HOCKEY CANADA RECAP – SUNDAY JAN 26 2021
2022 IIHF World Junior Championship – Edmonton, Alta.
Owen Power (Mississauga, Ont./University of Michigan, Big Ten) became the first defenceman in Team Canada history to record a hat trick in an IIHF World Junior Championship game as Canada’s National Junior Team defeated Czechia 6-3 on Sunday in its tournament opener.
- Power scored once in the first period and added a pair of goals – both on 5-on-3 power plays, in the second.
- Mason McTavish (Carp, Ont./Peterborough, OHL) opened the scoring with an excellent individual effort just four minutes in.
- Czechia held a 3-1 advantage before Power cut into the lead in the first, and Donovan Sebrango (Kingston, Ont./Grand Rapids, AHL) scored in the final minute of the first period to even things up after 20 minutes.
- Olen Zellweger (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta./Everett, WHL) scored Canada’s final goal on another power play in the third period.
- Five of Canada’s six goals were scored by defencemen.
- Cole Perfetti (Whitby, Ont./Manitoba, AHL) had three assists.
- Dylan Garand (Victoria, B.C./Kamloops, WHL) made 14 saves for the win in the Canadian goal.
- Canada outshot Czechia 37-17.
Next Game:
Canada vs. Austria – Tuesday, December 28 (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT)
“[We told the team to] just settle down and relax, make plays. One of things we preach is to manage the pucks. Czechs did a good job, they were willing to take a chance to get a chance. It was just about settling in and let’s play responsible hockey. It’s just about calm. Just play hockey, protect the puck, make good decisions with the puck, don’t try to play the whole tournament in the first 10 minutes of the first game.”
Head coach Dave Cameron (Kincora, P.E.I./Ottawa, OHL) on Canada falling behind 3-1 and coming back and, also, on him calling a time out in the first period to settle down the team