WJC Takeaways: Canadians stick with it after early penalty puts them behind

The final day of 2023 dovetailed with the last day of round-robin play at the World Junior Hockey Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Canada closed out the first portion of the tournament with a closer-than-expected 6-3 win over Germany.

With Sweden having already sewn up top spot in Group A — and the semifinal berth that goes with that — the Canadians were looking to lock down second place in the division and establish a little flow as they head into the knock-out portion of the event.

However, 11 seconds into the game, first-line winger Connor Geekie was given a five-minute major and game ejection for a headshot on Germany’s Samuel Schindler. Regardless of whether or not it was the type of play that would be penalized in North America, Canada was immediately on the back foot and wound up trailing 1-0 early on when Germany’s Julian Lutz scored during the extended man advantage.

It was a less-than-ideal start to a game that — even if completely controlled by Canada — was deadlocked 3-3 until nearly the halfway point of the final period.

Before we sink our teeth into the red meat of this tourney, let’s highlight a few items from Canada’s final medal-round tune up.

Sticking With It

It would have been easy for Canada to get frustrated in this one. And, to be sure, the Canadians did themselves no favours by trying to be too cute with the puck, always opting for the extra pass, through the first two periods of this contest.

But the Red and White came out flying in the third, as Owen Beck pulled Canada ahead 3-2 1:40 into the final stanza by tapping in a wonderful feed from Carson Rehkopf.

Even then though, Germany pulled even one more time thanks to its third power-play goal of the night with Jordan Dumais serving a high sticking double-minor.

However, Canada kept calm and pushed on, as Dumais made amends for his infraction on a Canadian man-advantage exactly one minute after the Germans had tied the score 3-3.

Mack Truck

Canada’s first goal of the game came courtesy of Macklin Celebrini, the team’s leading scorer at the World Juniors.

With Germany up 1-0 in the first frame, the top prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft grabbed the puck inside his own blueline, charged up the ice and wired a puck past goalie Matthias Bittner on the glove side.

Celebrini had barely touched the ice at that point in the game, as Canada rolled with six forwards to kill off the early major assessed to Geekie.

In the final period, with Canada suddenly finding itself in a tie game again thanks to the Germans’ third goal, Celebrini immediately answered back with a hard drive right through the gut of the offensive zone. It was one of a few threatening plays from him in this contest and, on this particular rush, he faked the shot in favour sucking the puck through his legs and bursting in on Bittner.

The slash Celebrini absorbed from Paul Mayer drew the call that lead to Dumais’ game-winner on the power play.

Finally, Celebrini provided Canada with the breathing room it lacked all night when he chased down a loose puck in the offensive zone and — with Bittner having roamed out of his crease to try and beat the Canadian player to the corner — ever so calmly whipped a sharp-angle shot into the empty net.

It was the kind of night that left no doubt why this 17-year-old is the favourite to go first overall in the NHL draft six months from now.

Tough Day for Matthew Poitras

It can sometimes be difficult for players who’ve spent the first portion of the hockey season in the NHL to parachute into this tournament and that certainly seems to be the case for Boston Bruin forward Matthew Poitras.

First off, the Canadian centre was on the wrong side of some dangerous contact not once, but twice in this game and on both occasions it was German defenceman Luca Hauf who sent him spilling into the boards.

In the first, Poitras gained the blue line, made a spin move, and was drilled by Hauf in the numbers. Then, early in the second, Hauf put a dangerous cross-check on Poitras that sent the latter crashing into the end boards.

To his credit, Poitras picked himself up on both occasions and did draw an assist on Dumais’ game-winner. But from missing a nice look on a power play or making little passes that didn’t find linemates, it’s clear the very talented pivot — as with the team itself — has yet to play his best game at the WJC.

German Player of the Game

You’d be justified in assuming the best German on this night was the one who made 30 saves. However, good as Bittner was — and he made some beauties — defenceman Roman Kechter had to be the standout German. Not only did he fire a power-play goal past Mathis Rousseau, he made perhaps the best save of the night when he did the D-man version of a two-pad stack to deny Canadian blueliner Denton Mateychuk of a sure goal in the first period.

Next Up

Canada gets a quick breather on New Year’s Day before the medal round begins on Tuesday. The Canadians, in search of a third consecutive gold medal, will face Czechia in the quarterfinals and the big question will be the status of Buffalo Sabres prospect Matthew Savoie. The injured forward — expected to be a go-to offensive player for the club in Sweden — did not play against Germany. Canada has the recently arrive Jagger Firkus waiting in the wings, but will wait until the last minute to see if Savoie has to be replaced because if Firkus draws in Savoie is not eligible to return at any point in the tournament.

The Germans, meanwhile, will play to avoid relegation when they take on Norway on Thursday.