by Alan Adams

LEKSAND, Sweden – Kris Russell is on a record-setting performance at the World Junior Hockey Championship and Canada is benefiting from it.

Russell scored twice in a 3-0 win over Slovakia on Sunday and he now holds the record for the most goals (4) by a Canadian defenceman in a single world junior tournament.

"That's neat," Russell, who plays for the Medicine Hat Tigers, said after the game when told his performance was one for the ages.

But Russell isn't about individual performances. He's here to win gold as a member of Canada's National Junior Team.

"It is pretty exciting to hear something like that but it doesn't mean much," he said. "It is a team effort and I got lucky on the power play."

The Canadians now have won four straight games in this sleepy Swedish town and the National Junior team program has 16 consecutive wins to its credit, dating back to the 2005 WHC in North Dakota.

Canada's next game is Wednesday and the opponent will be decided on Tuesday when the quarter-final games are to be played.

Forward Steve Downie scored his third goal in four games while goalie Carey Price made 32 saves to register his second shutout.

The Canada-Slovakia game meant nothing to either team in the standings as Slovakia was already headed to the relegation round.

The game didn't have a lot of flow to it, mostly because of the constant parade of players to the penalty box. And once Canada took a 2-0 lead in the first period, the penalty parade began in earnest.

Price only had to make a couple of difficult saves to preserve the shutout. He slid across the crease in the third period to make a brilliant pad save when the Slovaks had a two-man power play.

Late in the second period, he made two smart pad saves during a Slovak power play and then got the shaft of his stick caught in the goal netting. He squared up without his stick to a Slovak who shot wide and nonchalantly retrieved his stick.

"I did a barrel-role," laughed Price about how he retrieved his stick.

The Canadians know the officiating in Europe is at times much different than what they are used to. They also know the dangers of undisciplined hockey and taking penalties when a man is already in the box.

With no games Monday and Tuesday, the Canadian juniors will use the time to rest and prepare for the semifinals.

"Hopefully we are playing a team (in the semifinals) that comes in tired and we are well-rested," said Daniel Bertram.

» Game Notes