Thursday, January 06, 2011

Why Canada Hates the Caps... Or Should

Two years, two finals, two late losses...

...two winning efforts by Washington Capitals prospects.

Last night Team Russia defeated Team Canada in one of the epic comebacks in the history of the sport, erasing a 3-0 lead after 40 minutes by scoring five goals in the last 20 minutes for a 5-3 win in the World Junior Championship final in Buffalo, NY. 

Capitals prospect Evgeni Kuznetsov registered three assists in the furious Russian comeback effort that sent Canada home for the second straight year disappointed in the final.  That is because last year, another Capitals prospect -- John Carlson -- stuck the dagger into the Canadians' hopes in the form of a no-look goal in overtime to give Team USA a 6-5 win in the final.

Kuznetsov finished the tournament as its second leading scorer (4-8-12, behind Canada's Brayden Schenn who finished at 8-10-18).  Kuznetsov, who with fellow Capitals prospect defenseman Dmitri Orlov was named to the all-tournament team, might have had the best quote following the game.  When asked how it was that the Russians could come back (the final being their third consecutive come-from-behind win in the tournament), he replied...
“Because we are Russians! We are champions!
We're hoping his countrymen on his parent club in Washington take that one to heart. In the meantime, we could understand it if 34 million Canadians hated the Washington Capitals.