BUFFALO, N.Y. — After suffering another shootout loss to the United States at the World Junior Championship, Team Canada responded with an 8-0 dismantling of Denmark in the final game of the preliminary round Saturday, clinching the top spot in Group A with a 3-0-1 record.
As the club enters the quarterfinals on Tuesday, head coach Dominique Ducharme is confident in his group. With a balanced scoring attack and goaltender Carter Hart leading the way, Canada is well prepared for the task in front of them.
Here are five takeaways from the week.
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Balanced scoring
Without a superstar like Connor McDavid on this year's roster, Team Canada hoped at the outset of the tournament to get production from all four of their forward lines, as well as the blueline and special teams.
Through four games of the preliminary round, Team Canada does not have a player in the top 10 for goals or points (Sweden and the Czech Republic each have three in the top 10), but 17 of their 20 skaters have at least two points, with Jordan Kyrou and Sam Steel tied for the club lead with five points.
Maintaining discipline will be determinative
One of the primary concerns of Team Canada’s coaching staff is their youngsters being able to maintain discipline and stay out of the penalty box.
In a closer-than-expected game against Finland on the opening day of the tournament, Canada took five minors and the Finns narrowed the lead to 3-2 in the second period on Henri Jokiharju’s power play goal.
At New Era Field, Canada gave Team USA five chances with the man advantage (including a full two minute five-on-three) which allowed their arch-rival to stay in the game.
“(We took only) two penalties (against Denmark), we want to be below three (each game). That’s what we need every game.” Ducharme said. “We’ve been through a lot in four games, lived different situations and I think we are adapting well and learning and now we’re ready to start the final round.”
Could Canada’s banged up blueline be a problem??
The status of defenseman Dante Fabbro was in question just prior to the tournament due to a lower-body injury and Canada has been very careful in managing the Nashville Predators prospect’s minutes throughout the preliminary round.
Fabbro played only 5:18 in a 6-0 win over Slovakia and did not play the last two periods in the lopsided victory over Denmark.
Jake Bean took a hard tumble into the boards against Slovakia, but has logged major minutes in the last two games.
Ugly sequence here…Jake Bean gets shaken up going into the boards, Marian Studenic takes Bean’s skate in the face pic.twitter.com/vaqmPJDLd8
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) December 28, 2017
Victor Mete was also shut down in the game against Denmark. He was seen limping post-game and did not practice on Monday, which may put the Montreal Canadiens prospect’s status in doubt for Tuesday’s match against Switzerland.
“We just wanted them make sure that (Fabbro and Mete) would be 100% for the quarters and with the game (against Denmark) the way it was going, we were in control, we didn’t want to expose them.” Ducharme said.
Hart of the matter
Canada went through a goaltending controversy last December, shifting away from Carter Hart and going with Connor Ingram in the medal round.
In spite of Colton Point getting a shutout against Slovakia, the club avoided the same mistake twice, going right back to the former CHL Goaltender of the Year in the outdoor game and again 24 hours later against Denmark. Hart will be the man between the pipes for the remainder of the tournament.
“(Hart is) solid, there’s no doubt about that.” Ducharme said. “He brings confidence, not only for his coaches but for his teammates. In a tournament like this in the playoff round or a team making a run, you need a sharp goalie like him.”
Canada vs. Switzerland
Switzerland was a strong squad 12 months ago, with 2017 No. 1 overall pick Nico Hischier leading them to a pair of overtime wins in the preliminary round and scaring Team USA in the quarterfinals. That has not been the case in Buffalo as they have just one win this tournament, coming over Belarus.
The Swiss traditionally play a very tight checking, defensive style of game and try to limit their opposition to only a few offensive chances per game, but they have failed to effectively play their game in this tournament, culminating in lopsided losses to Russia, the Czech Republic and Sweden.