And the defence rests . . .

12-0. That is now Brent Sutter's coaching record after coaching the Canadian Junior squad to back-to-back gold medals in the past 2 WJHC. Two undefeated runs to gold in one of the most high-profile hockey tournaments (in Canada anyways) around. That is remarkable.

Last night Sutter cemented himself as the the best World Junior's coach of all-time after his heavily underappreciated Canadian squad routed the favoured Russians to the tune of a 5-0 final score.

Say what you want about the Russians getting robbed on the goal that should have made it a 2-1 Canada lead. Woulda, coulda, shoulda. It wouldn't have mattered. 2-1 or 2-0, Canada would have one that game regardless.

Russia's best chance to put the game away was not when that goal didn't count, it came in the first 10 minutes of the game when they were outshooting Canada 15-3 and dominating the Canucks in the offensive zone.

Thankfully Canadian netminder Justin Pogge brought his "A" game and kept his team in it while they worked out the cobwebs and stayed afloat until Steve Downie, undoubtedly the heart and soul of this team, potted the game winner on a wrap around that somehow found some space between Russian goaltender (and resident smack talker) Anton Khudobin and the left post.

While it wasn't a shot up high (which is where I said Canada needed to put pucks on Khudobin) it was a rather routine shot that Khudobin let by (which I said he is prone to). Man I hate it when I'm right:).

Anyone who watched last years gold medal final must have wondered if TSN had just put in a tape of last year's game and just substituted all the names. There wasn't much difference between last year's game and this years.

How did Canada win? A complete team effort and a deep-rooted commitment to winning at all costs that led to yet another perfect game.

This team lacked the star power of last years team but Coach Sutter once again showed his uncanny ability to achieve total buy-in from every member of his team in a very short window of time.

This was maybe, MAYBE, the third best team on paper. Definitely the Russians and the US had bigger names and more individual talent but that's all they had going for them. The Americans lacked heart in a big way and the Russians showed once again that while they are a skilled team, they cannont compete at a physical level (no matter how many Russian players seemed to think otherwise before the game).

What Canada lacked in individual skill they made up for ten-fold in character and heart. As a Canadian hockey fan this year's gold medal was far more satisfying than the dominant run of 2005. Sure that team was fun to watch but the outcome was never really in jeopardy.

You could see the progression of this team and the growth that each player experienced from game to game. It was truly a pleasure to watch these young men from the first face off to the final whistle.

Not one of those boys who were a part of this team will be the same type of player again. This tournament and this experience will leave an indefinite mark on their lives, and their careers. This tournament is about so much more than just winning a medal.

Congratulations to Team Canada. You represented your country admirably and we couldn't be more proud of the job you did.

Congratulations also to TSN for a job well done on broadcasting this tournament. While I will join the masses who wish that they would find a better colour guy than Pierre Maguire- last nights all-time worst comment was when he said that Kris Russell had "just become a man" after a battle along the boards- I give them top marks in all other areas.

My only other suggestion for TSN would be to keep the cameras off the poor kids who lose the gold medal game. They've just put their heart and soul into this tournament and no one needs to see them lying on the ice, balling their eyes out. They just lost the gold medal, let's not rob them of their dignity as well. I know you want to catch the raw emotion of the moment but I think it's safe for all of us to assume that the losing team is upset, and if they're not, well then that's probably a big reason why they lost. Keep the cameras on the happy stuff and give the devastated kids some space.