The Canadian juniors have been overwhelmed with the support of the fans who have a traveled abroad to cheer them on at the world under-20 championship and the encouragement from back home.
Prior to the game the Canadian fans among the crowd of 5,187 at Pardubice Arena sang the O’Canada.
“It gave me chills up and down my spine as I walked through the tunnel,” Canadian head coach Craig Hartsburg. “I was just hoping they weren’t getting ahead of themselves.”
In international hockey, the national anthem of the winning team is played at the conclusion of the game.
The Canadian dressing room also has hundreds of good-luck messages taped on the wall.
“When you see something like that you can see why there is so much pride in Canadian hockey,” Canadian forward Brad Marchand said. “I can’t believe how many people come over here and cheer their hardest.
“We get messages everyday from people we have no idea who they are. It’s unbelievable.
“Our whole team wants to thank everyone for all their support.”
