DEEP BREATH breath
Canada rebounds from opening loss at world junior tournament.
• As far as postgoal celebration songs go, DJ Kool’s Let Me Clear My Throat was a fitting choice by game ops at Helsinki Ice Hall.
For one, the ’ 90s hip- hop jam is incredibly catchy. But for a country that might have had a puck- sized lump in its throat following a 4-2 loss to the United States on Boxing Day — which no doubt was made worse when Canada fell behind 1- 0 to Denmark on Monday night — it was also rather appropriate.
Pressure can be a funny thing. And when Canada lost its first preliminary game for the first time in five years, there was the usual sky-is-falling concern spreading across the country. Even U. S. head coach Ron Wilson suggested “the Canadian guys have to be squeezing their sticks today.”
The pressure might have been why Canada l ooked shaky in the opening minutes Monday, with Denmark silencing the pro- Canadian crowd with a skate- deflection goal by Alexander True midway through the first period.
But rather than succumb, Canada not only cleared its throat but roared back and won 6-1.
“It was fun to get the lead,” True said. “But they definitely came back at us right after that.”
“We just wanted to make sure that no one got down on the bench,” Canada forward Mitch Marner said. “We knew we had chances, we just had to get bodies in front of the goalie. I think when we started doing that we got more chances and more goals.”
This was the blowout win that Canada had been hoping for. Canada outshot Denmark 19- 4 in the first period and held a 40-11 advantage after the second period. By the end, Canada had almost averaged a shot for every minute played. Denmark, meanwhile, did not even register a shot on net in the third period.
“I can’t remember a time when I faced that little,” Canada goaltender Mason McDonald said. “I was like, ‘ I kind of want a shot, bring me a shot.’ But it never came. Good job by the guys in not allowing a shot. I’m happy with that.”
Against a Denmark team that is not exactly considered a medal contender, it was a likely result. And yet, it was also necessary for Canada’s confidence and state of mind.
“We managed to have the puck the whole game and play the way we wanted to play,” Canada forward John Quenneville said. “That’s what we’ve been stressing this whole time, to play our game it worked well for us tonight.”
In a short tournament, momentum is everything. Players need to find comfort and chemistry with one another, as well buy into a team strategy that results in wins.
The Canadians might have been the victims of bad luck against the U. S., but they also looked tentative at times and did not put themselves in a position to win, managing only 21 shots. As a result, head coach Dave Lowry put his forward lines in a blender, splitting up Marner and Dylan Strome, who both had a goal and an assist, and received the outcome he was looking for.
“If you start making changes the day before the game, the players are going to wonder: are you mad at them,” Lowry said. “I just wanted to shock them more or less and see what kind of results we would get.”
When Lowry was asked if he would be sticking with the same lineup against Switz- erland on Tuesday, he said: “Why wouldn’t I?”
“We talk about getting better every day,” Lowry said. “We generated lots of chances and had good zone time. The one thing I was really pleased with our team is we had lots of good puck management.”
Others were not so sure Lowry wouldn’t switch everything up again.
Strome said the players have become used to the fact that they will play with anyone at any time. While that can be difficult, it also speaks to the fact that everyone is skilled enough to move up and down in the lineup.
“That’s OK with us, we’re OK with it, you just have to adapt to it on the ice,” said Strome, who played on a line with Brendan Perlini and Jake Virtanen. “I have no ideas what the lines will be the next game, I assume somewhat similar with how well tonight went but you never know, we’ll see how it goes.
After Denmark took a 1- 0 lead, Canada tied the game on the power play, with Anthony Beauvillier completing a gorgeous tic-tac-toe passing play with Marner and Haydn Fleury. The Canadians then opened the floodgates and received goals from Quenneville, Matt Barzal, Lawson Crouse and Marner to burst ahead 5-1.
The Canadians kept coming in the third period. Strome, who had scored against the U. S. on a wrist shot in the slot, did the same against Denmark. He, Marner and Barzal had three points each.
“It’s good to get goals from all sorts of guys,” Strome said. “Six different goal scorers tonight and it kind of shows our depth and it felt good.”
Next up f or Canada is Switzerland on Tuesday. It should be another chance for the team to flex its muscles and continue to build confidence. And, of course, to clear its throat at least once more.