Canada’s hopes of winning gold at the World Junior Hockey Championship were dealt a blow on Friday as the team lost 2-0 to Sweden in its third game of the preliminary round. It was the first time in the history of the tournament that Canada was shut out by Sweden, and the first time since 1998 that Canada failed to score a goal in a game.
Sweden’s goaltender, Hugo Havelid, was the star of the game, making 21 saves to earn his third consecutive shutout. He denied Canada’s best chances, including a breakaway by Connor Bedard in the first period and a power-play opportunity by Cole Perfetti in the second period.
Sweden scores two goals in the second period to seal the win
Sweden broke the scoreless deadlock in the second period, scoring two goals in less than three minutes. The first goal came from Tom Willander, who deflected a shot by Simon Edvinsson past Canada’s goalie, Sebastian Cossa. The second goal was scored by Noah Ostlund, who capitalized on a turnover by Canada’s defense and beat Cossa with a wrist shot.
Canada tried to mount a comeback in the third period but could not find a way to solve Havelid. Sweden’s defense was also solid, blocking shots and clearing rebounds. Sweden held on to the 2-0 lead and secured the top spot in Group A with nine points.
Canada faces Finland in a crucial game on Saturday
Canada’s loss dropped the team to second place in Group A with six points. The team will face Finland on Saturday in its final game of the preliminary round. The outcome of the game will determine Canada’s seeding and opponent for the quarterfinals.
Finland is currently third in Group A with four points after losing 3-2 to Switzerland on Friday. Finland has a chance to overtake Canada in the standings if it wins in regulation on Saturday. Canada can clinch the second spot in Group A with a win or a tie against Finland.
Canada will need to improve its offense and discipline against Finland, as the team has scored only seven goals and taken 18 penalties in three games. Canada will also have to deal with the pressure of playing in front of a hostile crowd in Sweden, as the host nation has a large and loud fan base.
Sweden remains undefeated and confident heading into the quarterfinals
Sweden extended its impressive streak of winning 56 consecutive games in the preliminary round of the World Juniors. The team has not lost a game in the group stage since 2006 when it fell 3-2 to the United States. Sweden has also not allowed a goal in the tournament so far, outscoring its opponents 12-0 in three games.
Sweden’s coach, Tomas Monten, praised his team’s performance and said that he was not surprised by the shutout win over Canada. He said that his team has a strong defensive system and a balanced offense and that he trusts his players to execute the game plan.
Sweden will face the fourth-place team from Group B in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. The team is confident that it can continue its winning streak and challenge for the gold medal, which it last won in 2012.
