Canada won its fifth consecutive gold medal at the world junior championship Monday night, tying its own record and adding to its hockey lore with a 5-1 victory over Sweden before 20,380 at Scotiabank Place. After surviving Russia in a semi-final for the ages, the Canadians pounded a Swedish outfit that was supremely confident and considered tournament favourites — or at least Canada's equal — after assembling perhaps their best under-20 team.

Canada, which was without eight junior-aged players who are in the NHL, finished the 2009 tournament 6-0, outscoring its opponents 46-12.

— Matthew Sekeres, The Globe and Mail

The game wasn't quite the battle of the titans it could have been, as the Swedes seemed to wilt under the pressure, but it was an impressive perforance by Canada nonetheless. Winning five gold medals in a row at the world juniors is an incredible feat, especially considering the Canadians went seven years from 1998-2004 without gold, and you have to tip your hat that this group was able to get it done.

That said, having yet another tournament at home is at least a bit of an advantage, and you wonder if Canada will just keep winning — and intimidating — other teams as the event moves from the comfy confines of Ottawa to Regina/Saskatoon next year and then Buffalo in 2011 and Calgary/Edmonton in 2012.

That's the reward for success, I suppose — both at the gate and on the ice. This tournament has become a Canadian focal point in the way Americans follow March Madness, and it's hard to see that changing any time soon. Nearly two million Canadians watched the semi-final game on Saturday, and the ratings for Monday night's final were likely incredible as well.

"When you're playing overseas … you feel like a single unit in a foreign country representing the rest of Canada," John Tavares said. "Being at home, celebrating with all these people is amazing. There's no experience like it."

And that's becoming an annual event, at least recently.

Canada has now won gold 15 times at the tournament, 12 of which have come since 1990 (compared to only eight for the rest of the world combined in that time frame), and remains a strong favourite for the 2010 Olympic tournament despite a loss in 2006. The team would likely be even more dominant if it was allowed to have all of its representatives playing in the NHL along for the ride, a group of under 20s made up of Steven Stamkos, Drew Doughty, Luke Schenn, Josh Bailey, Kyle Turris, Sam Gagner and Colton Gillies.

On a final note, given it's nearly 3 a.m., good for Pat Quinn. I bet he finds an NHL job soon — and he may already be celebrating in the city where that opportunity comes.