World Juniors roundup: Canada dominates while USA, Sweden and Finland win
Connor Bedard ties team scoring record as Canada lights up Austria
Canada will have a chance to win the group after beating Austria 11-0 on Thursday.
With the win, Canada is third in Group A, but one point behind the Czech Republic and two points behind Sweden. A Czech regulation win gives them 10 points, with the result helping Canada/Sweden complete the other two spots in the top three.
Once again, Connor Bedard was the star of the show. After tying a team-high seven points against Germany, he had two goals and four assists to give him 14 points in three games. His second goal gave him 14 all-time in 12 games, tying him with Jordan Eberle for the team scoring record.
Bedard has 27 points all-time in the tournament, which puts him fourth behind Eric Lindros for the team lead.
Canada got off to a slow start, but when they finally found a way to break past goalkeeper Benedikt Oschgan, everything went their way. It all started on the power play at 14:08 when Connor Bedard found Brennan Othmann near the net, who promptly sent the puck between his legs. Dylan Guenther then fired home a one-timer to break the ice after a slow start.
A minute later, Zach Dean scored his first of the tournament, only for Bedard to set up Shane Wright for Canada’s third goal — another on the man advantage — at 18:19.
Everything started to fall apart for Austria in the third. Joshua Roy scored 2:37 into the second, and Bedard scored on the very next shift with a snipe that had to be reviewed given how quickly it went in and out. Nolan Allan then scored his first WJC goal two minutes later to make it 6-0.
With just over five minutes left in the second, Canada needed another review for a goal to count. At 34:32, Logan Stankoven knocked the puck over Austrian netminder Benedikt Oschgan and into the net, but initially no goal was awarded and play continued for another minute. After an Austrian player turned the puck over the glass, the play was reviewed and eventually scored a good goal, making it 7-0.
Canada didn’t need any second goals, but a little extra insurance on goal difference in a tiebreak situation didn’t hurt. Adam Fantilli’s first goal of the tournament came at 42:15, with Nathan Gaucher getting his first nine minutes later.
But the real highlight was at 53:16 when Bedard’s second of the night tied the Canadian team record, doing so with up to four games remaining on the schedule. Tyson Hinds also scored his first point of the tournament to close it out, giving Stankoven his fourth point of the night in the process.
USA thumps Switzerland to bounce back
A day after a crushing loss to Slovakia, the USA is back in the win column with a 5-1 win over Switzerland.
The USA is now comfortably second in Group B with six points. They will finish the battle against Finland on Saturday in what could end up being the top spot in the group.
The loss was Switzerland’s first of the tournament and kept them on four points. They are still comfortably in the Group B play-offs, one point ahead of Slovakia and three above Latvia. Switzerland will finish with Slovakia on Saturday, which will decide the placement for the playoffs.
A goal late in the first period gave the USA something to smile about in the first. With the two teams playing an even game, Jimmy Snuggerud scored at 18:05 on a Logan Cooley feed to make it close, making it 1-0.
Cooley then got one on the power play, with Rutger McGroarty going between the legs to put Cooley up at 25:49. Snuggerud scored his second at 36:40 and Tyler Boucher scored his third of the tournament less than two minutes later to extend the USA’s advantage.
But luckily for the Swiss, they were able to pot one late in the period to give them something to cheer about. Attilio Biasca scored at 39:32 with a wrist shot that clipped goaltender Trey Augustine and in for the 4-1 goal.
The Americans kept the pressure going in the third, but only a single goal came in. It went to Luke Hughes, who received the puck after some nice moves from Sean Behrens and fired it past Alessio Beglieri for the 5-1 American goal.
Sweden edge Czech Republic in Group A thriller
Sweden has helped keep things spicy in Group A, beating the Czech Republic 3-2 in extra time on Thursday.
The win puts Sweden in first place in Group A with eight points, while the Czech Republic’s loss keeps them in second place with seven. The Swedes can clinch the group stage with a win over Canada in the final round-robin match on December 31, while the Czechs can clinch a top-two spot with a win over Germany on Saturday.
Sweden was without two key players: Leo Carlsson and Fabian Lysell. Carlsson, a top 2023 draft prospect, was pulled after warmups due to a suspected illness. Then, after just one season, Lysell, a Boston Bruins prospect, was also pulled without reason outright.
However, the Czech Republic was at full strength and David Jiricek managed to open the scoring at 23:12. After Petr Hauser fought past a defender to set up a scoring chance, he found Jiricek — a Columbus Blue Jackets pick — in front, and Jiricek made no mistake tapping in the shot.
The lead lasted just two minutes when Fabian Wagner put a quick wrist shot past Tomas Suchanek to tie the game at one. Just 90 seconds later, Ludvig Jansson’s point shot blew past Suchanek and gave Sweden the lead.
The advantage lasted until the 54th minute of the contest. Sweden’s group was tired after consecutive ice-outs, and the Czechs made their passing game look easy. Eventually, defender Jiri Tichacek scored his first goal of any kind this season, picking up Matyas Sapovaliv’s pass for the 2-2 goal – a big goal late on.
The game went into overtime, giving both teams a valuable point. But the extra point went to Sweden after Jansson rushed in and fought off a defensive attempt to hit Suchanek, handing the Czechs their first loss of the tournament.
Finland excludes Latvia
Finland keep their point streak alive in Group B play after beating Latvia 3-0 on Thursday.
Finland holds first place in Group B with a 2-0-1-0 record and has a chance to win the group on New Year’s Eve against the USA.
The Finns made the most of their injury in the first half. At 4:43, Jani Nymans snipe over Patrik Berzins to make it 1-0, breaking up a good start by the Latvians. At 29:34, Nyman set up Niko Huuhtanen in close, with the Tampa Bay Lightning prospect sending a backhander over Berzins for the 2-0 goal.
Latvia looked to create something in the dying stages but fell short. After a pass to the blue line with the net mesh empty, Niks Fenenko was beaten to the puck by Konsta Kapanen, who shot the puck into the open cage for the 3-0 goal.
The goalkeepers were the stars of the series. Finland’s Jani Lampinen was excellent, with the undrafted prospect stopping all 31 shots sent his way. Berzins was also good at the other end, making 26 saves to keep his team in contention.
Three stars
- Connor Bedard, F (Canada, 2023): Bit of a quiet night for Bedard, who had just six points after recording seven the night before.
- Logan Stankoven, F (Canada, Dallas): A four-point night for Stankoven places him second in tournament scoring.
- Logan Cooley, F (USA, Arizona): A pair of players had two points apiece for the USA, but Cooley was fantastic as a two-way forward and generated a wealth of chances.