Canada vs USA
Last year Canada beat the USA on New Year's Eve by a score of 3-2. This is a whole new tournament with whole new teams. Can Canada pull off another win? Who will prove victorious in the battle of McDavid and Eichel?
1st Period
It was clear Canada wanted to get into the Americans heads early on in the game. Forward Anthony Duclair was messing with the Americans right off the opening draw, annoying forward Tyler Motte at center ice. After the puck had dropped, American star Jack Eichel was granted a great scoring chance on a rebound, but it hit his own teammate Alex Tuch on the way to an open net. In the first five minutes, the game was very back and forth, with each squad getting their fair share of zone time. The shots were even, as well with both goalies making solid stops. Just prior to the 10 minute mark of the first, big hits were traded as Max Domi was rocked by former teammate Anthony Deangelo, and shortly after American forward Chase De Leo was hit hard by Jets prospect Josh Morrissey. After the hit he received, Domi was smiling on the bench and jawing at the USA bench. Both teams were getting many shots off, and by the time there was 8 minutes left in the period the shots were ten to ten. Surprisingly, the fourth line of Crouse, Ritchie and Gauthier were able to get a 4 on 2 rush and establish a good 30 to 40 seconds of offensive zone time in their shift. In the last five minutes of the first, Canada was buzzing and had several high quality chances to score but the bounces did not go their way, and USA goaltender Thatcher Demko held his ground. In the last minute, Nick Ritchie crushed Dylan Larkin along the USA bench, and although I believe it was a clean hit, Ritchie was given a charging penalty. A bad call on the Canadians and the USA would head to the power play, and they will start the 2nd with a minute of power play time. There were plenty of shots this period, but no goals. Shots would finish 17-13 for the Canada.
2nd Period
Canada would go on to kill the remaining 59 seconds of Nick Ritchie's first period penalty. On and odd man rush, Darnell Nurse was sprung on a breakaway but was denied by Thatcher Demko. Nurse has been jumping into and leading rushed all game, I'm very impressed with his skating and decision making on when to jump into the play.Seven minutes into the 2nd period Max Domi would score, off a nice pass in tight by Sam Reinhart. The Nation rose to their feet and the Bell Centre went crazy. When Domi went to the bench after his goal to get a well deserved props from his teammates, he did a pose imitating Captain Morgan instead of the regular skate-by-and-bump. Canada would get their first power play of the game at the eleven minute mark, because Dylan Larkin delivered a stick to Robby Fabbri's face. It was more of a follow-through, rather than a high stick as Larkin was clearing the puck from his zone. On the power play, Demko would stand tall and fend off several Canadian chances. As the power play was dying down, Josh Morrissey would receive a pass from team mate Robby Fabbri, who drew the power play. Morrissey made no mistake at bombing the puck through Demko to put Canada up 2-0. Jets prospect Nic Petan would also get his tournament-leading sixth assist on Morrissey's goal. The shots in the period at the time of the goal were 12-3 for Canada. Canada received a penalty just a few minutes after their 2nd goal, when Duclair tripped up an American player. On the power play, the USA didn't make a mistake as Tampa Bay Lightning first round pick Anthony Deangelo would creep in and bury a deflection right to his stick. Sonny Milano and Jack Eichel would draw assists on Deangelo's power play marker. As the final five minutes approached, McDavid laid a big hit on American forward John Hayden, and held him offside. A scrum ensued, but no penalties were handed out. Between whistles, Darnell Nurse approached Jack Eichel and grabbed him, after which he received multiple gloves in the face. Nurse would get the only penalty on the scrum. However, Canada would successfully kill the penalty. Less than a minute later bottom six USA forward Miles Wood took a weak penalty himself, getting called on a slash. Canada would keep possession until the period expired, giving them a full two-minute power play to begin the third period. This period was a high tempo, exciting period of World Junior Hockey we all know and love.
3rd Period
Power plays at the beginning of a period always look rusty, and this one was no exception. By no means was Canada's period-opening power play a bad power play, but it wasn't a superb as their previous ones. There just wasn't the same level of pressure on the Americans. Through the opening minutes of the third, neither team was able to sustain offensive pressure. Connor McDavid took a big rush up center ice, and chipped the puck between the American blue liners. It looked like he was going to split the defense and win the race for a short breakaway, but he was taken down instead with no call. After the no call on McDavid, Canada strapped the Americans in their own end, until the puck was played by a high stick. That whistle was the first of the period. The period was tweet-less for just over eight minutes, full of back and forth exciting hockey. Shortly after the first whistle of the period, the Americans mustered up a 4 on 1, caused by a pinch by Josh Morrissey. The only right handed defense man on Team Canada Madison Bowey took it upon himself to break up the American scoring chance, breaking up a pass on the odd man rush. Just after that, Connor McDavid blew past the Americans and chipped a shot high on Demko, who stopped it with his shoulder. Curtis Lazar, who crashed the net hard pushed the puck into the net to put Canada up 3-1. However, he made contact with the goalie and was deep in the blue paint, causing the play to be reviewed. After a long debate, the officials ruled it a good goal, restoring Canada's two goal lead. The next few minutes would be filled with back and forth hockey through the neutral zone, with no high quality scoring chances. McDavid blew by the USA defense and passed it across the crease, but Demko got a piece of it keeping USA in the game. Shortly after, Canada would turn over the puck and USA made no mistake, as Hudson Fasching held the puck long enough to freeze Canada's defense and pass it to Dylan Larkin, who tapped the puck into the back of the net making it a one goal game. With two minutes remaining. USA called its timeout and pulled their goalie with a face off in Canada's zone. After some frightening pressure in the Canadian zone, USA defense man Anthony Deangelo failed to hold the blue line. He beat Canadian Sam Reinhart to the puck, but gave it away to Reinhart to put in the empty net. Just when everyone thought the game was over, Dylan Larkin beat Eric Comrie with a perfect shot upstairs with 42 seconds left. With the nations heart racing, and another American empty net, Sam Reinhart gets his second point in the last minute of play, by getting control of the puck and banking it off the boards to a streaking Max Domi, who puts the game away for sure. Domi's empty net goal came with 5 seconds left, meaning Canada wins the game by a score of 5-3.
What a hockey game, this one definitely lived up to its expectations, and I'd even say it surpassed them.
Players who stood out:
Canada
Darnell Nurse: Despite his large size, he proved hes a great skater and more than a shutdown defense man. Had some nice chances and was in the rush often and at the right times.
Max Domi: After he got hit hard, he was up and chirping at the USA bench with a smile on his face. Not to mention his electric offence he and his linemates Sam Reinhart and Anthony Duclair. Reinhart also played a very solid two-way game.
USA
Dylan Larkin: Dylan Larkin is USA's leading scorer, and he scored another two goals this game. His line was defensively reliable, and was very speedy. He and line mates Hudson Fasching and Chase De Leo played very well.
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