Battle Of Hudson

Ilya Kovalchuk (seen here with Vladimir Tarashenko) participated in SKA’s KHL game Tuesday, leaving speculation that he might not return to the Devils for the abbreviated 2013 season.

While most players are preparing for the start of training camp, Ilya Kovalchuk remains in Russia. He took part in SKA’s KHL match versus AK Bars earlier today. A game SKA lost 3-1. Kovalchuk recorded an assist on his team’s lone tally. With 41 points (18-23-41) in 35 games, he ranks fourth in KHL scoring with a plus-21 rating.

The bigger question is what’s happening with the highest paid New Jersey Devil. Is he going to return? Kovalchuk had an interesting comment regarding the new CBA which is expected to be ratified this Saturday so NHL camps can open Sunday.

“I will need to read the new agreement,” Kovalchuk said to Russian daily Sport Express reporter Slava Malamud.

The Devil sniper has 13 years and $80 million left on a 15-year $100 million contract he signed a couple of summers ago. The KHL is supposed to honor any existing contracts in other leagues per their agreement with the NHL. That should spell the end for Kovalchuk back home.

“We have no reason to believe the KHL will let them play,” NHL Deputy commissioner Bill Daly expressed to TSN’s Darren Dreger . “It would be inconsistent with our agreement with them.”

Is Kovalchuk considering staying in Russia? He wouldn’t be the first player. Islander defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky wants to finish the ’12-13 season in the Kontinental Hockey League with Slovan Bratislava, who play back home in Slovakia.

“I have decided to stay and continue my career in the KHL for the remainder of the 2012-13 season. I am thankful to the New York Islanders for being so good to me. My decision not to play in the NHL is due to family and personal reasons. I have made no decisions on next season. My focus now is on HC Slovan Bratislava, and enjoying my family in my home country.”

The problem for Visnovsky is that once the new CBA is ratified, he’s not allowed to participate in any more KHL games. His agent Neil Sheehy told Newsday’s Arthur Staple yesterday this has nothing to do with the 36-year old veteran defenseman holding any grudge against the Islanders, who acquired him at the last NHL Draft in June from Anaheim for a second round pick. Visnovsky filed a grievance claiming Anaheim violated a no-trade clause he originally had with Edmonton. Apparently, that wasn’t the case making him an Islander.

If a player wants to stay home due to family, maybe the NHL should make a special exception. The problem is he did sign a contract and is supposed to honor it. The same for Kovalchuk, who’s much more vital to the Devils now that Zach Parise is with Minnesota. Take him out of their lineup and they’re probably a lottery team. Especially with Adam Henrique expected to miss the first couple of weeks.

It is a bit perplexing that Kovalchuk wouldn’t want to return to a team he helped get to the Stanley Cup Final. They were so close. Martin Brodeur’s back for two more years. Kovalchuk matured as a player last year, becoming more of a team player which benefited the Devils. Now, his status remains questionable. But for how long?

In a shortened season, Ranger fans won’t get to see Pavel Datsyuk work his magic against Henrik Lundqvist unless the Blueshirts and Red Wings meet for the Stanley Cup.

With the lockout mercifully coming to a halt yesterday, the NHL made plans for a 48-game season. The schedule probably won’t be released for a few days with both the league (owners) and players still needing to ratify the new bargaining agreement.

What we do know is that the abbreviated season will begin on Jan.19. All thirty teams will be in action, including area locals the Devils, Islanders and Rangers along with the Sabres. Training camps are expected to start on Saturday. Already excited fans can’t wait for the teams to hit the ice. The reaction has been overwhelming with plenty of Devils and Ranger fans anticipating the return of their teams for 2013. It’s like they’re in a candy store and found the winning golden ticket in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.

As for myself, I’m still mixed on the NHL return. It never should’ve taken this long for the two sides to straighten things out. We can thank overmatched commissioner Gary “Scrooge” Bettman and PA coal destroyer Don Fehr for this mess. Sure. It’s finally over, which is great for everyone. But it leaves a sour taste. I wish I felt more positive about the upcoming 48-game slate, which predictably will feature only in conference games. It’s expected to be seven head-to-head meetings for division rivals, totaling 28 games. So, you’ll get your daily dose of exciting rivalries. Outside the division, I believe it’s 20 against other divisions inside your conference which I guess would mean two each versus 10 opponents.

Example: NYR vs NJD 7 vs NYI 7 vs Phi 7 vs Pit 7                      Total 28
               NYR vs Fla 2 vs Car 2 vs TB 2 vs Wsh 2 vs Wpg 2               10
               NYR vs Bos 2 vs Buf 2 vs Mtl 2 vs Ott 2 vs Tor 2                  10

That would equal 48. Basically, each team is playing once at home and once on the road against 10 conference teams outside their division. This puts an emphasis on having success within your division. Last year, the Rangers won the Atlantic primarily due to their strong 15-7-2 record. Oddly enough, that’s 24 total over 82. A sharp contrast to what we’ll probably see. Fans won’t get to see the opposite Conference. For us, that means no Pavel Datsyuk or new Red Wings’ captain Henrik Zetterberg. Datsyuk is my favorite player. So, that kinda sucks. But I’m sure he’ll be on NBC or NHL Network some time. For the West, it’s worse with no Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Alexander Ovechkin, Henrik Lundqvist or Steven Stamkos. I could easily list more Western stars but the most of the world’s best players are in the East.

Already injuries are a factor with Kings’ center Anze Kopitar out with a knee injury sustained in Sweden this past Saturday. He could miss two weeks, which would be a blow to the defending Cup champs. In a shortened season, losing key players is harder. The Devils are also expected to be minus rookie playoff hero Adam Henrique until February. The Flyers are supposed to start without Danny Briere. With basically half a season, there will be more of an emphasis on health.

Getting out quickly can only help teams in a wild scramble to make the playoffs. Under such chaos, anything can happen. Nothing is guaranteed. Don’t be shocked if some favorites underachieve or miss completely while unexpected teams emerge. It’s why I won’t make any predictions.

Finally, the last time there was a shortened year, it was in ’95 when the Devils swept Detroit for their first Cup. They barely made it but won anyway. As we’ve seen last year with the Kings and ironically the Devils, getting the higher seed means little. It’s how you perform under pressure that determines the heart of a champion.

USA defenseman Seth Jones gave us plenty to get excited about over the last two weeks in Ufa, Russia.

The NHL and NHLPA finally reached tentative agreement on a new CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement). After 16 hours of negotiations with federal mediator Scot Beckenbaugh, the two sides agreed on a 10-year CBA that will be ratified over the next two days.

It took 113 long days for the league and players to end the latest lockout under Teflon commissioner Gary Bettman. The same amount for NHLPA taskmaster Don Fehr, who probably has never smiled in his life. He once destroyed baseball and nearly derailed NHL hockey. If he’d taken Bettman with him, I would’ve rejoiced. A tough league boss who at the very least, got Fehr’s side to an even split of revenues for all 10 years if the PA doesn’t opt out after eight. Team related revenues increase to $200 million with the Players Fund reaching $60 million.

They even decided to agree on the controversial contract limits. Free agents can’t be signed for more than seven years by other teams. If they re-up with their own team, the max limit is eight. Another key stipulation is salary variance. Salaries cannot vary more than 35 percent from year to year and the final year can’t be over 50 percent of the highest year. At the very least, there won’t be anymore outrageous long-term deals that exceed 10 years. A plus for the league moving forward.

There also will be amnesty buyouts after the first and second seasons. Each team is allowed two amnesty buyouts. It won’t count against the salary cap. However, the amnesty clauses will affect player related revenues. In other salary related news, teams can only walk away from salary arbitration if the reward exceeds $3.5 million.

The max cap for the second year will be $64.3 million. The floor is $44 million. Teams are permitted to spend up to a pro-rated $70.2 million. Basically, the NHL backed off its $60 million demand which was a coup for the NHLPA. It gives teams more maneuverability. Of course, there’s still over a 20 million gap between the highest spending clubs and lowest spenders. So, we’ll continue to see a disparity, which I’m not sure is so good. The biggest comparison that comes to mind in this area is the difference between the Rangers and Islanders. The Isles have a great farm system which should benefit them long-term. Maybe Charles Wang opens the vault when they move to Brooklyn.

There are other highlights including a good change for teams that miss the playoffs. All 14 will be eligible for the first overall pick of the Draft- meaning the NHL lottery just got more interesting. Imagine if your team finishes with the worst record and you slip. You might be furious but it also guarantees a more competitive balance. Teams won’t be so quick to sell. Playing to win benefits everyone.

The NHL still may participate in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Russia is coming off hosting a successful World Junior Hockey tournament in Ufa, Russia. For the third time, Team USA were crowned champs defeating Sweden yesterday 3-1 to capture gold. Sweden took silver and Russia edged old rival Canada 6-5 in overtime to claim bronze. The CBA won’t affect whether the league competes at the ’14 Winter Games. The NHL and NHLPA will have discussions with the IIHF and IOC. Hopefully, they’ll reach agreement to send our players over for one more Olympics.

On paper, everything sounds good. It still doesn’t explain why it took so long. The two sides dragged its feet and toyed with fans’ emotions. Based on the overwhelming reaction on Facebook and Twitter, people can’t wait for hockey to return. I guess Bettman was right. The loyalty of hockey fans can never be questioned. We’re diehard as it gets. I wish I could say I was excited about the return of the NHL. But I’m not jumping for joy. This excerpt from TSN explains how I feel:

The NHL and NHLPA had been without a CBA since the previous one expired just before midnight on Sept. 15. The lockout cost the league 510 regular-season games, including the New Year’s Day Winter Classic and the All-Star Game in Columbus.

While the CBA negotiations didn’t fall apart and force the cancellation of the season, they certainly brought plenty of drama and frustration for the owners, players and fans.

I still have a hard time understanding why they needed to lose so many games, including the league’s biggest draw the Winter Classic was lost along with the All-Star Game, which probably was the only big game Columbus could get excited over. Here’s hoping Artem Anisimov, Brandon Dubinsky and Tim Erixon make hockey relevant again for Blue Jacket fans. I’m sick of arrogant Ranger fans claiming that we gave up nothing for Rick Nash. Arty and Dubi were a big part of our team’s rise. The true Blueshirts know better.

Once ratification takes place, the next order of business will be how long a season it’ll be. The NHL drew up two difference schedules. One is based on 48 games and the other 50. If it’s 48, the season wouldn’t start until Jan.19. If it’s 50, it would start Jan.15. Personally, it doesn’t matter. They already lost a good chunk over stubbornness and stupidity. They took hockey fans for granted and cost dedicated people jobs, who go the extra mile to make us happy at games. They can’t get any of the lost money back. Try telling that to the few greedy owners who didn’t care if there was a season.

It’s interesting to note that Kris Letang went to the KHL. He’s one of the best defensemen in the game. What happens? Is he ineligible for the shortened season? That’d be a big blow for the Penguins. Of course, every NHLer who signed with the Kontinental Hockey League can be let out of their contracts once the NHL resumes. I’m just uncertain how it works for Letang.

“I’m really happy a deal has been reached,” Letang’s Pen teammate and captain Sidney Crosby told the Pittsburgh Tribune Review earlier today. “It’s exciting to know we will be back playing hockey.“

“Everyone is obviously relieved that it’s over and done with, for all intents and purposes, and we’re able to kind of move on to what we kind of enjoy doing a lot more than this,” added Coyotes’ lifer Shane Doan.

Kudos to both of them for staying for the duration. You can tell how much they wanted to save the season. I just wish it came sooner. Whether it’s 48 or 50, you have to get off to a strong start. It leaves no wiggle room. Part of me is still empty from the shenanigans. I will follow it but not with the same intensity. I won’t attend any Ranger games. Even if they went 48 or 50-0-0, it wouldn’t change my sentiment. I’m still annoyed. Judging from some of the comments on TSN, I’m far from alone. Maybe Canadians get how ridiculous this was. This is their sport. I’ve seen more resentment from them.

You can’t screw with the fans. We already survived an entire lost season. If they had lost ’12-13, I wouldn’t have cried. Sure. It would’ve been a bitter pill to swallow. But if it meant the end of Bettman and his minions, I wouldn’t have blinked. I still hate this commish and think it’s time for him to go. He’s overstayed his welcome. Get someone in there who knows the game. I hate all the rule tweaks. I’m sure that silly tradition will continue, embarrassing true hockey fans, players and coaches.

The lockout may officially end in a couple of days. But it still lingers. I can’t get the bitter taste out. There won’t be any Center Ice here. No extra games. I won’t watch every single Ranger game. I’m not purchasing anything from NHL.com. I already banned the overpriced jerseys. If they truly cared about the fan, everything would be half price. Will ticket, food or parking costs decrease? You already know the answer.

I’ll cheer for my team on the tube. If they win the Cup, it still won’t be the same. I’ve changed my tune on the shortened season. It pales in comparison to playing a full 82-game schedule and then going through four excruciating rounds. If your team wins it all, the max number of postseason games they could play is 28. If you do a little math, that still doesn’t equal 82.

Go ahead. Party. It’s great that the NHL has decided to return. But I’m not going to bend over backwards or jump through hula hoops. I’ll still follow junior, college, AHL and occasionally the KHL. The lesson learned from this is that hockey is more than just a selfish organization who left us feeling empty. There’s hockey everywhere to be found for much cheaper. Save some money. Enjoy the games and your team for what they are.

Rocco Grimaldi scored twice including the game winner in USA’s 3-1 win over Sweden, making them WJC2013 champs.

Earlier today, Team USA became champions. A collection of teenagers came together after a subpar start to the #WJC2013 U20 Tournament. When the chips were down, coach Phil Housley’s cohesive team reeled off four consecutive wins in elimination games to capture WJC gold.

It started with a resounding 9-3 triumph over Slovakia to qualify for the medal round. Then, they dominated Czech Republic by posting a 7-0 shutout. They stepped up in competition against archrival Canada, using a strong start to upset our neighbors 5-1 to make the championship round. Finally, they dethroned defending champ Sweden 3-1 to win the best hockey tournament.

Rocco Grimaldi scored twice. Vince Trocheck added an empty netter. Tournament MVP John Gibson made 26 saves as Team USA defeated Sweden 3-1 at Ufa Arena in Russia to become #WJC2013 champs. It’s the third time our country has taken gold in the WJC. They also won the tournament in 2003 and 2010. In those victories, they beat Canada. This time, they went through Canada in the semis and got the better of Sweden in the final to claim America’s third World Junior Championship.

Three of the four goals were scored in the second period. Following a scoreless first, Sweden’s Filip Sandberg put his team in front when he got to a loose puck on the power play for the opening goal at 1:09. But six and a half minutes later, Grimaldi responded with his first of the tournament. He surprised Niklas Lundstrom from a bad angle, catching the Swedish goalie napping to tie the game. Less than three minutes later, Grimaldi deflected home a Jacob Trouba shot for his second. It stood up as the clincher.

Gibson kept Sweden from tying it in a tense third with some clutch stops. With 16 seconds remaining, Trocheck scored into an empty net, sealing an exciting Team USA victory. We’ll have much more on a great day in American hockey later.

Russia edges Canada for bronze: In the bronze medal game, host Russia defeated Canada 6-5 in overtime. Valeri Nichushkin scored at 1:36 of OT, clinching the bronze for Russia in a high scoring affair.

With the score tied at five, Nichushkin went around Canadian defenseman Ryan Murphy and scored the winner. He beat Malcolm Subban with a forehand deke to give Russia an exciting bronze medal win. They never trailed.

Like their semifinal loss to USA, Canada fell behind 2-0. Alexander Khokhlachyov and Russian captain Nail Yakupov tallied 1:25 apart. Tournament leading scorer Ryan Nugent-Hopkins replied 2:02 later. The two sides combined for five goals in the first period with Russia taking a 3-2 lead to the locker room.

Canada outscored Russia 2-1 in the second. Murphy’s power play goal tied it 4-4. The Kitchener Ranger (OHL) was set up by Nugent-Hopkins, who had four points (1-3-4) in a losing effort. He was named the Tournament’s top forward. Canada hung in due to their power play, connecting four times.

A minute into the third, Yakupov registered his second of the game. He took a nice feed from Kirill Kasputin in front and beat Subban, who replaced starter Jordan Binnington (3 GA on 5 shots). Halfway through the stanza, Canada drew even again on a goal from forward Brett Ritchie. They hit a couple of posts late in regulation.

In overtime, Nichushkin took a Vladimir Tkachyov pass at center ice and drove by Murphy and outwaited Subban for the bronze clincher. Andrei Makarov (40 saves) was the winning Russian netminder.

Exciting star showdowns such as Sidney Crosby and Henrik Lundqvist is what’s missing from our living rooms.

It’s 2013 and there’s still nothing new to report. If you were hoping for an NHL season, it’s status quo. The NHL and NHLPA continue to waste everyone’s time. It took the two sides over three months to start negotiating.

It’s like when you’re in school and you have a paper due but wait until the last freaking moment to start it. High school. That’s what the league and players have become. A bunch of teenagers who procrastinate until there’s no time left. Misguided NHL leader Gary Bettman wants a deal done by next week so there can be a 48-game season, which would begin on Jan.19. That means that Don Fehr better agree to a deal this week to save this waste of a season.

If they can’t come to an agreement on a new CBA, Bettman reportedly might cancel the ’12-13 season this Thursday. At least that’s what Winnipeg Free Press’s Gary Lawless reported a couple of days ago, claiming he was told by an NHL Board Of Governor. Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshynski questions the validity due to Lawless’ tight relationship with the unpopular NHL commissioner. That included a rare interview he did with Bettman during the lockout.

All it would take for him to cancel the season is eight owner votes. The same minority that have caused nothing but heartache for hockey fans. What a fair process. What would you expect from the most dysfunctional professional sports league?

Wyshynski notes that big market clubs such as the Flyers, Rangers, Canadiens and Leafs probably want to play with even the Wild part of the group due to the signings of butt buddies Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. That helped create this mess. No wonder the league/owners are so hell bent on contract limits. It’s still as insane as the GMs who hand out these outrageous contracts like Halloween candy. The owners still must sign off on such deals. It’s why I can’t take them seriously. They don’t take any responsibility.

There’s also this from the Puck Daddy writer about the worst kept secret regarding the work stoppage:

Like many, I believed the two sides would take approximately two months to hammer out a new agreement. That would’ve allowed hockey to resume by Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, we were played for fools. Left in limbo waiting for the two sides to stop dilly dallying. It’s why I gave up on the NHL. They don’t care. Bettman’s early statement that fans would comeback set the tone. Using the cancellation of ’04-05, he’s been proven right. We returned in record numbers, boosting the NHL’s revenue.

Of course, the arrival of Sidney Crosby helped dramatically along with Alexander Ovechkin, Henrik Lundqvist and Evgeni Malkin. The new influx of talent gave the fans plenty of excitement. We wanted to see the New Era in person at our favorite arenas. Who wouldn’t? Hockey is the best live spectator sport. The camaraderie of fans returning to their sections along with the energy and electricity of warm ups, introductions and the drop of the puck is why we go. We have friends at these games who we reunite with. That’s the thing I miss most. It’s like your hockey family.

When I said that I wouldn’t watch if they returned, I was furious. But Hasan brought up a good point in his response. The season isn’t gone yet. And we have a blog. If they do comeback, I’ll follow it and do my part. I can’t just turn my back on the sport I love. I won’t go to any games. The NHL doesn’t deserve a penny, including Center Ice and NHL.com. It doesn’t mean stop rooting for my team. The Rangers will always be in my heart. Just as the Devils in Hasan’s and the Sabres for Brian.

It kills me how dumb the NHL and NHLPA are. Are they really willing to lose another whole season over petty nonsense? I still say no. Let’s hope I’m right.

American captain Jake McCabe scored the first two goals helping lead Team USA to a 5-1 semifinal win over Canada in the U20 WJC. They advanced to the gold medal round and face defending champion Sweden Saturday.

Much earlier today, an American tale continued. In the highly anticipated rematch, Team USA upset Canada to advance to the gold medal game in the U20 World Junior Championship. They defeated Canada 5-1 to play for gold against defending champion Sweden, who later edged host Russia in a shootout 3-2.

Team captain Jake McCabe tallied twice in a dominant first that set the tone. The Sabres’ 2012 second round selection picked a great time to deliver his best game of the tournament. With USA in full attack mode, he took a Riley Barber feed and rifled home the game’s first goal past a screened Malcolm Subban. A maze of traffic in front caused Subban not to see it. A common theme throughout.

John Gibson continued his mastery, finishing with 33 saves. That included a stone job on a point blank Canadian chance off a rebound. The Ducks goalie prospect made an acrobatic kick save to preserve the USA one-goal lead. Moments later, McCabe registered his second of the period. Off an identical play, he stepped into a Rocco Grimaldi saucer pass and wired one high glove on a befuddled Subban. The Bruins’ 2012 No.1 pick again never picked up the shot. That’s how much traffic he dealt with.

The first period saw no penalties called. Team USA outshot Canada 12-8 and had three odd-man rushes. If not for Subban, they might’ve been up by more. Canada wasn’t sharp from the outset. They repeatedly turned the puck over. In the first match back on 12/30, Team USA couldn’t penetrate the Canadian defense. This time, coach Phil Housley made a good adjustment. His team established a forecheck early that put Canada on the defensive. They uncharacteristically coughed up the puck.

“We didn’t have the start that we wanted,” lamented Canadian coach Steve Spott. “We gave the Americans a lot of time and space with the puck.

“That start to the game put us in a hole that we weren’t able to recover from. … Ultimately, the legs simply weren’t there in the first period and that cost us.”

Perhaps the extra day off hurt their momentum. They went a perfect 4-0 in Group B, dominating Russia 3-1 on New Year’s Eve. Spott offered no excuses, referencing a good team practice the day before.

The start of the second was wild. A more aggressive Canada opened it up. Searching for a way to beat a razor sharp Gibson, they had their chances. One shift saw both teams fly up and down the ice. Three different odd-man breaks occurred. On one end, Gibson thwarted a Canadian opportunity. He started the play that led to Johnny Gaudreau’s first of two on the night at Ufa Arena. Gibson moved the puck to McCabe, who sprang Gaudreau for a one-on-one with defenseman Ryan Murphy. The elusive Gaudreau toe dragged around Murphy using him as a screen for a laser top shelf. It was one for the highlight reel. Earlier in the contest, he undressed someone and got off a dangerous backhand that just missed. This time, he burned Murphy for his sixth of the tournament, steering USA ahead 3-0.

“We got the start we wanted, scoring the all-important first goal,” Housley pointed out. “We wanted to dictate the pace of the game early and we were able to do that and then it carried into the second period. We’re going to enjoy this win tonight and then start thinking about the gold medal game tomorrow.”

Moments later, Gibson robbed Islander ’11 No.1 pick Ryan Strome with a glove save, keeping his team up three. Strome took a cross ice feed and fired only to stare in disbelief. Gibson has been unbelievable. It continued in the #WJC2013 semifinal. He later denied Strome again with another lightning quick glove stop. Canada attacked better in the second but came away empty handed. On their first power play, they didn’t even register a shot- looking for the perfect play to get on the board.
Frustration crept in with several Canadian shots missing their target. They tried to go high. Jonathan Drouin had a golden opportunity but missed the net.

On one end, Canada couldn’t buy a goal. On the other, the United States continued to have success against Subban. Forward Jim Vesey extended the lead to four by converting on a two-on-one. Ranger 2011 first rounder J.T. Miller started the play with a perfect outlet to Gaudreau. The speedy Boston College wing passed for a cutting Vesey, who chased Subban from the net. He was replaced by St. Louis prospect Jordan Binnington. It wasn’t his fault. That’s how putrid Canada’s D was. If not for Binnington who stopped 25 of 26, it would’ve been much worse. He was splendid in relief.

Binnington denied McCabe of a hat trick. Facing a three-on-one, the athletic netminder turned away the American defenseman, sliding across to rob him. Grimaldi made a no look back pass to McCabe, who had half the net to shoot at. Instead, Binnington made a fantastic save. Canada still trailed 4-0 after two.

Spott’s club came out much stronger in the final stanza. With nothing to lose, they consistently worked the puck in and mounted an all out attack. They controlled most of the third. Ironically, it was a questionable shorthanded goal that broke Gibson’s shutout. Ty Rattie broke in and hit the post. With confused IIHF officials unsure if it went in, they blew the whistle as Rattie steered home the rebound into a vacated net. It looked to come after the whistle, which likely wouldn’t have counted in an NHL game. 😛 They reviewed it and decided to count the goal. Phillip Danault was given the only assist later.

Canada trailed 4-1 with 15:57 left. Plenty of time to mount a comeback. Against Russia in the same round last year, a furious rally fell short. At one point, they trailed 6-1. However, Canada got the next four. Russia escaped. For a few moments, it looked like the Canadians were intent on rallying. On a power play, they had several chances to cut it to two. But Gibson wouldn’t allow it. After stoning Strome, he made a low glove save on Nathan MacKinnon. Then thwarted three straight point blank opportunities, including a stare down with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with the American goalie getting a piece of a shot that should’ve made it 4-2.

On the opposite end, Binnington did his part to give Canada a chance. He made several big stops, including an acrobatic kick out while in mid-air. Gaudreau erased any doubt beating Binnington on a breakaway. He used the same move, toe dragging to the middle before wiring one top shelf. It was his seventh goal in the last three games. All coming in do-or-die situations. As clutch as it gets for the diminutive 5-9, 150 pound forward who Calgary stole in the ’11 fourth round. You can’t measure the size of heart. This kid has it. Think Martin St. Louis, who burned the Flames with the Lightning. Gaudreau has that kind of ability.

In the closing moments, frustration boiled over for Danault who took a run at Ryan Hartman hitting him with a dangerous knee before taking a whack at him after the whistle. He received a two-minute kneeing minor. Team USA ran out the clock and celebrated the big win- moving one step closer to a third WJC title. They’ll have to go through the best. Who wouldn’t have it any other way?

Notes: McCabe (2-1-3) and Gaudreau (2-1-3) each registered three points. Eight different Americans hit the score sheet with half posting multi-point efforts, including Vesey (1-1-2) and Miller (0-2-2). … Grimaldi and Barber tallied assists. … Mike Rielly and Vince Trocheck added helpers on McCabe’s first two markers. … Discipline was a factor. USA took only three penalties (6 PIM). Canada had eight (16 PIM). Both North American clubs took the collar on the power play with USA going 0-for-6 while Canada went 0-for-2. … Team USA gets a day off before playing Sweden for the gold Saturday with the start time at 8 AM on the East Coast (7 PM Russian). … Canada renews their historic rivalry with Russia for the bronze.