‘It was a present’: French goalie Junca’s birthday was a memorable one regardless of 10-2 loss to Canadian stars

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Chris Jones reviews from Milan.

Think about, for just a few horrifying moments, that you've got woken up as Julian Junca, the beginning goalie for France.

It’s your birthday. You've simply turned 28. You blink again the solar streaming via your window on the Olympic Village and head downstairs for breakfast. You attempt to inform your self all of the issues that doomed athletes at all times inform themselves.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Hockey players walk to the ice." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/c78b296b-b175-4f41-a6f5-5b08fec54c35,1771183366366/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C6234%2C4316%29%3BResize%3D796 796w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/c78b296b-b175-4f41-a6f5-5b08fec54c35,1771183366366/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C6234%2C4316%29%3BResize%3D1083 1083w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/c78b296b-b175-4f41-a6f5-5b08fec54c35,1771183366366/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C6234%2C4316%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) calc(100vw - 32px),730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/c78b296b-b175-4f41-a6f5-5b08fec54c35,1771183366366/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C6234%2C4316%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.4443929564411493" data-cy="image-img"/> France goaltender Julian Junca leads his teammates onto the ice for his or her recreation towards Canada on Sunday. (AFP through Getty Pictures) Nothing is predetermined, you hear your self say. Nothing is inevitable. Compete.

You arrive on the Milano Santagiulia and take the ice to your warmups, nonetheless filling your self up with lies.

However you then see them. You see the Canadians.

You play your membership hockey for Dukla Trencin within the Slovakian league.

WATCH | Canada defeats France 10-2: Canada blows out France to complete atop Group A

Canada ran up the rating towards France, profitable 10-2 to lock up prime spot in Group A. Captain Sidney Crosby had a aim and two assists to develop into Canada's all-time main Olympic scorer amongst NHL gamers with 16 factors. Now you look down the ice and see Sidney Crosby, some of the aggressive folks on Earth. You see Nathan MacKinnon, who doesn’t perceive why anybody would do something for enjoyable. You see Connor McDavid, who arrived in Milan sooner than anybody else, as a result of he needed his physique to be prepared for this second, prepared for you.

While you handle to snap your gaze from them, once you shake your head and really feel your masks rattle and struggle to return to the bliss of your denial, you see Mitch Marner, and Mark Stone, and Macklin Celebrini, and Drew Doughty, and, only for enjoyable, Tom Wilson.

You watch them skate, and also you’ve by no means seen hockey gamers transfer that quick. You’ve by no means seen males that measurement look that fast. You hear the pucks coming off their sticks, and it seems like doorways slamming, like weapons going off.

And as if issues can’t get any worse for you, they get a lot, a lot worse.

<img loading="lazy" alt="A goalie makes a save." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/3ee4c980-e573-43a3-ba45-4840158a8322,1771183467186/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C8256%2C5504%29%3BResize%3D796 796w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/3ee4c980-e573-43a3-ba45-4840158a8322,1771183467186/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C8256%2C5504%29%3BResize%3D1083 1083w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/3ee4c980-e573-43a3-ba45-4840158a8322,1771183467186/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C8256%2C5504%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) calc(100vw - 32px),730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/3ee4c980-e573-43a3-ba45-4840158a8322,1771183467186/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C8256%2C5504%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.5" data-cy="image-img"/> Junca makes a save as Canada's Nathan MacKinnon lurks. (AFP through Getty Pictures) As a result of Canada needs to enter the elimination rounds as the highest seed, and since aim distinction will doubtless issue into it, and since the U.S. gained’t play Germany for 5 extra hours, the Canadians are desirous to do greater than win.

They wish to rating as many targets on you as they will.

They're one of many biggest assemblies of pure hockey expertise within the historical past of the sport, they usually have been given permission to assault, relentlessly and remorselessly, unburdened by decorum and pity and the Olympic spirit. They've been instructed that at present there will likely be no such factor as sufficient.

Attempt to be large, you inform your self. Keep centered.

Lastly, the puck drops.

Within the first 64 seconds, you face three photographs, from MacKinnon, Nick Suzuki, and Brandon Hagel. You cease all three.

Okay, Julian. Good begin.

Your abdomen begins to settle. The gang begins to chant: “Allez les Bleus!” You’re taking part in the sport you're keen on. You’re on the Olympics. Hundreds of thousands of individuals are watching. You make an ideal stick save on MacKinnon. You’re right here, and also you’re doing it.

However then, the inevitable comes. After a bit of greater than eight minutes and as many photographs, Wilson beats you on the rebound.

Your teammates skate again to faucet your pads in commiseration.

Then, solely 13 seconds later, they do one higher for you: They rating!

<img loading="lazy" alt="Hockey players celebrate." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/9c6b4fc7-c702-4efb-9766-b1e3c11dba4e,1771183631980/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5077%2C3384%29%3BResize%3D796 796w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/9c6b4fc7-c702-4efb-9766-b1e3c11dba4e,1771183631980/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5077%2C3384%29%3BResize%3D1083 1083w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/9c6b4fc7-c702-4efb-9766-b1e3c11dba4e,1771183631980/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5077%2C3384%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) calc(100vw - 32px),730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/9c6b4fc7-c702-4efb-9766-b1e3c11dba4e,1771183631980/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5077%2C3384%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.5002955082742317" data-cy="image-img"/> Canadian gamers have a good time Tom Wilson's opening aim. (Related Press) Wait. Perhaps that wasn’t such a good suggestion. Crosby quickly leads a 3-on-1, feeding Devon Toews, who beats you, too. The sport was tied for 39 seconds.

After which with 3.4 seconds left within the interval, Stone breaks in short-handed and lifts a wobbly backhand over you.

All of it occurs so quick, you suppose.

Throughout the intermission, you battle to get your breath. Your thoughts begins to muddle, and your physique begins to cramp. Even your arms are balling up.

You come again out and permit aim after aim. Cale Makar scores on the ability play with Crosby, MacKinnon, and McDavid on the ice, as if that’s honest.

Celebrini is awarded a penalty shot with 2:44 left within the second interval, which doesn’t really feel all that honest, both.

You suppose he’s going low blocker, and also you commit. He goes excessive. After he buries it, you flip to your internet and take an extended, lengthy drink of water.

WATCH | Celebrini scores on penalty shot: Macklin Celebrini scores a penalty shot aim towards France

Macklin Celebrini drew a penalty shot and made good on it, to place Canada up 5-1 of their match towards France. Crosby scores an unfortunate one on a deflection 19 seconds later, and that’s it for you. Your coach takes you out throughout the second intermission, an act of mercy reasonably than condemnation, and your backup will get crushed on the primary shot he sees, earlier than you’ve even had probability to take your seat behind the glass.

Now you’re watching, admiring. They don’t miss a move, you suppose. Each move is true on the blade.

You drink extra water by the bottle, making an attempt to scrub your cramps away. A coach brings you a bag of ice to your arms.

You watch your nation lose, 10-2.

You make the lengthy stroll to the dressing room. A reporter stops you.

He asks you ways you suppose you’ll keep in mind this expertise someday, sharing the identical ice with these gamers, on this night time.

You are taking a second to reply.

“It’s my birthday,” you say. “And it was a present.”

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