Canada vs. USA: 2020 prospect Alexis Lafreniere dazzles as Canada defeats rival at 2020 World Juniors

Jackie Spiegel

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Canada vs. USA: 2020 prospect Alexis Lafreniere dazzles as Canada defeats rival at 2020 World Juniors image

There is nothing like starting the 2020 IIHF World Juniors off with a bang.

As is tradition, the tournament began on Boxing Day and Day 1 saw two of the top contenders, Canada and the United States, go toe-to-toe in the "Battle of North America." It was, as expected, a no-holds-barred, back-and-forth affair with national pride and bragging rights on the line that the Canadians eventually won 6-4.

The Americans came out like a heavyweight, taking a 2-0 lead off power-play goals by Shane Pinto (Ottawa Senators) and Arthur Kaliyev (Los Angles Kings). But, as they say, a 2-0 lead is the worst lead in hockey — and Canada was not throwing in the towel in this one. In the middle stanza, Canada netted three goals by Connor McMichael (Washington Capitals), Barrett Hayton (Arizona Coyotes) and Nolan Foote (Tampa Bay Lightning). 

Hayton's game-tying goal on the power play in the second — he added a second goal in the third — came off a feed from expected 2020 No. 1 overall draft pick, Alexis Lafreniere. The 18-year-old dazzled in this contest as he scored the knockout blow in the third period just seven seconds after Pinto completed the United States' own two-goal comeback to tie the game at 4-all. Lafreniere added an empty-net assist on Dallas Stars Ty Dellandrea's  goal for his third assist to cap off a four-point night.

While everyone expects these teams to go the distance, whether they'll make it is not set in stone. They are in what's being dubbed "The Group of Death" as Group B also includes Russia, potential Cinderella team Germany, and the host Czech Republic. In the first game of the day, the Czechs upset Russia 4-3.

Canada has Friday off and will next face Russia on Saturday, Dec. 28 at 1 p.m. ET. The United States hops right back on the ice on Friday for a meeting with upstart Germany at 1 p.m. ET.

Sporting News had the blow-by-blow for you as the two teams sparred in Game 1 of the tournament.

(All times Eastern.)

Canada vs. USA scores, highlights from 2020 World Juniors

Final score: Canada 6, USA 4

3:34 p.m. — Shane Pinto was named the American player of the game. Alexis Lafreniere was named the Canadian player of the game.

End of third period: Canada 6, USA 4

3:29 p.m. — GOAL. Ty Dellandrea nets the empty netter to ice this one. Canada leads 6-4.

3:28 p.m. — USA pulls the netminder with two minutes left.

3:23 p.m. — GOAL. Wow. USA wins the faceoff but under pressure from Nolan Foote, K'Andre Miller plays the puck to the middle and right to Alexis Lafreniere who scores. Canada leads 5-4.

3:22 p.m. — PP GOAL. Shane Pinto does it again as he plants himself on the far side of the crease and buries the cross-ice pass for his second goal of the game. Game tied 4-4.

3:21 p.m. — Ty Dellandrea takes an interference call. USA back on the power play and it needs a goal here to tie this one up.

3:19 p.m. — Back to even strength.

3:15 p.m. — Canada takes a penalty. USA will look to tie this one up.

3:13 p.m. — GOAL. USA makes it a one-goal game with 7:14 left on the clock as Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Robertson pulls in the puck and fires the wrister. Canada leads 4-3.

3:10 p.m. — PP GOAL. It's all about the special teams in this one. Alexis Lafreniere dazzles as he cuts to the middle and feeds Barrett Hayton for the easy goal. Canada leads 4-2.

3:07 p.m. —  Spencer Stastney takes a penalty. Canada heads to the power play.

3:00 p.m. — USA with a quality chance as Oliver Wahlstrom gets the rebound but it's Nico Daws who comes up big with the leg save. Quick reminder, Daws is eligible for the 2020 draft.

2:55 p.m. — Back to even strength

2:55 p.m. — Bobby Brink with a good move around the net and pass in front but can't connect.

2:53 p.m. — Third period starts. USA on the power play and trail by one.

2:41 p.m. — For your viewing pleasure during intermission:

End of second period: Canada 3, USA 2

2:35 p.m. — Yep. The goal is being reviewed . . . and its waved off as the puck went in after the buzzer sounded. USA still trails 3-2 but will start the third on the power play.

2:34 p.m. — PP GOAL. At the buzzer, the United States ties it up! Puck squirts out in front and Shane Pinto buries it as the Canadians lose track of him and the puck. USA celebrates but definitely looks like the period had ended.

2:33 p.m. — With 16 seconds left in the period, Canada's Kevin Bahl takes a penalty. USA, who needs a goal to tie, is 2-for-2 on the power play.

2:31 p.m. — Off a save, the puck hits a Canadian defender in front and Nico Daws has to make a quick pad save.

2:25 p.m. — Canada back to the power play for the third time in the game. Not a good play as two of Canada's three goals have come on the power play.

2:20 p.m. — PP GOAL. The tide has turned in the second period. Canada takes a 3-2 lead as Nolan Foote's shot beats Spencer Knight top shelf. Canada leads 3-2.

2:19 p.m. — Puck deflects out into the slot and Spencer Knight makes the shoulder stop.

2:16 p.m. — Canadians back on the power play. They're 1-for-2 thus far.

2:09 p.m. — PP GOAL. The Canadian captain Barrett Hayton with an absolute rifle from the right circle ties the game. Game tied 2-2.

2:07 p.m. — Canada heads back to the power play as Shane Pinto gets sent to the sin bin. The Canadians will look to tie this one up and are 0-for-1 with the man advantage in the game.

2:02 p.m. — GOAL. Great play by the Canadians as they push out of their own. In the US end, Akil Thomas off the chip feeds Connor McMichael who buries it. USA leads 2-1.

1:59 p.m. — Joe Veleno gets a Grade A chance but Spencer Knight makes the stop.

1:56 p.m. — Second period underway.

End of first period: USA 2, Canada 0

1:40 p.m. — After 1, it's USA 2, Canada 0. Canada has to stay out of the box in this one as the Americans netted two power-play goals on two opportunities.

1:37 p.m. — PP GOAL.  Trevor Zegras controls the puck in the circle and feeds Kings prospect Arthur Kaliyev for the one-timer into the open net as Nico Daws can't get across. USA leads 2-0.

1:35 p.m. — Jared McIsaac called for hooking; not a smart play by the world juniors veteran. USA heads back to the power play and is already 1-for-1 on the night.

1:32 p.m. — Canada now leads 7-6 in shots, but USA has blocked a ton of shots too. Corsi For tilting Canada's way at this point in the contest.

1:23 p.m. — Canada starting to throw the body around. Alexis Lafreniere crushes Mattias Samuelsson hard into the glass. 

1:19 p.m. — Canada gets its first shot on net, six minutes and 10 seconds into the game.

1:19 p.m. — Alexis Lafreniere showing off the skills that should make him the No. 1 pick in June.

1:18 p.m. — USA's Jordan Harris called for high-sticking. Canada heads to the power play.

1:18 p.m. — More than five minutes into the game and Canada still doesn't have a shot on net.

1:13 p.m. — PP GOAL. Shane Pinto sitting in the high slot with the big deflection off the Zac Jones shot from the point. USA leads 1-0.

1:12 p.m. — Canada's Barrett Hayton called for tripping. USA heads to the power play.

1:09 p.m. — Game on! Spencer Knight (Panthers) vs. Nico Daws in between the pipes.

Pregame

12:37 p.m. — Canada hitting the ice for warmups in the red threads.

12:21 p.m. — USA wearing the white threads the 1960 Olympic team wore when they captured the United States' first-ever gold medal.

12:20 p.m. — Canada's lineup.

12:00 p.m. — USA announces its lineup.

Relevant links

Tournament Canada USA

Jackie Spiegel