Team Canada battled hard from the opening puck drop, managing to bang out a 4-0 victory over the German opposition.
Canada is now 13-0 against Team Germany in World Junior history, and Connor McDavid was a key factor in the victory. After failing to break the ice on Friday, McDavid registered a goal and two assists in Saturday’s contest, and was named the Canadian player of the game.
“He created offense every time he touched the puck,” said Canadian centre Max Domi. “He’s obviously a big part of our team.”
McDavid started things early in the opening frame when he walked out from the corner, knocking in his own deflected pass on the powerplay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkrP8nAy58A#t=17
Minutes later, the 2015 draftee found captain Curtis Lazar alone in the slot, who wired home Canada’s second powerplay marker, and his first goal of the tournament.
Despite an offensive first frame, the Germans held Canada to a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes, and the home team was unable to convert five-on-five. The Germans pressured Canada’s offense, and forced them to the outside on the rush. Unlike Friday’s matchup against Slovakia, the middle of the ice was not readily available and Canada had to fight tooth and nail for the three points.
“The Germans played a great game defensively and they really shut us down,” said McDavid. “It was a tighter game than… a lot of people thought it was going to be.”
Unfortunately for Germany, this trend ended when they could not contain the skill and speed of the Canadians heading into period number three.
Ten minutes in, Domi notched his second goal of the tournament off a strong feed from Buffalo Sabres prospect Sam Reinhart. Kelowna Rockets’ defenseman Madison Bowey closed out the scoring at 4:16 when forward Nic Petan found him creeping in from the point. Petan registered his third assist of the night and tournament-leading sixth point, as Bowey wasted no time to beat Germany’s Kevin Reich upstairs on the glove side.
In two games, Canada has received goal scoring from 10 different players, and 14 of Canada’s 20 skaters now have at least one point in the tournament. They have out shot the opposition 65-29, and Saturday’s win gives Canada six points to tie with Sweden for the tournament’s top spot.
In net, Eric Comrie made 17 saves, giving Canada their second shutout victory in as many games. Canada now has an impressive 189-54-24 all-time record at the World Junior Championship, and will look to continue their winning ways against Team Finland on Monday. Finland lost to Slovakia 2-1 Saturday, but Canada is still expected to perform. The game is set to take place at the Bell Centre in Montreal at 8 p.m.
Andrew Roberts
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