Sweden vs Slovakia
Time: 3:30 pm Eastern Time
Location: Bell Center
Streaming: TSN 1/4
Canada vs Czech Republic
Time: 8:00 pm Eastern Time
Location: Bell Center
Streaming: NHL Network, TSN 1/3/4/5/4K
Denmark vs Russia
Time: 1:00 pm Eastern Time
Location: Air Canada Center
Streaming: TSN 1/3/4/5
USA vs Switzerland
Time: 5:30 pm Eastern Time
Location: Air Canada Center
Streaming: TSN 3/5
Recap of the New Year’s Eve match, Canada vs USA
In a blow to a proud hockey nation’s hockey pride, Canada lost its WJC match against Team USA on New Year’s Eve by a score of 3-1. Maple Leafs prospect goalie Joseph Woll had an outstanding game against the Canadians, including a move where he stoned Dylan Strome on a breakaway. Woll made 25 saves on 26 shots to earn the victory.
Bolt prospect goaltender Connor Ingram made 17 saves on 20 shots. The first two shots for Team USA were on the power play, with both shots converting. One was from Colin White, who sent a one-timer past Ingram at the 4:31 mark. The second was from Jordan Greenway, who scored at the 6:04 mark from the top of the crease.
Was Team Canada’s penalty kill not up to snuff? Was it shaky play from Ingram? Opinion is divided. Team Canada’s power play converted just once on a five-on-three, for a goal by Thomas Chabot, which proved to be the only goal of the game. (Read a longer game recap at Sportsnet, or the US-centric one here.)
Worse than losing, this game impacted the Team Canada lineup. Early in the second period, Team USA’s captain Luke Kunin caught Team Canada’s top-pair defenseman Philippe Myers behind the net with a hard hit. (Video here.) Kunin was ejected from the game; Myers suffered a concussion and is unlikely to return for the remainder of the tournament. Kale Clague skated with Thomas Chabot in Myers’ place during practice yesterday.
Team Canada’s loss means that it sinks to second in Group B, playing third-seeded Czech Republic for the first game of the quarter finals. This game will be aired tonight at 8 PM.
Preview of Canada vs Czech Republic
Team Czech Republic is coming off of a New Year’s Eve 5-2 drubbing at the hands of Team Sweden. Sweden has been excellent, winning all four games of the initial rounds to play the 4th-seeded Slovakia today in Montreal. The Czech goaltender for the game was backup Daniel Vladar, who saved 33 of 38 shots in the loss. Goalies Petr Kvaca or Jakub Skarek might be tapped for tonight.
Czech Republic has not won a match since its dramatic upset of Team Finland in the opening game. It remains third seed because it lost to Switzerland and Denmark in overtime. Strong players for the Czech Republic are captain Filip Hronek, a Detroit prospect, and top pair defensemen Libor Hájek of the WHL and Jakub Zbořil of the QMJHL.
One weakness is the Czech Republic’s forward depth. In the game against Sweden, Lukas Jasek attempted to clear a puck and ended up scoring an own-goal on a deflection off his skate. With a lack of firepower, it is unlikely that the Czech Republic will win this match. But with questions in the Team Canada goal, unless Canada drives possession and plays a defensively sound game, Team Czech could take advantage of its chances.
Uncle Bob says Ingram is likely to get the start again tonight, and Mark Masters says that Mitchell Stephens is in the lineup.
Team CAN has yet to announce starting goaltender for tonite’s QF. My guess after USA-CAN on NYE was that it will be Connor Ingram.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) January 2, 2017
Head coach Dominique Ducharme says Mitchell Stephens (ankle) will play in tomorrow’s quarterfinal; TBL prospect missed last two games
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) January 1, 2017
Team Canada
Forwards
Pierre-Luc Dubois – Dylan Strome – Blake Speers
Mathieu Joseph – Mathew Barzal – Taylor Raddysh
Tyson Jost – Nicolas Roy – Julien Gauthier
Dillon Dubé – Anthony Cirelli – Mitchell Stephens
Michael McLeod
Defense
Thomas Chabot – Kale Clague
Jake Bean – Noah Juulsen
Jeremy Lauzon – Dante Fabbro
Goaltenders
Carter Hart
Connor Ingram
