TORONTO _ The kids were all right.
Team North America, made up of players 23 and younger, was ousted from the World Cup of Hockey on Thursday but not before becoming the darlings of the tournament with a free-wheeling speed game that gave opponents and fans at the Air Canada Centre whiplash with each length-of-the-ice rush.
"I don't know who came up with this young-guns team, (but) whoever did, what a great way to showcase the NHL 10 years from now," Team Canada coach Mike Babcock said. "That to me is one of the most exciting things about this tournament. They secured a whole bunch of new fans."
North America, which featured top young players such as Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, Johnny Gaudreau and Brandon Saad, finished 2-1 but fell short in its bid to reach the semifinals when Team Russia defeated Team Finland 3-0 on Thursday to advance and join Team Sweden out of Group B. In Group A, Team Canada and Team Europe already had clinched spots in the semis.
"There were a lot of people who were ... unsure of what our team could do because it was the first time it ever has been put together," McDavid said. "That's totally understandable. But ... everyone in our locker room believed in ourselves, knew we could do something."
