The Junior Ice Hockey Championship flipped one more page ahead. Semifinal matches were different and brought fans unbelievable emotions. The Canadian team defeated the opponents from Sweden (8:1), and the junior Russian “red machine” has got a victory in a challenging game against Finland (6:5). Thus, this tournament will end with the historical struggle between Russian and Canadian junior teams.
Supporters are going to place their bets on BetSofa, and it’s high time to dive into the historical background. The ice hockey fight between Russian and Canadian players is always one of the most intriguing in history.
The change of two eras and the Canadian domination
This junior tournament officially originated in 1977, and during the first years, the Soviet Union dominated the championship. The “red machine” won 7 out of 10 starting tournaments, being undoubted kings of the game. Furthermore, until 1991 the Soviet Union had ended the championship without a medal just twice.
After the USSR’s dissolution, the Canadian era began, and nowadays, the Canadian team owns 18 titles, being entirely unattainable for opponents. Within four last championships, Maple Leaves have won the title twice; meanwhile, the US team is the defending champion. Or it would be better to say that the IIHF World Junior Championship has no winner at this moment, as the United States of America has been already defeated.
Canada is going to make one more step to the “magic 20.” Ice hockey undergoes quite an intense competition; this is why 18 titles are something genuinely charming. What about Russia?
Ten years without a title
In 2021 the Russian team is going to “celebrate” a sad anniversary – 10 years without a championship title. The “red machine” won this tournament in 2011 for the last time, and since then, Russia has collected four silver and four bronze medals. One more chance for the team – will they turn this anniversary into a happy moment?
What about the pre-match chances, according to experts and betting sites? The Canadian team is considered a stronger opponent. During the junior championship, the Maple Leaves have won all seven games by the overall score of 46:9 – this result sounds quite frightening for competitors. As for the Russian team, the junior representatives of the “red machine” have five victories and 1 defeat with the overall score of 38:20. The intrigue is still alive, and the ice hockey community is going to watch one of the most spectacular finals.