IIHF - Countdown to 50: Part 7 - Canada Wins 5 in a Row at World Juniors

Countdown to 50: Part 7 - Canada Wins 5 in a Row at World Juniors

by Andrew PODNIEKS|02 DEC 2025

photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION

WJC #31—2007, hosted by Sweden (Leksand, Mora)

Between 2002 and 2011 Canada appeared in every gold-medal game at the World Juniors, an unmatched level of success in the tournament’s history. And after perfect 6-0 runs in both 2005 and 2006, they were flawless for a third straight year in Sweden. They scored only 20 goals in the six games, their lowest total in 13 years, but they allowed only seven. The only blemish on their record was a semi-finals win over the United States that was decided in a shootout, but what an epic shootout it was. Jonathan Toews scored three times for Canada, the last one the game winner. The team then defeated Russia, 4-2, to win a third consecutive gold. The Americans beat Sweden, 2-1, for bronze, in a chippy game, their fourth medal in the last eight years. As in 2003 and 2005, Germany and Belarus, both promoted, were promptly demoted. It was a disappointing finish for the Germans, who started the tournament with a 2-1 win over the U.S., their first win over the Americans since 1980.

WJC #32—2008, hosted by Czech Republic (Pardubice, Liberec)

Make it four in a row for Canada after a dramatic 3-2 win over Sweden in the gold-medal game. Matt Halischuk was the hero, scoring at 3:36 of overtime for the win. The silver medal was the first for the Swedes since another silver in 1996 and came in the first year for coach Par Marts. The result was sweet retribution for Canada as they lost to Sweden, 4-3, during the round robin under dramatic circumstances. They led 2-0 early in the third, trailed, 3-2, and tied the game, but Tobias Forsberg scored the winner at 19:53. After six years in Division I, the Kazakhs earned promotion for 2008 and thanks to big wins over Switzerland and Denmark managed to stay up for another year. The Americans started strong, with four wins in a row during the round robin, but they then lost to Canada and Russia and finished fourth. This marked the second time in six years that Pardubice was a host city for the World Juniors

WJC #33—2009, hosted by Canada (Ottawa)

Ottawa hosted the 2009 World Juniors, attracting a record attendance of 453,282 fans, a number that has yet to be equalled. And Canada came through, winning gold for a fifth straight year, this time under coach Pat Quinn. They beat Sweden for the second year running, this by a one-sided 5-1 score. Slovakia came close to earning its second ever U20 medal (after a bronze in 1999) when it defeated the U.S. 5-3 in the quarter-finals but lost to Russia in the third-place game, 5-2. The highlight of the tournament was the Canada-Russia semi-finals. Russia led, 5-4, with the seconds clicking off the final minute of play, but they took an icing call. That set the stage for an incredible goal from Jordan Eberle with five seconds remaining to tie the score. Eberle was the hero again just a few minutes later when he scored the shootout winner.

WJC #34—2010, hosted by Canada (Saskatoon, Regina)

Another year, another gold-medal game for Canada, but alas there was to be no record-setting sixth consecutive gold. It wasn’t for lack of trying, though, but Canada ran into a more determined U.S. team despite more heroics from Jordan Eberle. The final game was back and forth between the North Americans. The U.S. trailed, 1-0, led 2-1 and 3-2 and, in the third were ahead, 5-3. Yet Canada pulled off a miraculous comeback. Eberle scored at 17:11 and 18:25 to tie the game and force overtime, but the Americans did not break. John Carlson scored the golden goal at 4:21, giving the U.S. their second gold medal, both at the expense of Canada. The Swedes beat the Swiss for bronze by an 11-4 score, the highest-scoring game in U20 history and the only time a U20 medal was won with a score in double digits. The Swiss, playing in only their third bronze-medal game, had advanced to the bronze game with a thrilling 3-2 win over Russia, capped by an OT goal from Nino Niederreiter.

WJC #35—2011, hosted by USA (Buffalo, Lewiston)

Canada avenged the 2010 gold-medal loss a year later by defeating the U.S., 4-1, in the semi-finals, but it then lost the gold medal in epic fashion. Facing Russia in Buffalo, Canada built a tight and solid 3-0 win through two periods, but then the Russians exploded for five unanswered goals in the third. As the period progressed and it became obvious what was happening, it seemed coach Dave Cameron, goalie Mark Visentin, and the rest of the players couldn’t stop the negative momentum. It was Russia’s first gold since 2003, and despite the loss it was the 13th year in a row Canada won a U20 medal. The U.S. recovered from that SF loss and won bronze with a 4-2 win over Sweden, pulling away with three goals in the third period before more than 16,000 fans at HSBC Arena. For the Swedes, it was a bitter loss after having a 3-2 lead late in the third period against Russia in the semi-finals. They surrendered a late goal, lost in a shootout, and never quite recovered.

Previous articles from the Countdown to 50 series: