Who do you think will win this year's World Junior Hockey Championship?

[Wonk]

It's being held in North Dakota this year, for those hockey fans who haven't heard yet :bounce:

http://www.ralphsworldjr.com/

[Wonk]

1. U.S. cast as underdog, from champs to chumps

That's the prediction for the U.S. hockey team in the World Junior Championship opening Christmas Day in Grand Forks and Thief River Falls.

The Hockey News, a Canadian-based publication considered a prime source of hockey news, says the United States will slip to sixth place in this year's 10-team World Juniors after it won its first gold medal last year in Finland.

The publication picks Canada to win the gold medal, with Russia striking silver in second place and the Czech Republic the bronze medal winner in third place.

(snip)

While The Hockey News does see a fall from grace for the United States on its home soil, it's also a publication that last year correctly picked the United States to win the gold medal in Finland.

more...
http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/sports/10489331.htm

Let the games begin!

[SeanQuinn]

2. USA has the goalie..but Canada gets the NHLers

I voted for USA. Yay for creative nationalism!

[Wonk]

3. WTF happend in the game vs Belarus? Did someone spike the goalies water?

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=370417

(snip)

But the U.S. team was sloppy in its own end and Belarus scored on three of its first seven shots. Montoya replaced Schneider after Alexei Savin's goal gave Belarus a 3-1 lead early in the second period.

Montoya allowed a goal on the first shot he faced, when Siarhei Kukushkin scored on a long slap shot. Andrei Kastsitsyn's goal made it 5-1 at 14:16 of the second period.

(snip)

The loss dropped the United States to 2-1 in the group that includes Russia (2-1), the Czech Republic (2-1) Switzerland (1-2) and Belarus (1-3). The Americans finish pool play against the Czechs on Thursday.

more...

Meanwhile, Canada continues to dominate every team they face.

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/sports/10518429.htm

Hockey is Canada's game, and the 2005 IIHF World Junior Championship has been the Canadians' tournament. The major junior hockey all-star team from north of the border showed Germany a thing or two about the sport in Pool B play Tuesday before 8,404 Ralph Engelstad Arena fans in Grand Forks.

Final score? Canada 9, Germany 0.

(snip)

(17 year old Sidney) Crosby scored twice for a tournament-leading six goals.

Those are big numbers for the whiz kid in the tournament, as well as the rest of the Canadian offense. But the number the Canadians are talking about most is four - the goals they've allowed in three games.

more...

[HEyHEY]

4. USA lost to Belarus

Just like the Olympics