OTTAWA -- It was another game that was a little too close for comfort for Team Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship on Sunday night, but this time they were able to get the job done.
Canada took a 1-0 lead out of the first period and held that edge until two late third-period goals would secure a 3-0 win at the tournament in Ottawa.
Carter George (OHL Owen Sound) picked up his second shutout of the tournament with 25 saves in the contest as Canada improved to 2-0-0-1 and moved into a tie for first in their pool with the United States, who lost in overtime to Finland earlier Sunday.
As a result, the Canada - U.S. showdown on New Year’s Eve will decide first place in the preliminary round.
Canada had a different look to their roster for their third game of the tournament.
With standout defenceman Matthew Schaefer (OHL Erie) out of the event with a broken collarbone, Seattle Thunderbirds rearguard Sawyer Mynio was added to Canada’s roster as his replacement. Carson Rehkopf (OHL Brampton) also made his debut in the line-up.
Saskatoon’s Brayden Yager (WHL Lethbridge) and Prince Albert’s Tanner Howe (WHL Calgary) played on the second line alongside Bradly Nadeau (AHL Chicago) while Saskatoon’s Berkly Catton (WHL Spokane) centred the third line with Gavin McKenna (WHL Medicine Hat) and Luca Pinelli (OHL Ottawa).
Saskatoon product Caden Price (WHL Kelowna) played on the third defensive pairing with Mynio, with Saskatoon Blades defenceman Tanner Molendyk on the top pairing alongside Andrew Gibson (OHL Sault Ste. Marie).
The first half of the opening period saw each team get a handful of scoring chances -- including a great opportunity by Canada’s Gavin McKenna (WHL Medicine Hat) that would have been a highlight of the tournament had he scored.
Canada received the first power play of the game with 9:15 gone in the opening frame, and their new look unit would get the job done.
London Knights standout Oliver Bonk took a feed into the slot from Knights teammate Easton Cowan (OHL London) and got off a one-timer that would find the back of the net for a 1-0 lead 9:40 into the game.
Bonk on the power play! 🚨
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) December 30, 2024
Bonk sur le jeu de puissance! 🚨#WorldJuniors | #MondialJuniorpic.twitter.com/0sgvrTI8zg
The second period saw nothing change on the scoreboard, with each team getting a couple of power plays. Shots were tough to come by on the man advantage for both teams, with no more than three on any of the four chances, and the shots would sit at 19-18 overall in Canada’s favour through two periods.
While the shots were almost equal, the flow of play most definitely wasn’t, with Canada dominating zone time throughout the game. That included the vast majority of the third period, with the play continuously in Germany’s zone with the exception of a couple of chances at the other end of the ice early in the frame.
Canada finally broke through with their second goal with 4:58 remaining in the game, and it was the product of a bit of a break. Price got off a shot from the point that went off the end boards and ricocheted straight back to the net, bouncing off Germany goaltender Nico Pertuch and in.
🚨Caden Price scored off the wall!😲 Canada strengthens the lead! #CANGER #WorldJuniors #IIHF @HockeyCanada pic.twitter.com/G3RlpXIs1h
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) December 30, 2024
Germany would pull Pertuch for the extra attacker with three minutes to play -- leading to George nearly scoring a goalie goal -- but they’d get few scoring chances before Mathieu Cataford (QMJHL Rimouski) scored an empty netter with two seconds remaining.
Canada finished with 36 shots on Pertuch.
Germany was 0-for-4 on the power play, Canada went 1-for-5.
All eyes will now be on the final round robin game on Tuesday, with puck drop between Canada and the U.S. at 7 p.m. from the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa.
