TORONTO - The sweetest sound was the final buzzer. Jake Kumerow Jersey . Canada built a four-goal lead on Russia and could taste gold at the world junior championship. What followed was a harrowing struggle just to hold on. We didnt panic or certainly tried not to panic, Sam Reinhart said. There were moments of panic, but by the time Monday night was over, gold medals were hanging around the players necks and they sang along with O Canada while locking arms on the blue-line on home ice at Air Canada Centre after a thrilling 5-4 victory over Russia. It wasnt easy, but Canadas world junior gold-medal drought that dated to 2009 was no more. Were world junior champions, were world champions. Its joy, Connor McDavid said. We were never really under pressure. The media and all the fans mightve been putting that pressure on us, but we were just able to brush it off. Right now this is just absolute joy. Joy was heightened by the emotional twists and turns of this gold-medal game, another classic in the passionate rivalry between Canada and Russia that began with the 1972 Summit Series. This will go down as another unforgettable piece of Canada-Russia history. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and experience and we took advantage of it, Max Domi said. Its awesome. No matter what happens in our lives, were always going to remember this. Anthony Duclair scored to give Canada the lead and ignite the crowd of 19,004 just 23 seconds in, and Russian starting goaltender Igor Shestyorkin was chased after Nick Paul scored goal No. 2 less than three minutes in. Thanks to goals from McDavid, Domi and Reinhart, Canada proceeded to build a four-goal lead at 5-1, and this looked like it would follow the script of past games in this tournament. This veteran team led by 19-year-old captain Curtis Lazar, a rookie with the Ottawa Senators, had never trailed and cruised into the final. Goal by goal the lead got smaller, and at 5-4 coach Benoit Groulx was forced to use his timeout to settle a rattled team that looked like teenagers for the first time. Thats no question the most adversity weve faced throughout the tournament, Reinhart said. After going undefeated with victories over Slovakia (twice), Finland, Germany, the United States and Denmark, this was the first time Canada was really pushed. Clinging to a one-goal lead from late in the second period and through the third, the onus was on goaltender Zach Fucale, who imploded in the semfinals of this tournament a year ago. This time, Fucale was at his best, stopping all 11 shots he faced in the final period, including two in the final 12 seconds to preserve gold. To come out in the third period there with all that pressure on his shoulders being the goalie ... he made some huge saves, calmed us down, defenceman Josh Morrissey said. He was just able to calm us down and make some huge saves. The emotional ebb and flow of the building was palpable. Excitement built from the opening two goals and hit another high when Morrissey sprung McDavid for a breakaway goal that will go down as one of the signature moments of the game. When Reinhart deflected Domis shot past Russian backup Ilya Sorokin to make it 5-1, fans — and likely players — could taste gold. What followed was a series of penalties and goals-against that made for a tense atmosphere. Im glad I was on the ice and not in the stands in the second period for a while there, Reinhart said. Groulx said it was clear the Russians were here for a fight and unwilling to wilt under pressure. Dmitri Yudin, Ivan Barbashev, Sergey Tolchinsky and Nikolai Goldobin scored goals to help make this one a classic. The beauty of junior hockey, Lazar said. Back and forth. You think you have it in the bag and they come back. thats what the Russians did. I thought our guys did a great job regrouping and staying calm. The poise of this gold-medal-winning team will be what Canadians remember. As dominant as this group was through the first six games, it had to bust out of its comfort zone to finish the job. What a way to finish a game and win a gold medal, Groulx said. Were very lucky to have these guys playing for us. The closeness of this group of 23 players aged 17 to 19 was never more evident than in the post-game ceremony when Lazar skated over to injured teammate Robby Fabbri and handed him the trophy. Fabbri was lost for the rest of the tournament with a high ankle sprain in the quarter-finals. We all told each other and we locked our arms and we said were doing this for Fabbs, Domi said. By the time it was over, this group made it clear they did this for the country, Hockey Canada, the fans but also for each other. That was part of the joy of victory. At the end, I mean, its a game, Lazar said. Its a game we love, the fans love it, we love it, the refs love it, and were all out here having fun. Notes — Bronze-medal-winning Slovak goaltender Denis Godla was voted tournament MVP by members of the media. Godla stopped 224 of the 242 shots he faced in seven games. ... Joining Godla on the all-tournament team were McDavid, Domi, Reinhart, Morrissey and Swedish defenceman Gustav Forsling. ... The 50/50 draw was a new arena record of $90,150 Preston Smith Jersey . Argentina, who have yet to beat New Zealand in 17 meetings, rocked the All Blacks with an early converted try to backrower Juan Manuel Leguizamon and led 7-0 after five minutes. But Smiths double in the 23rd and 26th minutes - when Argentina was reduced to 14 men by the sin-binning of hooker Eusebio Guinazu - turned the tide of the match and set up New Zealands third straight Championship win. Kyler Fackrell Jersey .com) - It appears both the Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls will reach the playoffs, but the two squads are coming off losing efforts. http://www.custompackersjersey.com/custom-mason-crosby-jersey-large-2532r.html . - The New Orleans Saints have re-signed receiver Joseph Morgan for one year and have agreed to a four-year deal with free agent fullback Erik Lorig. RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- France drew 0-0 with 10-man Ecuador to advance to the second round of the World Cup on Wednesday, while the South Americans will be going home from the tournament. In the other final Group E game, Switzerland defeated 3-0 Honduras to finish in second place and join France in the knockout stages. Ecuador was down to 10 men short at Rios Maracana stadium after Antonio Valencia was shown a straight red card in the 50th minute for digging his studs into the leg of French defender Lucas Digne. But Ecuador may feel upset that France centre half Mamadou Sakho was not shown a red card in the eighth minute when he appeared to elbow Oswaldo Minda in the face during a France corner. Then, in a late incident off the ball, France forward Olivier Giroud jabbed his elbow in to Gabriel Achilier, who was standing behind him. France coach Didier Deschamps made six changes to his starting lineup, knowing his side was all but assured of advancing. France came closest to scoring when Antoine Griezmann hit the post in the 47th and then missed a string of late chances as its much-vaunted attacked failed to live up to the hype generated by last Fridays 5-2 win against Switzerland. An inspired Ecuador went close in the 82nd when substitute midfielder Alex Ibarra broke down the right, cut inside centre half Raphael Varane, and saw his powerful strike beaten away by goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. Moments later, France striker Karim Benzema played a one-two with Giroud but stroked a casual shot that goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez easily saved. Dominguez had an outstanding match, denying substitute Loic Remy with a brilliaant leaping save from the forwards curling shot in the 87th minute. Roy McKay Jersey. . Giroud should then have scored in injury time but planted a free header straight into Dominguezs hands. After France had hit the post, Ecuador almost took the lead in the 54th when Cristhian Noboa shot wide. Ecuador kept pushing forward, knowing it had to win because Switzerland was coasting. With more space, France pressured down both flanks and Benzema teed up Paul Pogba, whose shot was well blocked. Benzema was getting on the ball much more and he sent Blaise Matuidi through the middle in the 62nd, but the midfielder placed his shot too close to the goalkeeper. As time for Ecuador ran out, both sides went close. Pogba headed wide from close range and Benzema shot straight at Dominguez after cutting in from the left. Then, Edcuadors Michael Arroyo burst down the left but centre half Laurent Koscielny stood him up well and he shot wide. Pogba still had enough energy left to thump a powerful shot narrowly wide, while Ecuadors last chance came from a corner as France defended desperately to prevent an unexpected defeat. ------ Lineups: Ecuador: Alexander Dominguez; Jorge Guagua, Frickson Erazo; Juan Paredes, Cristhian Noboa (Felipe Caicedo, 89), Walter Ayovi, Oswaldo Minda, Antonio Valencia, Michael Arroyo (Gabriel Achilier, 82), Jefferson Montero (Alex Ibarra, 63); Enner Valencia. France: Hugo Lloris; Bacary Sagna, Mamadou Sakho (Raphael Varane, 61), Laurent Koscielny, Lucas Digne; Paul Pogba, Morgan Schneiderlin, Blaise Matuidi (Olivier Giroud, 67); Antoine Griezmann (Loic Remy 79), Karim Benzema, Moussa Sissoko. ' ' '