Canada vs. Russia results: Alex Newhook, Devon Levi have Canada going for gold

Jackie Spiegel

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Canada vs. Russia results: Alex Newhook, Devon Levi have Canada going for gold image

The road to gold, to back-to-back gold, continued Monday for Canada at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship. A familiar foe — historically and in recent memory — stood across the ice, and the result was similar, too.

Last year, Canada came back to beat Russia in the gold-medal game. In this year's rematch, the Canadians were dominant from puck drop in a 5-0 semifinal win. They will play for more gold on Tuesday. 

Team Canada started swiftly in this one. Alex Newhook — who left the team's last preliminary game early and missed the quarterfinals with an upper-body injury — came out like a gangbuster and scored 59 seconds in. One problem: It took a little time for the officials to figure out he had scored, but once they did, Canada had an early 1-0 lead.

"It was great to get off to a great start there, our whole team came out flying," said Newhook, who no idea the puck went in until he saw it on video. "To get one on the first shift, I think it's always great to get one then and get some energy right off the bat for the guys. I think we carried that through the whole game, so, great effort."

The Canadians didn't stop there. They controlled puck possession, tore apart 2020 first-rounder Yaroslav Askarov (who had trouble holding on to his stick for much of the first period) and didn't let the Russians get much offensive zone pressure. By the end of the opening frame, it was 3-0 for the hosts.

Canada's Connor McMichael was asked Sunday if his empty-net goal against the Czech Republic might be the thing he needed to change his puck luck. "I hope so. I'm not too worried. I'm getting chances, that's the main thing. They'll eventually start going in. Hopefully, that starts . . . tomorrow," he replied.

Well, by the end of the first period a prophetic McMichael had another goal, this time off a great feed from Jakob Pelletier, who was elevated to the top line thanks to his tenacious tournament play. Cole Perfetti added a power-play goal, the team's first since it scored three against Switzerland on Dec. 29 (the Canadians entered the game 0 for 6 in the last two contests).

Braden Schneider and Dylan Cozens added goals in the second and third periods, respectively. For now, Cozens has retaken the tournament points lead at 16 with his goal and two assists. (The United States' Trevor Zegras is at 15. He's playing in Monday's late semifinal vs. Finland.). He had a chance for another goal but was stopped by Askarov's toe on a penalty shot. Cozens also is tied with Ryan Ellis for fifth on Canada's all-time WJC points list with 25. By the way, Ellis, now a Predators defenseman, played in three World Juniors.

While the goals were nice, the biggest story out of this game was, once again, the performance of netminder Devon Levi. Showcasing his calmness, pinpoint positioning and expert puck tracking, he turned aside all 28 Russian shots for his third shutout of the tournament; he's the second Canadian goalie to do that, joining Justin Pogge, who did it in 2006.

While it's nice to tie the record, Levi is focused on winning.

"I'm not playing for a shutout record. I'm playing for a gold medal," said Levi, who copped to trying for an empty-net goal in the waning seconds of the game. "I'm looking for tomorrow and it's something maybe to look at after the tournament, but the job's not done yet."

Levi has allowed just three goals since Boxing Day — all on the power play — and has a 0.53 goals-against average, besting (so far) the likes of Pogge (1.00) and some guys named Carey Price (1.14) and Steve Mason (1.19). Not bad for a guy who wasn't even invited to summer camp.

"I don't know what to say, I look like I repeat myself every day," head coach Andre Tourigny said when asked about his netminder. "He's really assertive, he's really quick, he's aggressive, he's focused. He's radiating confidence for us. He is so assertive. We're glad to have him on our side." 

Monday's contest was the 28th meeting at the World Juniors between Canada and Russia in the last 28 years, since the Soviet Union dissolved. Canada now holds a 15-12-1 edge in those games. Its overall advantage is 21-19-2 when taking into account the Soviet Union years. 

The last time any country won back-to-back golds was, yep, these Canadians, who did just that from 2005-09. Last year's gold was the country's 18th title. And everyone will be tuned in on Tuesday night when they square off against the Americans at 9:30 p.m. ET (TSN/NHL Network).

"For me, the best feeling is being able to represent my country and being able to go out and play the game that I love," said Levi. "To be able to hopefully make some Canadians proud. We're playing for the whole country and, and that's what really drives me."

"It's definitely special," added Newhook. "It's not really that, you know, pressure's so much on us where we have Canadians watching us. I think we have all Canadians behind us and it's cool to feel that and to bring that into this tournament and bring it into a championship game tomorrow."

Sporting News had all the action as Canada clinched a spot in the gold-medal game and a shot at back-to-back golds. Since 1977, Canada has only lost the final game in nine of 27 championships.

Canada vs. Russia scores, highlights from 2021 World Juniors semifinals

(All times Eastern)

Third period: Canada 5, Russia 0

8:26 p.m. — EN GOAL. Dylan Cozens and Jakob Pelletier can't decide who should get the goal, but it's Cozens who finishes. He's now the tournament's point leader. Canada leads 5-0.

8:24 p.m. — Empty net. Not much time when you need four and Levi is a stud in net.

8:23 p.m. — Russia calls timeout. There are 20 seconds left on the 4-on-4 and 3:09 to go in regulation.

8:20 p.m — Four-on-four action. Editor's note: We will not be transcribing what Peyton Krebs said to Zakhar Bardakov in the box. This is a family site.

8:15 p.m. — Russia's Shakir Mukhamadullin zings one off the pipe.

8:15 p.m. — Not much sustained action as Canada continues to control the play. With 7:24 left, Canada is outshooting Russia 33-24. Looks like the Russians just have four shots on goal in the period; Canada has eight.

8:04 p.m. — The Canadians fumble the puck a little trying to get it out but are able to recover a few times to keep the Russians from any scoring chance.

8:02 p.m. — Big move by Byfield but Askarov makes the stop; however, not much action otherwise from either team so far.

7:57 p.m. — Final frame. Just 20 minutes standing in Canada's way of getting another chance at gold.

Second period: Canada 4, Russia 0

7:37 p.m. — Great stop by Askarov with the toe. Wow. 

7:37 p.m. — Lots of action. After a turnover in the neutral zone, Dylan Cozens breaks in but gets a hook on the hand — and Askarov made a good stop — so he is awarded a penalty shot. 

7:35 p.m. — Power play ends for Russia. They had five shots on net and one disallowed goal.

7:35 p.m. — Something happened to Podkolzin and he is shaken up at the bench.

7:32 p.m. — Play was offside. No goal. Time put back on the clock, so Russia now has 1:35 left on the power play.  Canada leads 4-0.

7:30 p.m. —  Hold on. Canada challenging an offside call that happened like a million years ago. Looks like the attacker may have had his skate off the ice and not have possession as he was crossing the line.

7:29 p.m. — PP GOAL. Shot from the point gets blocked but goes straight to Abramov, who buries it into the empty net. Canada leads 4-1.

7:28 p.m. — Devon Levi with two big saves, and then it looks as if it was Jakob Pelletier who knocked the puck away to prevent what would have been a sure goal. 

7:27 p.m. — Canada is short-handed as McMichael gets called for tripping.

7:21 p.m. — Devon Levi making a few stops with the paddle on a scramble in front. He has faced 11 shots thus far and turned them all aside.

7:14 p.m. — HAHA. They just played the 2020 penalty song. Memories.

7:14 p.m. — Canada heads back to the power play. Canada 1 for 2 already in the game.

7:11 p.m. — Ryan Suzuki rips it off the pipe.

7:05 p.m. — GOAL. Askarov again loses his stick — what, is that the third time tonight? — and Braden Schneider gets the puck at the point. The Rangers prospect rips it home. Canada is in control of this one.  Canada leads 4-0.

7 p.m. — Second period is a go. Dylan Cozens notched assists on the last two goals and is now tied with American Trevor Zegras for the tournament lead with 15 points. He's also now tied with Jason Allison for fifth all time for Canada at the WJC.

First period: Canada 3, Russia 0

6:45 p.m. — Solid first period from the Canadians.

6:34 p.m. — PP GOAL. Just seconds into the second two, Cole Perfetti, the Jets prospect, gets the puck just below the blue line, skates into the circle and rips it past Askarov's glove. Canada leads 3-0.

6:33 p.m. — First two minutes over and nada.

6:30 p.m. — Podkolzin called for a four-minute high-sticking penalty as Bowen Byram gets some fixing on the bench. Canada's power play has been meh, however; the team hasn't scored one on the man advantage in the last two games (0 for 6). Russia, by the way, is 16 for 17 in the tournament on the penalty kill. 

6:28 p.m. — Thirteen minutes and change into the period and Canada is outshooting Russia 11-4

6:25 p.m. — GOAL.  Canada pads its lead. Jakob Pelletier, playing on that top line, feeds Connor McMichael, who knocks the puck into the empty net. They had a good chance earlier in the shift and then connected while Askarov was playing with a teammate's stick as his goalie stick was lost along the way. Canada leads 2-0.

6:24 p.m. — Great defensive play by Kaiden Guhle in his own end as he steps up and breaks up the Russian rush in the circle after a drop pass. 

6:21 p.m. — Another stop by Levi off the rush on a shot by Yegor Chinakhov (Blue Jackets).

6:20 p.m. — Russia's top line gets some pressure and Levi has to make a good stop. Podkolzin (Canucks) smacks one off the outside, too.

6:13 p.m. — Dylan Holloway's backhander has Askarov looking behind him. The Predators prospect is looking a little shaky off the top.

6:11 p.m. — GOAL! Hold on. That Newhook shot that went off the pipe — it dinged the back pipe in the net! Just 59 seconds in, he gives the Canadians the lead. Canada leads 1-0.

6:10 p.m. — Hmmm. Interesting. Horn in the building sounds while play is going on.

6:10 p.m. — Welcome back, Alex Newhook. He rings one off the post during a strong shift where he was a force on the forecheck.

6:09 p.m. — Puck has been dropped. Slightly disappointed in the referee — "Nothing to say about this one." Sigh. A little bit more oomph would have been nice.

Pregame

5:55 p.m. — Newhook took line rushes.

5:14 p.m. — Lines are here.

2:18 p.m. — Alexis Lafreniere is keeping an eye on things, too. 

2 p.m. — Hmmm, I wonder who Sidney Crosby is rooting for.

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Jackie Spiegel