Canada downs Finland 5-2 in world junior opener
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.
But Rousseau -- twice passed over in the NHL draft -- had Canadian fans out of their seats moments before Danielson's icebreaker when he stretched across to rob Lenni Hameenaho with a terrific glove stop.
Jordan Dumais hit the post on a breakaway chance that would have it 2-0 in the second.
Allard, another undrafted player on the roster, eventually pushed Canada in front by two with 6:19 left in the period when his shot off a Danielson feed also found iron before ricocheting in off Kokko's skate on a sequence that required video review.
Finland finally got one past Rousseau on a power play 2:15 later when Kaskimaki tipped a point shot upstairs inside Scadinavium arena.
Celebrini -- the 17-year-old presumptive top pick at the 2024 NHL draft -- hit the crossbar seven minutes into the third, but wouldn't be denied moments later when he pushed the puck over the line on a scramble at 6:38.
Poitras iced it into an empty net with 2:26 left in regulation before Lassila got a consolation goal with 64 seconds remaining.
Lamoureux scored a second empty netter in the dying seconds.
Canada is in Group A with the Finns, Swedes, Latvia and Germany. Group B consists of the U.S., Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland and Norway.
Thousands of Canadians have descended on this city of roughly 600,000 on Sweden's west coast. The country is hosting the event for the seventh time, and the first since 2014 in Malmo.
PENALTY TROUBLE
Canada took six penalties, including four tripping calls, one for hooking and one for boarding. Finland was whistled for one two-minute infraction for hooking in the first and one for roughing late in the third.
FINALLY ON SWEDISH TIME
Poitras joined Canada last week after playing 27 NHL games this season. The 19-year-old Boston Bruins centre said it took a while to adjust to the time change. "I definitely feel a lot better," Poitras said. "The first day I got here I hadn't slept. I was running on adrenalin -- actually felt pretty good on the ice. The next few days, it felt like I was a zombie."
NELSON ARRIVES
Canada blueliner Ty Nelson didn't take part in Monday's practice -- the team's official picture was delayed as a result -- because of travel issues. The Seattle Kraken draft pick was cut from selection camp, but added to the group over the weekend along with Jorian Donovan after Luneau and fellow defenceman Tanner Molendyk (wrist) were ruled out.
UP NEXT
Canada faces Latvia on Wednesday, while Finland takes on Germany.
--This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 20,6 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Child under 5 dies of measles in Ontario: PHO
A young child has died of measles in Ontario, marking the first death in the province from the highly contagious virus in more than 10 years, a Public Health Ontario report confirms.
NEW Pack the macaroni necklace: Lessons on evacuations from a woman who fled one of Canada's worst wildfires
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
'Ugly produce': One way Canadians are shrinking rising grocery bills
As the cost of food in Canada has risen, grocery shoppers are looking at ways to reduce their grocery bill, and more are choosing price over beauty, turning to companies that deliver so-called 'misfit' produce at a fraction of the cost.
Vatican revamps norms to evaluate visions of Mary as it adapts to Internet age and combats hoaxers
The Vatican on Friday radically reformed its process for evaluating alleged visions of the Virgin Mary, weeping statues and other seemingly supernatural phenomena, insisting on having the final say in whether the events are worthy of popular devotion.
Wildfires burning across Canada: Communities threatened as flames creep closer
Thousands of residents fled Fort McMurray this week, fearing a repeat of the 2016 wildfire that forced out the entire community and torched more than 2,400 homes.
5 secrets to moving better and preventing avoidable injury
Countless people seek emergency care for back pain, muscle strains and similar injuries resulting from “moving wrong” during mundane, everyday tasks such as bending over to tie shoes, lifting objects or doing household chores.
Zach Bryan and girlfriend Brianna Chickenfry are 'happy and alive' after 'traumatizing' car accident
Zach Bryan and his girlfriend Brianna LaPaglia were involved in a scary car accident earlier this week, according to LaPaglia, who recalled the experience in a candid video posted to her TikTok page earlier this week.
Trudeau calls New Brunswick's Conservative government a 'disgrace' on women's rights
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assailed New Brunswick's premier and other conservative leaders on Thursday, calling out the provincial government's position on abortion, LGBTQ youth and climate change.