Canada's goalie Malcolm Subban lays on the ice after making a save as Team USA's Nathan MacKinnon (L) skates by during the first period of their preliminary round game during the 2013 IIHF U20 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ufa, December 30, 2012. REUTERS/Mark Blinch
Canada's Ryan Strome celebrates his goal against Team USA during the first period of their preliminary round game during the 2013 IIHF U20 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ufa, December 30, 2012. REUTERS/Mark Blinch
Canada's goalie Malcolm Subban (30) guards the net with teammates Xavier Ouellet (16) and Mark McNeill (24) as Team USA's Sean Kuraly (7) and Riley Barber (16) go for the puck during the second period of their preliminary round game at the 2013 IIHF U20 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ufa, December 30, 2012. REUTERS/Mark Blinch
Canada's Ryan Murphy collides with Team USA's Blake Pietila (R) during the first period of their preliminary round game during the 2013 IIHF U20 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ufa, December 30, 2012. REUTERS/Mark Blinch
Canada's players celebrate defeating Team USA during their preliminary round game at the 2013 IIHF U20 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ufa, December 30, 2012. REUTERS/Mark Blinch
Canada's goalie Malcolm Subban celebrates with teammate Phillip Danault (R) after they defeated Team USA in their preliminary round game during the 2013 IIHF U20 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ufa, December 30, 2012. REUTERS/Mark Blinch
Canada's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins celebrates his goal with Xavier Ouellet (16) against Team USA during the first period of their preliminary round game during the 2013 IIHF U20 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ufa, December 30, 2012. REUTERS/Mark Blinch
Canada's goalie Malcolm Subban makes a against Team USA during the third period of their preliminary round game at the 2013 IIHF U20 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ufa, December 30, 2012. REUTERS/Mark Blinch
Canada's players celebrate defeating Team USA during their preliminary round game at the 2013 IIHF U20 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ufa, December 30, 2012. REUTERS/Mark Blinch
Canada's goalie Malcolm Subban falls on the ice in play against Team USA during the third period of their preliminary round game at the 2013 IIHF U20 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ufa, December 30, 2012. REUTERS/Mark Blinch
Canada's Ryan Strome (L) celebrates his goal against Team USA's goalie John Gibson during the first period of their preliminary round game at the 2013 IIHF U20 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ufa, December 30, 2012. REUTERS/Mark Blinch
Canada's goalie Malcolm Subban stretches before his team plays Team USA in their preliminary round game during the 2013 IIHF U20 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ufa, December 30, 2012. REUTERS/Mark Blinch
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UFA, Russia -- The weight of a country's expectations can be a heavy load for any goaltender to shoulder.
A nylon cape? That's a lot lighter.
"It feels pretty good," Canada goaltender Malcolm Subban said after staring pressure in the face during a 2-1 victory over the United States Sunday at the 2013 World Junior Championship.
"The biggest thing was the rivalry we have with that team. It was a lot easier to get up for that game."
Subban, picked by Canada head coach Steve Spott to be the netminder of record for the entire tournament, barring injury, had hockey fanatics biting at their fingernails through Canada's first two games. He allowed three goals against both Germany and Slovakia and had a shoddy .893 save percentage.
But Subban, who many teammates said was in a different frame of mind in the hours leading up to the game, was close to perfect against the U.S., allowing only a goal by defenceman Jacob Trouba in the third period.
There was a stop on a breakaway by John Gaudreau in the first period, one that came after the speedy forward deked to his backhand and tried to slip the puck between Subban's legs. But the Boston Bruins first-round pick, a member of the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League, calmly moved across the crease, simultaneously closing the five-hole.
There were one-timers from Trouba and Seth Jones, like trying to pick off ducks from the point, that Subban steered away during U.S. power plays. There was a lunging save on Ryan Hartman late in the third.
All told, it was the Subban fans had been expecting to see since the selection camp started in Calgary three weeks ago. The talk about Jordan Binnington getting a chance to prove his mettle in Canada's net can be put to rest.
Subban quite likely will become the first goalie since Carey Price in 2007 to play every minute for Canada at the world junior. Canada won gold that winter in Sweden.
But Canadian goaltending has been an issue for some in recent years at the world junior. Three tournaments have gone by without gold for the kids in the red, white and black sweaters.
"I am really proud of him," Spott said, no doubt a tad relieved as well. "I think goaltending in our country has been on the forefront the last couple of years. It's a big moment for Malcolm, a big moment for our hockey club. As (goaltending consultant) Ron Tugnutt said, give him the chance and he stood up tall.
"Malcolm was square, his rebound control was solid, he just seemed to have that swagger he had in the summer (in exhibition games against Russia) and that was important."
Of course, it wasn't just Subban who came to play as Canada had no choice but to take on the U.S. minus two forwards because of suspensions to JC Lipon and Boone Jenner (which are finished). Spott singled out the play of Phillip Danault and Mark McNeill, especially on the penalty kill.
There were the usual suspects on the scoreboard, as captain Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who leads the tournament with eight points, and Ryan Strome beat U.S. goalie John Gibson in the first period to give Canada a 2-0 lead.
There were some penalties for Canada to wade through, but nothing of the suspension variety, not even in the eyes of the touchy International Ice Hockey Federation.
And there was some luck on Subban's side, as the puck bounced over the stick of American forward Alex Galchenyuk in the final minute with nothing but an open net standing in its way.
But character was evident in every Canadian player. Subban, in slamming the door not only on his critics but also the Americans with 36 saves, just happened to have the most.
"You have a feeling in a game like that it ain't going in," Strome said. "He really proved how good he is and I think he quieted a lot of people."
For one night, Subban wore Canada's player-of-the-game cape.
Now, his team is one win away from getting a bye to the semifinals. Russia, on New Year's Eve, is up next.
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terry.koshan@sunmedia.ca
twitter.com/koshtorontosun
Source: http://www.winnipegsun.com/2012/12/30/world-junior-championships-canada-beats-us-2-1
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