Crosby Enters 'Triple Gold' Club As Canada Routs Russia To Win Hockey Worlds
PRAGUE (AP) - Sidney Crosby led Canada to its first hockey world championship title since 2007 Sunday with a goal and an assist in a dominant 6-1 victory over defending champion Russia in the final.
In a meeting of the two most decorated teams in world championship history, Canada claimed its 25th title with another attacking display that Russia simply couldn't cope with.
"That's why we all came. We came to win," said Crosby, who finished the tournament with four goals and 11 points. "We got better as the tournament went on and saved the best for here today."
Six players scored for Canada, with Dallas Stars center Cody Eakin putting his team ahead late in the first period before Buffalo Sabres center Tyler Ennis, Crosby and Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin decided the game in a six-minute span in the second.
The Crosby-led team, coached by Todd McLellan, dominated throughout the tournament, winning all 10 games and scoring 66 goals. By winning all games in regulation, it won a new bonus of 1 million Swiss francs ($1.09 million).
With the win Crosby also joined hockey's so-called Triple Gold Club, a small group of players who have won the Stanley Cup, the Olympics and the worlds.
"You have to be part of some great teams to be part of that (club)," Crosby said. "I feel pretty lucky and pretty fortunate to be part of those teams."
It was only the second appearance for Crosby at the worlds after the 2006 tournament in Latvia.
Russia goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made several good saves to keep Canada at bay until Eakin deflected a shot by Tyler Eanis into the net with 1:50 left in the first period.
Ennis took the puck on the Russian blue line and skated around the goal to net the second 1:56 into the middle period and Crosby scored with a one-timer off Jordan Eberle's pass from behind the net before Seguin scored his ninth goal of the tournament.
"We played so good in our zone and our top guys can score and capitalize on our opportunities, Seguin said. "I enjoy scoring goals and I'm happy that I can do that. It's such a good feeling winning with such a group of guys."
Philadelphia Flyers forwards Claude Giroux and Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon added one each in the third before Russia's got a consolation goal from Evgeni Malkin. Eakin, Ennis and Giroux had an assist each.
"In the second period we threw the game away," said Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin, who was a late addition to the Russia team. "We only had one shot. Of course they played really well today, it's obvious that they're a good experienced team and they showed it today."
Earlier, the United States beat the Czech Republic 3-0 to claim a second bronze medal in three years.
The U.S. bounced back from a 4-0 loss to Russia in the semifinals on Saturday. Nick Bonino scored 7:25 into the game and Trevor Lewis got the second with 1:57 to go in the first.
After the U.S. killed a four-minute, one-man advantage, Charlie Coyle netted the third with 50 seconds left in the second to wrap up a decent tournament for the young American team. Bonino and Coyle also had an assist each.
"It was a great effort tonight. We were little bit of shaky at the start but once we settled things down we played pretty well," said Lewis, the Los Angeles Kings forward. "We're a young group, we battled hard all the way through. To come out with the medal is awesome."
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