Now the real fun begins

Today the real fun begins at the World Junior Hockey Championships in Ottawa.

The quarterfinals are scheduled for this afternoon at Scotiabank Place.

The early game will see Team U.S.A. take on Slovakia.

The Americans are coming off a tough loss to Team Canada. After opening up a 3-0 lead in the opening period, the Americans went on to blow the lead and eventually drop a 7-4 decision in the battle for top spot in Group A. Slovakia needed a shootout victory in their final game against Finland just to get into the quarters. The loss drops Finalnd into the relegation bracket with Latvia, Germany and Kazakhstan.

The late game, also at Scotiabank Place, will see Russia take on the Czech Republic.

In a similar fashion to the Americans, Russia lost their final round robin game against Sweden in a battle for top spot in Group B. The Czechs are entering the quarterfinal after a 10-2 victory over Kazakhstan.

The winner of the USA/Slovakia game faces Sweden in one semi-final while the winnner of the Russia/Czech Republic game will face Canada. Both semi-final games are scheduled for Saturday afternoon and evening at Scotiabank Place.

Canada/USA at the Juniors

Up-to-the-minute updates on the Canada/USA game at the World Junior Hockey Championships.

Lines

Canada

Angelo Esposito - John Tavares - Chris DiDomenico
Zach Boychuk - Cody Hodgson - Jordan Eberle
Stefan Della Rovere - Patrice Cormier - Evander Kane
Jamie Benn - Brett Sonne - Tyler Ennis
Thomas Hickey - Colten Teubert
Cody Goloubef - P.K. Subban
Keith Aulie - Tyler Myers
Alex Pietrangelo - Ryan Ellis
Dustin Tokarski

USA
James vanRiemsdyk - Colin Wilson - Jordan Schroeder
Drayson Bowman - Mitch Wahl - Jim O'Brien
Eric Tangradi - Matt Rust - Aaron Palushaj
Mike Hoeffel - Tyler Johnson - Jimmy Hayes
Jonathon Blum - Ryan McDonagh
Teddy Ruth - Ian Cole
Kevin Shattenkirk - Cade Fairchild
Thomas McCollum

-Danny Kristo - 13th Forward; Blake Kessel - 7th Defenceman for Team USA

1st Period

-(1-0 USA) Kevin Shattenkirk opens the scoring at 3:49 with a shot stick side on Dustin Tokarski
-Tyler Myers takes a penalty with Cody Goloubef already serving a penalty to give the Americans a 5-on-3 for 1:33
-(2-0 USA) Jimmy Hayes in the slot takes a feed from Aaron Palushaj and scores on the short side at 7:15
-(3-0 USA) Jim O'Brien's slapshot from the top of the right circle beats Tokarski high to the stick side at 12:35
-(3-1 USA) John Tavares parked near the side of the American goal buries a loose puck after an initial stop by Thomas McCollum on Cody Hodgson on the power play
-(3-2 USA) Tavares takes a turnover from Ryan McDonagh, whose stick breaks on a pass, and breaks down the left wing, scoring high short side on McCollum...on the celebration as the Canadians skate by the American bench, Chris DiDomenico catches a high stick from American forward Eric Tangradi and goes to the dressing room. vanRiemsdyk gets shoved into the camera bay between the benches by Stefan Della Rovere
-Cody Hodgson comes a post away from tying the game at 3
-(3-3) Jordan Eberle buries a chance high to the short side on McCollum on the power play

Scoring Summary
USA: Kevin Shattenkirk (1) (Cade Fairchild, Colin Wilson) 3:49
USA: Jimmy Hayes (2) (Aaron Palushaj, Eric Tangradi) 7:15 (PP2)
USA: Jim O'Brien (1) (Kevin Shattenkirk, Drayson Bowman) 12:35
Canada: John Tavares (6) (Cody Hodgson, P.K. Subban) 14:55 (PP)
Canada: John Tavares (7) (Unassisted) 15:43
Canada: Jordan Eberle (2) (Cody Hodgson, P.K. Subban) 18:10 (PP)

Shots: 9-9

2nd Period

-(4-3 Canada) Zach Boychuk at the side of the American goal knocks in a loose puck on the power play 37 seconds into the period on the power play
-(4-4) Jonathon Blum tries to pass cross crease to Colin Wilson, only to have the puck deflect off Brett Sonne and past Tokarski at 3:40
-(5-4 Canada) Ryan Ellis' point shot goes wide and deflects to Hodgson in the left faceoff circle on the power play at 6:56
-Tokarski with a game-saver on Wilson late in the period
-McCollum matches Tokarski with a stop on Cormier moments later

Scoring Summary
Canada: Zach Boychuk (4) (Chris DiDomenico, Thomas Hickey) 0:37 (PP)
USA: Jonathon Blum (1) (Jordan Schroeder, Cade Fairchild) 3:40 (PP)
Canada: Cody Hodgson (3) (Ryan Ellis) 6:56 (PP)

Shots: 10-9 Canada

3rd Period

-Tavares, who has had a great game already hits the outside of the post after a turnover in the American zone
-Tokarski makes two saves on Wilson within 20 seconds of each other to keep the Canadians up by a goal
-Zach Boychuk has spent much of the third period in the Canadian dressing room. He played a shift late but went back to the room
-American timeout with 1:04 remaining...McCollum pulled for extra man
-(6-4 Canada) Tavares holds off Jordan Schroeder after a feed from Angelo Esposito and scored into the empty net
(7-4 Canada) Evander Kane forces Cade Fairchild to turn the puck over to Tyler Ennis in the right faceoff circle who scores into an empty net

Scoring Summary
Canada: John Tavares (8) (Unassisted) 19:17
Canada: Tyler Ennis (3) (Evander Kane) 19:49

Shots: 10-9 Canada
Final Shots: 29-27 Canada

Players of Game
Canada: John Tavares
USA: Colin Wilson