Culligan has two goals, assist, as Canada’s men’s hockey team wins gold

It was fitting that a highly successful 26th Winter Universiade ended with gold medals from Canada's men's and women's hockey teams (Team Canada website / Trentino 2013 website)

On Saturday, the Canadian squad — a team comprised of Atlantic University Sport all-stars — defeated Kazakhstan, 6-2, to win the fourth gold medal in FISU history in men's ice hockey. They won with a disciplined effort in a game that saw eight misconducts in in the final period, including an ejection for the Kazakhstan head coach and assistant.

Captain Chris Culligan from the University of New Brunswick had two goals and an assist as Canada (5-1) dominated Kazakhstan to capture its fourth Winter Universiade men’s hockey title, Saturday afternoon at the Gianmario Scola Arena in Canazei, Italy, near the host city of Trentino.

The only blemish on its record was a 4-2 round-robin loss to Kazakhstan last Sunday. The game was also a rematch of the 2011 bronze-medal game in Erzurum, Turkey, won 3-1 by Canada. The Canadian men, who have now claimed 13 medals (4-3-6) in 14 all-time appearances at the event, had previously triumphed at the FISU Games in 1981 in Jaca, Spain (University of Alberta Golden Bears), 1991 in Sapporo, Japan (senior national team) and 2007 in Turin, Italy (AUS all-stars).

“It’s an unbelievable feeling. What can you say?,” said Team Canada head coach Gardiner MacDougall from UNB, who was an assistant coach with the 2007 gold medal-winning squad. “How often do you become the best in the world in anything you do? In this case, this is a Canadian passion, hockey. The guys should be very, very proud.

“It’s great to be a world champion," MacDougall said. "It’s one of those things where everyone has to come together in such a short time, one of those things you can’t really explain. It’s a feeling you get, it’s something you’ll never forget and to do it with these guys and to be the person that represents them as their captain is such an honour. I’m really, really trilled right now.”

Culligan, a forward from Howie Center, N.S., scored five minutes into the second period to give Canada a commanding 4-1 lead and sealed the victory early in the final frame with his third of the competition.

Kazakhstan stunned Canada with a goal only 14 seconds in but Canada responded with six unanswered goals, including three in the first period.

Mike Cazzola, an Acadia University forward from Guelph, Ont., put Canada on the board at 3:39 to tie the game at 1-1. StFX’s Josh Day, a defenceman from St. John’s, sent a rebound past Yankov at 5:25 to give the Canucks their first lead of the game and UPEI rearguard Matthew Maione of Unionville, Ont., made it 3-1 at 7:16 when his long-range shot was deflected to the back of the net.

In the second period, Culligan made 4-1 on a one-timer off a perfect pass from Tyler Carroll of Strathroy, Ont., who had a goal and a helper in Friday’s 2-1 semifinal win over Russia. Then, seven minutes later, during a 5-on-3, Culligan set up one of his UNB teammates, assisting on Nick MacNeil’s tournament-leading seventh goal, before netting Canada’s second 5-on-3 goal of the day in the third.

Saint Mary’s netminder Anthony Peters of Blyth, Ont., turned aside 19 pucks for his fourth win in as many starts at the competition. Yankov was spectacular in a losing cause with 48 saves. Taking advantage of its opponent’s undisciplined play, Canada connected twice on 11 power-play opportunities, both times with two men up.

The Canadian team seemed to get better with every game, and responded well to the only loss of their tournament by saving their best for the medal round.

"The last two games, we’ve been coming along really well as a group, the chemistry’s been great both off and on the ice," MacDougall said. "We came out and made it simple for ourselves, took advantage of our chances probably as good as we have had all tournament. For us to do that in this tournament is pretty special.

"It’s a special time of year, it’s Christmas," MacDougall added." December is synonymous in Canada for international hockey and hopefully we can set the trend for the world juniors and the Olympics because we have 28 proud Canadians here in Italy that’s for sure.”

TEAM CANADA RESULTS
Dec. 21: Canada 6, Kazakhstan 2 (final)
Dec. 20: Canada 2, Russia 1 (semifinal)
Dec. 18: Canada 6, Slovakia 0 (quarter-final)
Dec. 15: Kazakhstan 4, Canada 2
Dec. 13: Canada 11, Ukraine 0
Dec. 10: Canada 12, Japan 1