The moral of the story for hockey fans watching the U.S.-Canada preliminary-around game on Thursday was that you cannot take penalties in the World Junior Championship. Not against power plays as potent as these two.
The U.S. entered the game on a four-game winning streak, winning six of its last 11 against Canada at the World Juniors. But that didn't matter much to either side, as none of the players had faced each other before at this level.
The U.S. and Canada opened their respective tournaments in the Czech Republic with speedy play and bold moves. The game between these longtime rivals -- considered co-favorites to win it all -- lived up to its billing, with thrilling action, crunching hits and nifty playmaking.
Here's our analysis of the big game:
Power plays rule, even at the WJC
No exaggeration: Whenever the Canadians took in a penalty in the first period, the Americans capitalized. First, with Barrett Hayton off for tripping, Shane Pinto (former South Kent Select) put the Americans on the board less than a minute later to open the scoring. Then, late in the period, Arthur Kaliyev capitalized with Jared McIsaac off for hooking, thanks to a money between-his-own-legs move by Trevor Zegras (Boston University) to get past the Canadian defender. The U.S. was looking good, up 2-0 after the first, especially if the Canadians continued to take penalties.
But the tide turned in the second, and in a big way. Connor McMichael got the Canadians on the board 3:31 into the period with, oddly enough, an even-strength goal. But then the Canadians ran the board when handed power plays, Hayton redeeming himself for the earlier costly penalty just seven seconds into a power play. Nolan Foote added one for Canada, again on the power play, to give the Canadians a shocking 3-2 lead after two periods.
Through two periods, the teams had combined for five goals, four of which came on the power play. And they didn't hold back in the third, with Canada's third goal coming with the man advantage, Hayton's second of the game just 37 seconds into another power play. The Americans also added another power-play marker in the third, Pinto's second coming 27 seconds into the man advantage.
The goalie factor
Spencer Knight (Boston College) would surely like to have a couple of those goals back, but when you're facing the other team's potent power play off the rush seemingly all the time, it's hard to get into a good rhythm behind players who are constantly killing penalties. Canada's Nicolas Daws was steady, but he suffered the same sort of fate, facing a speedy and potent power play that stretched passes and left him leaping across the crease numerous times. He did make a few big stops in the third to keep his team ahead, though.
Coaching catch-all
You just know that Canadian coach and former NHL pest Dale Hunter peeled the paint off the walls in between the first and second period, after his team took two penalties and went down 2-0 just like that. Regardless, Canada responded in the second with three unanswered goals of its own. Whether U.S. coach Scott Sandelin had the same chat as his colleague, it's uncertain, but the U.S. scored two power play goals to Canada's one to even the score. Full marks to Sandelin for letting the horses run wild, as his speedy forwards looked like they were given license to free-wheel. In particular, the U.S. had good luck with that forward on the post on the power play, something the Canadians had trouble solving.
How'd the big names do?
Florida first-rounder Knight was just decent, which was probably a negative given the pressure of the game. Cole Caufield, the highly touted American prospect, was pretty silent and held off the scoresheet. Projected No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Alexis Lafreniere, was a factor throughout for Canada, but no more so than when he scored the back-breaking winning goal just seven seconds after the Americans tied it 4-4 in the third. He assisted on the empty-netter scored by Ty Dellandrea that followed to seal the deal for the Canadians to finish with a goal and three assists.
Next up
The Americans will face Germany on Friday in what could be a tough matchup if they're not careful. But if they focus and play like they did in the first period of the Canada game and their power play continues to sing, it will be a long night for the Germans. The game marks the first for the Germans in the tournament, so they will be rested.
Paul Grant is an editor and a writer for HockeyJournal.com and Seamans Media. He previously oversaw hockey content at ESPN.com and Sporting News. You can connect with him at pgrant@hockeyjournal.com.
