Sharks lock up center Joe Thornton to 3-year, $21.6 million deal

SAN JOSE SHARKS CENTER #19 JOE THORNTON - PHOTO JON SWENSON

The Sharks announced Sunday that former NHL MVP Joe Thornton signed a 3-year contract extention for $21.6 million, which will keep him in teal until 2011. "In addition to his play on the ice, Joe leads by example and has as much love for the game as anyone I have seen" GM Doug Wilson said of the 6-4, 235 pound center from London, Ontario.

Thornton followed a career year in 2005-06, one where he was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy and Art Ross Trophy, with his second straight 90+ assist season in 2006-07. Only two other players have accomplished that feat, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. Joe Thornton also set San Jose franchise marks for assists [92] and points [112] in a season.

Acquired by the Sharks on November 30th, 2005 from Boston for Marco Sturm, Brad Stuart, and Wayne Primeau, Thornton has registered 206 points (42G, 164A) in 140 games. In 22 playoff games with the San Jose Sharks, Thornton posted 3 goals and 17 assists in two straight runs to the Western Conference Semifinals.

[Update] Sharks' Thornton signs on for another three years, extension keeps him in S.J. until 2011, Hannan to Colorado - SJ Mercury News.

"There's no question I was going to re-sign," Thornton said in a phone interview from his St. Thomas, Ontario, summer home. "It's a perfect fit for me. The ownership wants a winner, and we've got a great young team."

[Update2] Thornton Simply Wanted To Stay In SJ - SJsharks.com.

Thornton is a road roommate of Sharks Captain Patrick Marleau and he hopes the two can play together for several more seasons. A desire that is greater than seeing outside free agents coming in. Like Thornton was, Marleau is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

"I'm more concerned with our own players," said Thornton. "Patty is my roommate on the road and I hope there is something with Patty as well. Patty and I are both 28 and the pinnacle of our careers will be in the next four to five years."

"I talked with him two days ago," said Thornton. "He is optimistic. He wants to play with me and I want to play with him."

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Crushing hit sends Michalek to locker room

FINAL 1 2 3 T Dallas   1 0 4 5 San Jose   1 1 0 2

Recap WATCH! Game Summary Event Summary Boxscore Faceoffs Play-by-Play TOI - DAL|SJS Rosters Shots

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -Joe Pavelski collapsed like a kid on rented skates, nudging the puck straight to Brad Richards as he fell. Richards, who has a few big playoff goals in his past, turned that turnover into the Dallas Stars' tying score before the Sharks even knew they were doomed.

Three goals later, Mike Modano and the Stars were headed home from a building they would prefer never to leave with a two-game series lead and ample reason to think their second-round series will be a short one.

STARS LEAD SERIES 2-0 Game 1:  Stars 3, Sharks 2 (OT) Game Highlights  | Photo Gallery Game 2:  Stars 5, Sharks 2 Game Highlights  | Photo Gallery Game 3:  April 29 @ Dallas 7:30 p.m. (ET)   TSN Game 4:  April 30 @ Dallas 9:00 p.m. (ET)   VERSUS, TSN (JIP)   *Game 5:  May 2 @ San Jose 10:00 p.m. (ET)   VERSUS, TSN *Game 6:  May 4 @ Dallas 9:00 p.m. (ET)   VERSUS, TSN *Game 7:  May 6 @ San Jose 10:00 p.m. (ET)   TSN *If necessary More Semifinal Series West: (1) Red Wings vs. (6) Avalanche West: (2) Sharks vs. (6) Stars East: (1) Canadiens vs. (6) Flyers East: (2) Penguins vs. (5) Rangers

Zubov makes Stars' offense go You might expect a player to be a little rusty in his first game back after missing three months.  Not Stars defenseman Sergei Zubov, who had an assist on the game-winning goal in Game 2 against the Sharks. …more Pavelski thanks coaches, they thank him "The Little Ball of Love" just won't cut it as a hockey nickname, so Joe Pavelski and his San Jose Sharks' teammates are going to have to find another way to describe the second-year center. …more Features Archive Related Links Pre-Game 3 SJS player comments SJS Game 3 preview   Sharks have confidence Ralph Strangis Daryl Reaugh Craig Ludwig Off Day, April 28   Away Ice Advantage   Déjà vu Brenden Morrow Brad Richards Multimedia Archive + Click for larger photo

Modano scored the tiebreaking goal early in the Stars' four-goal third period, and Marty Turco made 29 saves in a 5-2 victory in Game 2 on Sunday night.

Richards scored the tying goal just 32 seconds into the third period on Pavelski's accidental gift, and Niklas Hagman added two insurance goals in the Stars' eighth victory in their last nine trips to San Jose. Mike Ribeiro also scored an early goal before Dallas put a tremendous finish on another profitable night at the Shark Tank.

"We've had amazing third periods so far in the playoffs," said Modano, who has six goals in six games in San Jose this season. "It was a big trip for us. Now it's up to us to respond to this at home. We know this is far from over, but at the same time, we had a great two days here. Every shift, every night, we've looked hungry."

Dallas hasn't reached the conference finals since 2000, when the Stars beat San Jose in the second round on the way to their second straight Stanley Cup finals appearance. As Modano noted, they're thriving this season with big finishes: The Stars have four multiple-goal third periods in their eight playoff games.

Games 3 and 4 are back-to-back, starting Tuesday night in Dallas. The Sharks might have a better chance to get competitive in Texas, since the NHL's best road team during the regular season has won three of its last four games in Dallas.

"We've played very well in Dallas all season long," Sharks coach Ron Wilson said. "We can just relax now and push the pace, and play as a desperate hockey team. You just have to keep playing on. You can't worry about your missed opportunities."

Milan Michalek and Joe Pavelski scored for the second-seeded Sharks, who are 4-5 overall in the playoffs with none of the momentum they acquired during their 20-game regular-season streak without a regulation defeat. Evgeni Nabokov stopped 21 shots, but was no closer to top form than his teammates.

"We started good, and we had a lead after the second (period)," Michalek said. "We let it slip away. We can't let it happen again. We have to go there and win two. We've been good on the road all season."

San Jose nursed a 2-1 lead heading into the third period, but Pavelski's giveaway encapsulated everything that's gone poorly for the Sharks at home - and everything that's working for the Stars, whose persistence and preparation allows them to seize such breaks.

"I've been fighting it a bit through the first five periods, and that's not a good feeling," said Richards, the Dallas newcomer who scored an NHL-record seven game-winning goals while leading Tampa Bay to the 2004 Cup. "I kept grinding away, trying to make things happen, and then sometimes you catch a break."

Modano then put the Stars ahead with 16:21 to play on a goal set up by an exceptional play from defenseman Sergei Zubov, who was in Dallas' lineup for the first time since Jan. 17. The two-time Stanley Cup winner underwent surgery on a sports hernia in Germany earlier in the month.

Late in a prolonged Dallas cycle, Zubov made a stunning cross-ice backhand pass out of a graceful pirouette, and Modano buried his second goal of the series.

"You have to realize it's coming to you," said Modano, who's been playing with Zubov since 1996. "He made another great play."

When Hagman banged home his first goal, thousands of fans headed for the exits in souvenir teal T-shirts handed out by the Sharks before the game. Hagman added an empty-netter with 1:15 to play.

Dallas won the opener 3-2 on captain Brenden Morrow's overtime goal, using its trapping defensive style to neutralize the Sharks' offensive talent as effectively as they did against Anaheim in the opening round. San Jose has struggled to adjust to a slower pace after beating the run-and-gun Calgary Flames in the first round.

After Pavelski and Ribeiro traded first-period goals, San Jose went ahead late in the second when Rivet and Brian Campbell made sharp passes to set up Michalek on a breakaway, which he converted easily after Turco's overeager attempt at a poke-check. Michalek, the Sharks' second-leading scorer during the regular season, went scoreless in seven games against Calgary before notching a goal in each of his first two games against Dallas.

Notes: Dallas D Philippe Boucher remained sidelined with a strained hip. ... San Jose replaced Nabokov with Brian Boucher with 2:45 to play. ... Dallas played with seven defensemen in uniform, scratching C Toby Petersen for Zubov's return. ... Sharks D Kyle McLaren missed his fourth straight game with a groin injury.

FINAL 1st OT 1 2 3 1st OT T Dallas   0 2 0 1 3 San Jose   0 1 1 0 2

Recap WATCH! Game Summary Event Summary Boxscore Faceoffs Play-by-Play TOI - DAL|SJS Rosters Shots

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -Their dressing room is small and spare, and the teal-colored crowd despises them. Yet the Dallas Stars feel right at home these days in the Shark Tank.

Even when they gave up a tying goal late in regulation Friday night, the Stars seemed more comfortable and capable than their hosts. Brenden Morrow then proved it with a game-winner that got Dallas off to another fine playoff start.

Morrow scored his second goal 4:39 into overtime, and the Stars opened their second-round series with a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks.

Mike Modano also scored another timely goal against one of his favorite opponents, and Marty Turco made 25 saves in the Stars' seventh win in their last eight trips to Silicon Valley. They've thoroughly dominated the Pacific Division champion Sharks here for two years, leading Modano to jokingly rename his team "the San Jose Stars" after their sixth straight win in January.

"It's a really fun place to play. The atmosphere is great," said Morrow, who already has five goals - two more than his previous career playoff high - in Dallas' seven postseason games.

"Our goal was to come in and steal a game," Morrow added. "You never know what it will be or how many goals it will take. We didn't want to be denied. Marty had such a great first period for us to keep us in the game."

Game 2 is Sunday night, with Game 3 in Dallas on Tuesday.

After eliminating defending Stanley Cup champion Anaheim in the first round, the fifth-seeded Stars rallied from a two-shot first period and an early deficit to take away home-ice advantage from the division rival Sharks, who needed seven games to put away Calgary in the opening round.

Jonathan Cheechoo scored the tying goal for San Jose with 3:02 left in the third period, but the Sharks' defensive confusion allowed Mattias Norstrom to whip the puck across the ice to Morrow early in OT. The Dallas captain scored easily against an off-balance Evgeni Nabokov, who finished with 16 saves.

"Some good things have happened here," said Modano, who became the NHL's leading American-born scorer during a game in San Jose last year. "I've had a lot of games over a lot of seasons against these guys. After so many years and games, I kind of feel comfortable out West."

Milan Michalek scored an early goal for the second-seeded Sharks, who blew Game 1 for the second straight series. San Jose again endured special-teams mistakes while taking a handful of careless penalties and struggling to generate offense against the Dallas trap.

"We need to do a better job on some guys on some of their lines," Sharks captain Patrick Marleau said. "We need to get more shots and generate more traffic. We'll make some changes and go from there."

The Sharks reached the second round for their NHL-best fourth straight season, while Dallas ended a streak of three straight first-round defeats by eliminating the Ducks in impressive fashion.

Both teams came out cautiously for their ninth meeting of the season. The Stars didn't get their first shot of the game until late in their second power play with 3:36 left in the first period.

Michalek, who went scoreless in the Sharks' first seven games against Calgary, got credit for their first goal when his shot trickled underneath Turco midway through the second period. Modano, who scored four goals in four trips to San Jose during the regular season, tied it with a power-play goal 76 seconds later, putting a one-timer through traffic.

"(On) the goals they scored, we lost the battles," Sharks coach Ron Wilson said. "We turned it over against a great line. You don't win the battles, (you) give somebody like Mike Ribeiro two or three shots at making plays. It should be one, and then we snuff it and get the puck out."

Morrow then scored on a rebound of Ribeiro's shot for his team-leading fourth goal of the postseason. The Sharks couldn't break through until Cheechoo, the goal-scoring specialist who also tied Game 4 against Calgary with a remarkable late score, banged home Torrey Mitchell's rebound of Matt Carle's shot for his fourth goal of the postseason.

Dallas had a power play in the final 2 1/2 minutes of regulation, but couldn't score.

The clubs split eight meetings during the regular season, with each winning its first three trips to the other team's building before two late-season home victories. The Sharks and Stars racked up 160 penalty minutes in the regular-season finale 19 days earlier, with several fighting majors in both clubs' most-penalized game of the season.

Though they were even against each other, the clubs finished the regular season on opposite trajectories. San Jose trailed the division-leading Stars by 11 points on Feb. 29, but a 20-game string without a regulation defeat catapulted the Sharks past Dallas to the Pacific title.

Dallas defenseman Sergei Zubov was scratched again despite rejoining workouts this week. Zubov, a two-time Stanley Cup winner, has been out since Jan. 17 because of a sports hernia.

Notes: Both clubs played their first overtime game of the postseason. ... Dallas' Shark Tank winning streak ended with San Jose's overtime victory March 27. ... C Jeremy Roenick, who scored four points Tuesday in San Jose's clinching win over Calgary, is second behind Modano on the list of American-born scorers. ... San Jose played its third straight game without D Kyle McLaren, who has a groin injury.

Game 7-mania: Everything points to the Flames, so I'm picking the Sharks (in a 2-1 nerve-wracker)

By Tim Kawakami
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 at 9:57 am in NHL, Sharks.

Sharks' Thornton scoring goals, being physical

April 7, 2008 CBSSports.com wire reports

Wayne's New World Sun, February 10, 2008 Nostalgic hockey fans flock to The Great One's Fantasy Camp By TERRY JONES, SUN MEDIA

PHOENIX - It's an open house to Wayne's World, a one-stop study of today's No. 99, nine years removed from playing and three years into coaching a team making a push for a playoff position.

It's the Wayne Gretzky Fantasy Camp, and participants have paid $9,999 each for the pleasure of watching Gretzky coach three games with the Phoenix Coyotes and playing six games themselves on the same ice surface. During a span of six days, the Great One also is host of opening and closing banquets, golfs with them, signs their stuff and hangs out with them like a regular guy in the lobby bar.

Gretzky involves all the people from his company, his foundation and his associations with Ford, Samsung, Pepsi, his new wine label, etc., getting business stuff done at the same time. He had also planned to shoot a commercial for Ford here this year, but the new car didn't arrive in time. The best part, says his dad Walter, who coaches one of the teams, is on the ice at the camp itself, seeing the boy come out in his body again.

"Watch him out there. He enjoys it so much. He has been like this since the first time when he was five years old," Walter said.

Check out a photo gallery of the Great One's Fantasy Camp. You can get thereby clicking here.

"I don't know how he does it. Not just this week. It's like this continuously," Walter said of the juggling act of everything involved, including having some of his kids underfoot and 15-year-old Trevor (Gretzky) playing goal for one of the teams.

"It's the most amazing thing," business manager Darren Blake said of watching Wayne bring all of his worlds together.

"This week is maybe the most fascinating because it illustrates Wayne's uncanny appreciation of who he is and what it means to be Wayne Gretzky, the impact he has."

Check out our Videos page to see a video of the Wayne Gretzky Fantasy Camp. You can get there by clicking here.

Mike Brown, who runs the camp, said he's flabbergasted there still is a camp.

"The hardest part of the whole camp since Wayne started coaching is finding a time to hold it. It gets tougher and tougher.

"I thought last year was going to be our last year, but at the final banquet Wayne tossed in three spots to next year's camp. We all looked at each other and said `I guess we were having another one.' "

Bruce Saville, a member of the Edmonton Oilers outgoing ownership group which saved the franchise, has come to six camps as a goaltender. That's $59,994. He stopped Brick Warehouse founder and Mike Comrie's dad, Bill, on a shootout to win the first one. Priceless.

"It has been more important to me than the owner meetings. Right from the first year, it was so obvious that Wayne was having as much fun as we were. That's what makes it perfect."

Gretzky has his campers play in different uniforms every year.

"The first year it was the Oilers. Then the Rangers, Kings and Coyotes. Last year, it was Campbell and Wales Conference all-star uniforms," he said.

"This year I decided to go with '72 Team Canada uniforms. I thought it would be an opportunity for the American players to see what it's all about . . . I have five American kids, so I can say that. We have so many guys who keep coming back. I think it's to collect all the uniforms."

The winners even get their names engraved on the Wayne Gretzky Cup.

"I put it in my restaurant in Toronto. If they go there to see it, they get a free lunch. It's pretty cool."

This year they had 66 players, pros, sponsors and guests of Gretzky.

With an auction raising $68,000 included, the event probably came close to collecting $500,000 for his foundation.

Every player received two Team Canada '72 sweaters, red and white practice jerseys, pants, socks, gloves with their names on them, sticks and a hockey bag loaded with jackets, golf shirts, sweatsuits and all sorts of other stuff.

At the opening banquet, they all got Walter Gretzky bobbleheads. Wayne had his dad sign them all.

"See dad, what it's like?" he said with a smile.

At the closing banquet, they all received a special etched bottle of Gretzky wine, numbered 1-to-99.

Bruce Bennett, the noted hockey photographer, took several action shots of each player and an individual portrait with the player and Gretzky in uniform. Don Metz of Edmonton's Aquila Productions, put together a DVD with a full production crew.

"The thing I marvel at every year is that, to a man, these guys can't believe the amount of access and personal contact they get with Wayne," Metz said.

No. 99 said they keep trying to improve it.

"The thing I loved this year was that the entire camp was shown on Gretzky.com, so families at home could watch dad play.

"Bruce Saville is the first guy every year to sign up. I think Bruce has more fun than anybody in the history of my event. He loves it."

Gretzky said Saville, at age 63, is the oldest player.

"I keep coming back mainly because it's Gretzky, because it's so much fun and because it's for a great cause. His foundation does great work," Saville said.

Don Ducasse, a Toronto dentist, said it has meant more than that to him.

"Wayne Gretzky and this camp changed my life," he said. "I was just coming out of receivership. I had blown a million dollars. My wife said `What's another $9,999? It has always been your dream.' I told her no one dreams of having a cup of coffee with God.

"It changed my dentist practice entirely. Because of the experience with Wayne, I went home and let myself be excellent. It was like he gave me permission to be excellent. It's hard to articulate. It was something like shock therapy for a Catholic upbringing and an inferiority complex mixed in with hockey, not building character but revealing character.

"It really did change my life."

Gretzky brings in a host of huge hockey names from the past. But this year he offered something new.

With the Buffalo Sabres in town for two days during the camp, coach Lindy Ruff agreed to play one day. He enjoyed it so much he came back and played the second day, on the morning of the afternoon game in which Gretzky's Coyotes scored a 6-2 win over the Sabres.

"I came because Wayne asked. I came back because I saw how many of the campers came from Alberta, from Fort McMurray and all those places. That's my home province. And I had fun," said the native of Warburg, Alta.

"It's three hours before game time and Wayne and Lindy are sitting on the bench together with these great big grins on their faces. Three hours later, they're going to go head-to-head as coaches," Metz said.

Brown said when the camp started it was 50-50 between Canadians and Americans.

"Now it's about 75-25 Canadians and half of those are from Alberta. This year we had nine guys from Fort McMurray alone," Brown said of all the Oilers fans who want to reconnect with the player they grew up watching.

Dale Unruh, who was born and raised in Fort McMurray, first came last year.

"Wayne made it such an unbelievable experience. I started telling friends when I got home and all of a sudden there were nine of us coming this year. I brought my dad as a way of thanks for taking me to Edmonton when I was a kid to watch Wayne play."

Terry O'Flynn of Edmonton paid $7,000 to be here after Gretzky donated the trip to the silent auction at the Jackie Parker Memorial Golf Tournament.

"Being around Wayne is everything, but it's not the only thing. I sat beside Bobby Hull watching the entire first half of an NFL playoff game at the bar, just the two of us," O'Flynn said.

This year, one of the players came from England. Jonathan Wilson spent two years living in Canada as a kid where he became a massive Gretzky fan and got hooked on hockey.

"My aunt sent me over here as a Christmas present. I took a puck on the kneecap, but it's all good. It has been pretty amazing to be around Wayne like this."

Last year with Wayne's son Ty playing, one camper was able to go away saying he scored a goal assisted by Gretzky and Gretzky.

Every camper has a story.

Jamie Shand of Calgary said Gretzky, with assists from Shand's wife, Amber, and Kirk Muller, made it unbelievably special one year.

"My wife phoned the hotel and got through to Muller. She found out she was pregnant while I was at the camp and asked if he could get to Wayne and find a special way to let me know at the banquet.

"That was the year Wayne brought the Stanley Cup, complete with the Cup guy with the white gloves. Wayne called my name out, told me about my wife being pregnant and presented me with champagne. I celebrated my wife being pregnant by drinking Dom out of the Stanley Cup poured by Wayne Gretzky."

The first year Gretzky stood up at the opening banquet and told everybody that it wouldn't be a Fantasy Camp without Mr. Hockey. One camper confessed to briefly thinking that was a bit egotistical sounding.

Then Gretzky pointed to the back of the room and there was Gordie Howe. Everybody received a framed picture of themselves with Gretzky and Howe.

"The first year, we had one guy who had four Wayne Gretzky tattoos on his arms, one in the uniform of each NHL team he played," Saville said. "The guy could barely skate. Wayne wanted to get him a goal. I don't know how many times he skated around five guys getting him in position to make the pass to deflect one in."

They're all happy campers.

"The first year I came because I wanted to live the dream for a few days. Wayne set me up for a couple of breakaways," said Derek Mori of Oakville, Ont. "The next year I showed up and he remembered me. He said `You're the breakaway guy!' "

Another is Guelph, Ont., car dealer Gord Dennis.

"The first year I came it was a chance to play with the Babe Ruth of hockey. I enjoyed it so much I keep coming back," he said.

Kevin Mack of Regina said he couldn't believe how he turned back into a kid.

"I was so nervous before the first game I had trouble sleeping.

Growing up in Saskatchewan, I never got to see him play in person.

Mostly I just wanted to meet him. But being around him like this has been a thousand times better than whatever I expected."

This year's camp was more intense than the ones in the past and resulted in a scattering of injuries including a serious one to Gretzky's wine business partner, Peter Jensen.

"I blew out my knee and his reaction was `Thank goodness it wasn't his hands. He'll still be able to pick the grapes!'"

CREDIT: REUTERS/Shaun Best Team Canada's goalie Steve Mason holds the trophy after Canada defeated Sweden in overtime to win the gold medal game at the 2008 IIHF U20 World Junior Hockey Championships in Pardubice January 5, 2008.

CREDIT: REUTERS/David W Cerny Canada's John Tavares (R) fights for the puck with Sweden's Victor Hedman during their final game at the 2008 IIHF U20 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Pardubice January 5, 2008.

PARDUBICE, Czech Republic - For something that is starting to get old, there was still lots of happy hockey fans across the country on Saturday, after Canada won its fourth straight world junior hockey championship.

It was a little nervy this time, with Team Canada pulling off a dramatic 3-2 overtime win over Sweden as Matt Halischuk of the Kitchener Rangers crashed the net and banged home the winner just 3:36 into the extra period. They would have skated off with gold earlier but a pesky Swedish team scored with 38 seconds left in game to send it to overtime.

It was Canada's 14th gold medal in this championship.

Team members hooted and hollered as O Canada was played at the end of the game.

Throughout the tournament, the players were touched by the Canadians fans who travelled here to cheer them on. So once they got their hands on the trophy, they figured it was time for a little payback.

"We wanted to take the Cup up there (the stands) so the fans could touch it," said forward Wayne Simmonds of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

"They've been here for the whole tournament and they've been helping us out. They've been huge for us. So, you know, we have to give back to them.

"When there's probably 5,000 Canadians at every game we had, it's huge for us. It built our confidence and it really helped out."

It was especially sweet for Halischuk, who scored the winning goal.

"It was just really special," he said. "All the guys, all 22 guys worked hard, all the coaching staff, everybody here. It was just a great experience. I was just happy to get the win."

Brad Marchand of the Halifax Mooseheads and Claude Giroux of the Gatineau Olympiques got Canada's other goals.

"I'm so proud of all the guys on the team," said Steven Stamkos, 17. "We've been together for so long and this is the game we wanted to do it and to do it in that fashion is unbelievable. I mean we had great support from the fans and I just can't wait to party with all the boys."

While Canada has owned the tournament recently, it's been far less kind to Sweden.

Sweden, which hadn't made the tournament final in 12 years, has just one championship to its credit, winning gold in 1981. Since then, the Swedes have been runners-up six times and seven times in total.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is a big hockey fan, sent a congratulatory note to the Canadian players.

"Along with all Canadians, I am extremely proud of the outstanding performance by our junior men's hockey team at the 2008 World Junior Hockey Championships," the news release from his office said. "Once again, Team Canada players have shown the talent and true Canadian spirit to take on the best hockey teams in the world and emerge champions."

The statement also noted that "with this most recent victory, Canada has won the World U20 (under 20) Juniors four consecutive years and has won a medal in every tournament since 1999."

Across the country, Canadians watched the game and were riveted for the overtime, except of course the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League who were packing for a road trip.

"I thought it was a pretty good game," smiled assistant captain Ryan White, who admitted he saw most of the game but not the overtime as he dashed to meet the team bus at the Pengrowth Saddledome. "It was a good game to see, good for Karl (Alzner) and those guys."

Alzner, who captained Team Canada, is also captain of the Hitmen. He was just one of two returning members to the defending world junior championship roster.

Canada will be going for a five-peat next year when the world junior championship comes to Ottawa.

With files from the Calgary Herald

Fourth year in a row

Canada will be going for a five-peat next year when the world junior championship comes to Ottawa.