Game Previews: January 5, 2018
By BuffaloWorldJuniors.com Staff
Posted 1/5/18
Gold Medal Game: Canada vs. Sweden
8 p.m. at KeyBank Center
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By Alec Gearty
For the third time in four years, Canada will play for a medal at the World Junior Championship – which medal they earn is still left to be determined.
Canada defeated the Czech Republic to set up a gold-medal matchup with Sweden on Jan. 5 at KeyBank Center. After Canada’s shootout loss to the United States in 2017, goaltender Carter Hart isn’t taking the meeting with the Swedes for granted.
“We’re lucky to have another chance at this,” Hart said. “Last year was heartbreaking for us so we’re very lucky to have another opportunity. We’re going to prepare and make the most out of the opportunity.”
Hart, who was the starting goaltender in last year’s gold-medal game, made 31 saves before the United States’ Troy Terry shutdown any chance Canada had at winning.
Now with two-straight wins on his resume, Hart stressed the importance of being prepared for the upstart Swedish offense in a game that he calls “the real deal.”
The matchup couldn’t be more even between the two.
Canada and Sweden are one and two in scoring efficiency. Nine goals separate the two teams while Canada has the edge on the man-advantage — 13 goals through six games.
Its goaltending eerily reflects similar statistics, as well. In six games, Swedish and Canadian goaltenders faced the same amount of shots but Canada’s save percentage leads Sweden by 0.72.
Despite finishing the group stage with a flawless record, Swedish forward Axel Jonsson Fjallby feels that it doesn’t rid his team of being labeled as an underdog on Friday night.
“I think Canada is the favorite team to win,” Jonsson Fjallby said.
Like Sweden, Canada is dangerous to play against due to its options up front. Led by forward Jordan Kyrou, Canada possesses four forwards amongst the tournament’s top-15 scoring leaders. It’s not a secret to Sweden either. If the Swedes want to claim the gold medal, the game plan reverts to basic fundamentals.
“They have really good forwards,” Sweden head coach Tomas Monten said. “They play with speed and if you give them turnovers, they’re going to hurt you. It’s really important — it doesn’t matter who you play — we’ve got to make sure to control the puck.”
Sweden hasn’t medaled since 2014, where it earned a silver medal after losing to Finland. Throughout the history of the tournament, Sweden has built a reputation as being the team able to reach the finals but unable to get the job finished.
As they share a similar motive with Canada, the Swedes are looking forward to the matchup in an effort to bring their third overall gold medal back to Sweden.
Meanwhile, Canada and its sea of fans will do everything they can to spoil that mission.
Bronze Medal Game: United States – Czech Republic
4 p.m. at KeyBank Center
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By Aaron Cheris
Two teams whose gold medal dreams were shattered on Thursday will have to rebound quickly as the United States and Czech Republic meet with a bronze medal on the line on Friday afternoon.
For the Czechs, a bronze medal would be a tremendous success. Since their first WJC appearance in 1994, the Czechs have only medaled three times, most recently with a bronze in the 2005 tournament held in the United States. In the 13 years since, they had never reached the semifinals until knocking out Finland in a shootout on Tuesday.
However, their dream run for the gold ended in a 7-2 loss to a dominant Canadian squad on Thursday night. The lone bright spot for the Czechs was Filip Zadina, who scored both goals to tie for the tournament lead with seven.
Throughout the tournament, the Czechs have been led by Martin Necas, whose 10 points (3+7) are tied for the tournament lead.
Despite taking the loss on Thursday, look for Josef Korenar to get back in net on Friday, as he boasts a 4.03 goals-against average and a .875 save percentage.
For the Czech Republic, the key will be special teams. Throughout the tournament, the Czechs have converted 36.84 percent (7-for-19) of the time with the man advantage to ranks second among all teams.
However, their penalty kill hasn’t been sharp. After allowing three power-play goals to Canada on Thursday, the Czechs now rank ninth in the tournament on the kill at just 60 percent (15-for-25).
As the host nation, the United States were predicted by many to repeat as gold medalists. However, they will now only have a chance to repeat as bronze medalists in Buffalo the last time the city hosted the tournament in 2011.
Against Sweden on Thursday afternoon, the game unraveled for team USA quickly in the third period as two shorthanded goals on the same American power play doubled the Swedish lead from 2-0 to 4-0, and the Americans couldn’t climb all the way back.
Late goals from Kieffer Bellows and Brady Tkachuk made the score look closer, but did little to affect the outcome.
The only player with as many points as Necas in this tournament is Casey Mittlestadt (4+6). The American forward was one of the tournament’s top players in the preliminary round, but was held pointless against Sweden.
Playing on Mittlestadt’s wing for most of the tournament, Tkachuk has been strong, registering eight points (3+5).
Tied for the tournament lead with seven goals, Kieffer Bellows has been a force on the American offense, ranking second in shots on goal among all players with 33 over six games.
With a power-play (4th) and penalty kill (5th) both among the middle of the pack, the game may likely come down to goaltending for the Americans.
Joseph Woll has struggled at times in the tournament, and he was pulled after giving up four goals on 19 shots on Thursday. Look for Jake Oettinger to start in the Americans’ final game in Buffalo. In his only other outing in the tournament, Oettinger was solid as Team USA topped Canada 4-3 in a shootout at New Era Field a week ago.
In their final game in Buffalo, the U.S. and the Czech Republic will leave it all on the ice on Friday night as they look to avoid heading home empty-handed.
