Canada wins 5-2 against Finland in world junior opener
Global News
Nate Danielson had a goal and an assist as Canada defeated Finland 5-2 on Tuesday to open the world junior hockey championship.
Nate Danielson had a goal and an assist as Canada defeated Finland 5-2 on Tuesday to open the world junior hockey championship.
Macklin Celebrini and Owen Allard also scored for the Canadians, who got 24 saves from Mathis Rousseau in a Boxing Day victory to open the annual under-20 tournament. Matthew Poitras and Maveric Lamoureux scored into the empty net. Lamoureux also added an assist for a two-point performance.
Aleksanteri Kaskimaki and Jere Lassila replied for Finland. Niklas Kokko made 26 stops.
Canada, which is the two-time defending gold medallist and looking for its first three-peat since 2009, has just one returning player from the 2023 event in Halifax.
The United States and hosts Sweden are viewed as favourites ahead of the Canadians by many observers — with the primary reason being the talent left at home.
Canada is minus five players currently in the professional ranks, including Connor Bedard after he rewrote the national record book last year in Halifax, while defenceman Tristan Luneau, who has played six games with the Anaheim Ducks this season, made the roster before having to be hospitalized with a viral infection.
The North Americans opened the scoring with 3:36 left in Tuesday’s first period when Lamoureux took a pass from defence partner Denton Mateychuk and fired a shot that went off Danielson and dribbled over Kokko’s goal line.
The Finnish netminder made a number of good saves earlier in the period, including three off the stick of Matthew Savoie and another from Poitras.
