Canadian world junior squad isn’t worried about Finland

EDMONTON –

To date, it has been virtually too straightforward for the Canadian junior workforce.

Because the squad prepares to face Finland on Monday in a sport that can resolve who finishes atop Group A on the world junior hockey championship, the host’s largest enemy may simply be complacency.

To date, it has been a stroll within the park for the Canadian juniors. They’ve swept apart Latvia, Slovakia and Czechia by an combination rating of 21-4. And, in these two wins, there have been two standout performances in purpose, from Latvia’s Patriks Berzins and Czechia’s Tomas Suchanek.

Over the three wins, they’ve outshot their opponents 145-70.

“Clearly, the pictures had been very excessive for us in each video games,” defenceman Olen Zellweger mentioned in regards to the Canadian wins over Slovakia and Czechia.

“That is excellent for us. I assume in the event you would have mentioned that I would be shocked (by the scale of wins), I assume I’d have been a bit bit. However our workforce is sweet and that is our purpose — shoot the puck, retrieve it and hold creating that offence.”

The Finns have gained all three of their group video games — although the Finns wanted a shootout to dispatch the Czechs. They trounced Slovakia 9-3 Sunday afternoon simply as Canada was on the brink of leap on the ice on the neighbouring observe rink — so the Canadians solely caught fleeting glimpses of that Finnish triumph.

However the Canadians know they need to work on some particulars. The Finns scored 5 power-play objectives within the win over the Slovaks. New York Islanders prospect Aatu Raty has eight factors in three video games, whereas Nashville Predators draft choose Joakim Kemell has seven.

“Your can nitpick quite a bit, however we’re additionally doing loads of good issues,” mentioned Canadian ahead Mason McTavish, who leads the event with 10 factors in three video games. “We’re simply specializing in correcting some errors.”

McTavish mentioned one space of focus is puck motion on the facility play, to make issues “less complicated” and to maneuver the puck sooner. If there was one dour second for the Canadians within the win over the Czechs, it was a first-period five-minute power-play that generated little or no and allowed a short-handed purpose.

Canadian ahead Kent Johnson, who scored a jaw-dropping lacrosse-style wraparound purpose in Saturday’s win over the Czechs, mentioned he is not anxious that the Canadians shall be fooled by their very own success to this point.

“I believe, loads of occasions, while you’re profitable like that, you possibly can get complacent, however that is a battle in life that I believe loads of us have handled quite a bit,” he mentioned. “I am not too anxious about it.”

Do not forget that youngsters who get to this stage dominated video games in minor hockey. They had been in their very own stratospheres once they performed on group rinks. So, from a younger age, they needed to push themselves though they had been at increased ranges than anybody else round them.

“Each participant on this workforce, each member of the employees, they’re right here for a cause,” mentioned Johnson. “I do not assume we are the form of folks with personalities who’re (simply) happy.”

For Zellweger, it is about ensuring he and his teammates do not lose sight of the larger image.

“I believe now we have to maintain our objectives in thoughts,” he mentioned. “We’re right here for the gold medal, and that is what now we have to bear in mind. Once we’re making ready by means of observe, making ready for our video games, that needs to be our mindset.”

Zellweger mentioned it was good for the Canadians to get some observe time in, as lots of the periods have been cancelled due to the heavy sport schedule. Balancing relaxation and three video games in 4 days has meant there hasn’t been loads of time to fine-tune the Canadian sport, not that it appears prefer it’s wanted loads of it.

Zellweger mentioned the Canadians know the hazards the Finns deliver with their sport.

“I believe it is their pace and their construction,” he mentioned. “They pounce on errors, so now we have to be able to play a robust two-way sport.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Aug. 14, 2022.