Don Cherry reacts to Team Canada’s triumph at WJC with unanimous statement

Most times when Don Cherry says something, it is easy to disagree with the former host of Hockey Night in Canada. But on Sunday night, he was right on the money.

Cherry took to Twitter to comment Team Canada’s 3-2 win and its gold medal following an intense overtime period in which Kent Johnson tucked home the rebound from his own shot for the win.

While Grapes look to congratulate the team, he also made sure it was known that the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) had made the right call when changing the overtime rules ahead of the tournament.

“Congrats to the World Jrs., that was one exciting overtime. Glad they got rid of the shootout.”

The man is right: shootouts were simply awful, especially in ultimate contests like a gold medal game.
Ahead of the tournament, it was determined that the gold-medal game would be the only contest that does not feature shootouts.

“If the gold-medal game remains tied after three periods of regulation, then it goes to 20-minute overtime periods of 3-on-3 hockey. Unlike the previous rounds, the OT periods continue until a goal is scored.”

When the score was tied at 2 after three periods on Saddledome night, fans knew they were in for sudden death overtime.

The overtime offered some of the best plays of the tournament, especially when Mason McTavish cleared what looked to be a tournament-winning effort from Topi Niemela off the goal line just seconds before Johnson notched the deciding goal.

A shootout would have prevented fans from an amazing overtime period and clearly Cherry is glad about the change!

And so are we!