clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

World Juniors Day 6 Recap: Swiss stun Finns, but everything else is as expected

The prelims end with a roughly standard day...except for one very weird one.

By SkyonAir
Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images

Game 1: Sweden grinds Slovakia into powder, win 6-2.

This was a mercy slaughter.

Game Notes:

  • Slovakias tournament was punctuated by miserable goaltending and their play roughly reflected it. They got shelled from bell to bell on this game.
  • Sam Fagemo takes full control of leading goalscorer for the preliminaries, with 6 in 4 games. Great tournament for him!
  • Good news, Slovakia! You still technically have a place at the dinner table! Your prize is getting mauled by Canada!

Game 2: Germany and Russia face off on ice and shockingly it doesn’t go great. Russia wins 6-1

Ha ha...historical jokes.

Game Notes:

  • This game was just talent shining through and victimizing a poor helpless goalie. Why you gotta be that way, Russia?
  • Kirill Marchenko decided he wanted to go and be an unstoppable monster tonight; he had 5 points in this one game.
  • Germany gets to go face Kazakhstan in the Relegation round. I wish them the best of luck. Russia meanwhile gets to face Switzerland in the quarterfinals.

Game 3: Switzerland’s late-tournament rampage continues unabated, wins over Finland 5-2.

Who gave these Swiss guys the DOOM berzerk power up before they walked out?

Game Notes:

  • Once again, there was no reason Switzerland should’ve won this game. Finland was caught slipping, and the Swiss’ efficiency and Luca Hollenstein re-rounding back into form meant their doom. The Finns dominated play, but couldn’t make it translate.
  • What a wild two days for the Swiss. Kill the Slovaks dead then stun the defending champs to somehow shoot right to the 2nd place spot in Group A. The day off might just give them time to prepare something heinous for Russia.
  • Finland doesn’t necessarily care, however, as they have much more pressing matters in Team USA coming up on the 2nd.

Game 4: Canada puts the Czechs out of their misery, win handily 7-2.

After Lauko and Jan Jenik went out, there wasn’t much hope. This was just a burial service.

Game Notes:

  • Much like Sweden vs. Slovakia, this was just talent victimizing a goaltender and defense without much trouble or resistance. The way this tournament played out, the Czechs should be happy to take their “fight for 5th place” spot and call it a wash, and prepare for a much better tournament in 2021.
  • Dylan Cozens was an assist machine, getting 4 points on the attack for the Red and Black (and sometimes white).
  • Canada advances as head of Group B, and gets Slovakia. We’ll see how quickly that devolves into a death spiral later.

Groups at the end of Preliminaries:

A

  1. Sweden
  2. Switzerland
  3. Finland
  4. Slovakia
  5. Kazakhstan

B

  1. Canada
  2. USA
  3. Russia
  4. Czech Republic
  5. Germany

Quarterfinals/Regulation gets it’s own post. See you then. Happy new year!