Teenage sensation Gavin McKenna scores as Canada shuts out Finland in world junior opener

Gavin McKenna used to gather around the television with his family on Boxing Day. Carter George did the same thousands of kilometres away.

Both dreamt of pulling on the red Maple Leaf at the world junior hockey championship.

The real thing was even better.

McKenna scored late in the first period and George made 31 saves for the shutout as Canada blanked Finland 4-0 in the host country's opener in the annual under-20 tournament Thursday.

"Definitely a little bit of nerves," said McKenna, the just-turned-17-year-old phenom from Whitehorse. "Tried to look at it just like it was another game, but seeing the crowd, it's something I'll remember forever."

George didn't have a lot to do early, but was lights out in a 20-shot third period when the Finns poured on the pressure before fans at Canadian Tire Centre honoured the netminder's performance in full voice.

"Unbelievable," said George, an 18-year-old from Thunder Bay, Ont. "It's definitely a cool experience. To hear a crowd like that cheer your name, it was just incredible.

"Definitely soaked it all in."

Easton Cowan, Luca Pinelli and Matthew Schaefer, into the empty net to go along with an assist, had the other goals for the Canadians, who are looking to build on a record 20 gold medals after finishing a disastrous fifth at last year's event in Sweden.

"We were real solid," said head coach Dave Cameron. "You get ahead in this tournament against good teams, there's gonna be push back."

Petteri Rimpinen stopped 37 shots in taking the loss.

Canada and Finland are in Group A along with the United States, Germany and Latvia. The Americans thumped the Germans 10-4 earlier Thursday. Sweden, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland and Kazakhstan make up Group B.

Canada was bounced in the quarterfinals some 12 months ago when the hockey powerhouse was stunningly unable to raise its level on the big stage despite fervent support from 3,000-plus travelling fans.

The program's brain trust went back to the drawing board for the 2025 showcase, intent on building a different type of roster on home soil. The word "competitive" has been top of mind since the group first got together in the nation's capital earlier this month.