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World Juniors Day 5 Recap: Joona Koppanen leads B’s prospects in goals scored, Blowouts galore

A LARGE lad helps lift Finland over Slovakia, and everyone else tries to score well over 10 goals in a game.

By SkyonAir
Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images

Game 1: Czech Republic and Belarus have a track meet, Czechs come out on top 6-5

Good news for Belarus: You’ve almost doubled your scoring for the tournament!

Bad news: You still lost.

Good news for the Czechs: You’re second in Group B!

Bad news: Your defense is gasping, breathing sludge begging for a quick death.

Naturally, this made a fantastic game to watch. Plenty of interesting twists, a second period where the Czechs woke up and destroyed everything...and then had to hang on for dear life. It was a cool thing to see.

A Few Thoughts:

  1. Now that they got this game out of the way, the Czechs need to get their heads together and not play like they did in this game. Their discipline was disastrous with almost 45 minutes of PIM logged by one team.
  2. You tried, Belarus. You tried real dang hard but alas...no avail. A quick shoutout to your leading scorer and probably best name on the team, Yegor Shrangovich. I wish these guys all the best.
  3. Czechs gotta play Switzerland tomorrow. Swiss got demolished. This one will be fun.

Game 2: Sweden steamrolls Switzerland 7-2

Switzerland isn’t a super deep team, Sweden’s a perennial favorite in tournaments like these. this is known.

What Sweden did to Switzerland is not fair, however.

A Few Thoughts and Bruins Prospect Update:

  1. The Swedes are gonna be hard to beat. Their superstars are spectacular and their depth is as good as any first or second line in the tournament.
  2. Switzerland’s individual efforts are great. If they can chain those together with great team shifts, they’ll be much better...next year. I fear it might be too late this year for them.
  3. Sweden’s powers seem to come alive in the third period. That’ll be a big point going into the quarterfinals.
  4. Bruins Prospect Update: Oskar Steen played 13 minutes, hasn’t recorded much, but hasn’t been a problem either. Kind of hard to be on this Sweden squad.

Game 3: Finland grinds Slovakia into powder on the Power Play, wins 5-2

The finns have been sneaky good since their opening loss to Canada, playing solid defense and having strong, hard to beat shifts nearly every game. One such shift came from Joona Koppanen, who ended up getting his second goal of the tourney, and currently leads B’s prospects in goals. Fun stuff!

Sure wish I included the guy in my primer now.

A Few Thoughts and Bruins Prospect Update:

  1. Leijonat has a lot of the tools necessary to go deep in this tournament. Finland Jussi Ahokas has done wonders whipping this team into fine shape. I can’t wait to see how they do in the quarterfinals!
  2. Slovakia honestly could’ve kept this close, but poor discipline put them under over and over and over, Finland’s power play and forecheck in the vulnerable minute after shredded the Slovak defense.
  3. Koppanen has been great, but Ahokas must’ve had the easiest job in the world coaching the 6’5 player. He spent a lot of time in front of Slovakia’s goaltender unmolested.
  4. Bruins Prospect Update: Joona Koppanen scored another goal, bringing his tally to 2, he played 13 minutes. Urho Vaakanainen played 17 minutes and played fairly well, helping Finland keep the crease clear and the left side clean.

Game 4: Canada tears Denmark a new one in an 8-0 bloodbath

Look man I’m just gonna be honest with you: I wouldn’t have put any team in front of Canada after they lost in the fashion they did. The only thing that would come back out is a spray of gore and blood like that elevator in The Shining.

A Few Thoughts:

  1. Denmark and Belarus will likely have to play each other to stay above water in the relegation game. It’s the danger of having to deal with such a stacked group.
  2. That said, Denmark had 18 shots...so maybe they’re a little better than we think? Who knows...
  3. As per usual, Canada’s the team to beat...snore. They wrap up here and take first in Group A.

Today’s games:

Switzerland finishes up with the Czechs at noon EST.

USA and Finland jockey for position as 2nd in Group A, starting at 4pm EST

Slovakia and Denmark try to salvage something from this tournament, puck drops at 6pm EST

and Russia and Sweden finish the round robin stage with what is sure to be an absolute heater at 8pm EST.

One last day before we look at the standings and an overlook at the B’s prospects within, let’s make it a good one, lads!