Key Takeaways
- Canada topped Finland 7-4 at the world junior hockey championship on Wednesday
- Cole Beaudoin and Brady Martin each scored twice for Canada
- Canada finished atop Group B at the annual men’s under-20 tournament
- The Canadians will face Slovakia in the quarterfinals on Friday
- Finland will take on the United States, Sweden will face Latvia, and Czechia will meet Switzerland in the other quarterfinal matchups
Introduction to the Game
The world junior hockey championship saw an exciting matchup between Canada and Finland on Wednesday, with Canada emerging victorious with a score of 7-4. Cole Beaudoin and Brady Martin led the charge for Canada, each scoring twice in the game. Zayne Parekh also had a notable performance, scoring a goal and adding two assists to help his team secure the win. Tij Iginla scored and set up another goal, while Michael Hage, Sam O’Reilly, and Caleb Desnoyers each contributed two assists. Carter George made 14 saves in the game, and Beaudoin and O’Reilly both had three-point nights.
Finland’s Performance
Finland put up a good fight, with Roope Vesterinen scoring a goal and adding an assist. Julius Miettinen, Oliver Suvanto, and Lasse Boelius also scored for Finland, while Matias Vanhanen registered two assists. Petteri Rimpinen stopped 25 shots in the game, but it wasn’t enough to secure the win for Finland. The team’s captain, Aron Kiviharju, was unable to play due to illness, which may have impacted their performance. Despite this, Finland was able to keep the game close, with the score tied 3-3 midway through the second period.
Canada’s Strategy
Canada’s strategy paid off, with Iginla breaking the 3-3 tie midway through the second period. He took a long breakaway pass from Parekh on a power play and fired a shot glove side to give Canada the lead. Beaudoin then made it 5-3 with under three minutes to go before the intermission, but Finland responded quickly with a goal from Vesterinen. Beaudoin’s second goal in the third period gave Canada some breathing room, and the team was able to cruise to a 7-4 win from there. O’Reilly sealed the deal with an empty-net goal late in the game.
Quarterfinal Matchups
With the win, Canada has secured a spot in the quarterfinals, where they will face Slovakia on Friday. The other quarterfinal matchups will see Finland take on the United States, Sweden face Latvia, and Czechia meet Switzerland. Canada is looking to get back on the podium and is eyeing a record 21st gold medal after back-to-back disappointing fifth-place finishes. The team will need to continue playing strong hockey if they want to achieve this goal.
Previous Meetings
Canada has a strong record against Finland at the world juniors, with seven straight wins. The last time Finland beat Canada was in the quarterfinals of the 2019 event in Vancouver. In a July exhibition game, Finland picked up a 6-3 victory over Canada, but this was not repeated in the championship game. Canada’s performance in the tournament so far has been impressive, with 11 of a possible 12 points secured through four round-robin games. The only blemish was a 2-1 overtime triumph over Latvia.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Canada’s win over Finland was an exciting and hard-fought game. The team’s strategy and performance paid off, with Beaudoin and Martin leading the charge. Canada will now move on to the quarterfinals, where they will face Slovakia on Friday. With their sights set on a record 21st gold medal, Canada will need to continue playing strong hockey if they want to achieve this goal. The tournament is heating up, and fans can expect some exciting matchups in the quarterfinals.
