8:10 into the second period of an 3-2 Canadian win.

Justin Pogge finished the tournament with 151:50 of spotless work before Price continued the trend in Sweden.

In Tuesdays win over Sweden, he became the 10th Canadian to post a shutout in his world junior debut.

The Canadians face Germany on Friday and practice this afternoon in Leksand. A win over Germany will clinch top spot in the pool. The United States, meanwhile, is last with an 0-2 record.


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