Dejection: Canada Falls To Russia In OT To Finish 4th

The team that many expected to roll through the competition in a lockout year will return to Canada without a medal of any colour around their necks.  Russia capped a crazy Bronze Medal game with a 6-5 overtime win in a game that Canada never led.

Jordan Binnington, in a move that will be second-guessed in the post-tournament analysis, lasted just over 8 minutes, allowing three goals on five shots.  Two of them were of the weaker variety and although Canada dug out of the hole, it obviously put them on their heels and they had to fight from behind.  Malcolm Subban was good in relief, but not good enough.

Other thoughts on the disappointing result:

The future of the Edmonton Oilers was on display as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov combined for 6 points.  All of the points came on the power play, and as dominant as RNH was with the man advantage (1 goal, 3 assists), he didn’t do much 5 on 5, which nobody seems to be pointing out.

Canada fails to medal for the first time since the drastic 8th place finish in 1998, a string of 14 straight years.

Ryan Murphy had a goal and two assists, but it was his defensive ineptitude that resulted in the OT goal as he misplaced the Russian winger and gave him a lane to the net.