GOTHENBURG, Sweden – Alan Letang has observed that Canada has responded to adversity in the past.
The country lost its first match 5-2 to Czechia at last year’s World Junior Ice Hockey Championship before rallying to win a gold medal outright.
Letang is an assistant on that training staff. Now in the big chair, you’ll have to rely on this experience to get this iteration back on track.
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Hugo Havelid made 21 saves Friday in Sweden’s 2-0 win over Canada in a game in which the Americans never gave up after a decent first period.
“If we thought we weren’t going to be challenged in this tournament and we weren’t going to face that adversity, we’d be pretty naïve,” Letang said. “Trust hasn’t changed. There’s no doubt about it.
He also indicated that other devices are required for some of his players.
“They want to look at themselves and ask themselves if they’ve given enough,” Letang added.
Unlike the 2023 event in Halifax, however, Canada doesn’t have the innovative ability of Connor Bedard or a host of other eligible NHL players who will be available at this U-20 show when things go wrong.
“We showed too much individuality and skill,” said Canadian quarterback Mathis Rousseau, who did his part with 22 saves, adding one that inspired Hall of Fame quarterback Henrik Lundqvist from the stands. go one by one. “
Tom Willander and Noah Ostlund scored for Sweden, who clinched top spot in Group A with their third straight shutout at a raucous Scandinavium Stadium. Theo Lindstein had two assists.
Canada is in the organization with six problems in 3 games.
“Fantastic,” Vancouver Canucks prospect Willander said of the atmosphere. “Great aura. A team we also beat. “
“Important games in front of us,” added Havelid, who like Rousseau is undersized and undrafted. “Can’t think we’re too good.”
Both goaltenders said it was special to perform in front of Lundqvist, who is the latest inductee into Sweden’s Hockey Hall of Fame after getting the same nod on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean in November.
“I watched him when I was a kid,” Havelid said. “Playing pretty smart hockey in front of him meant something extra.
About 3,500 Canadians have made the trek to this city on Sweden’s west coast, but the red-clad contingent was a loud minority inside an electric rink Friday.
“One of the best games I’ve ever played,” said Canadian captain Fraser Minten, who has played four times for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season.
“Goose bumps,” added Letang.
Sweden opened the scoring at 1:53 in the second generation after Matthew Poitras, who joined Canada from the Boston Bruins, failed to clear the defensive zone. The puck went to Willander and he shot past Rousseau as defender Noah Warren covered his goalie.
Rousseau did his part to keep the Canadiens at bay with a pair of massive saves, adding one on Jonathan Lekkerimaki.
But the forward, another pick in Vancouver’s draft, kept the puck near the blue line in the same stretch and fired a shot that Rousseau couldn’t press before Ostlund took home the rebound at 10:39.
Canada, which beat Sweden 5-1 on New Year’s Eve at the 2023 tournament, shook up its forward lines looking for a spark.
Matthew Savoie lost the puck on a breakaway before Macklin Celebrini, who entered as the event’s scoring leader with six points, was stopped on a one-timer in the dying seconds.
Willander and Celebrini, 17, who, like Savoie, were not meant to be introduced to reporters through Hockey Canada, are NCAA teammates at Boston University.
“The scoreboard speaks for itself,” Willander said with a smile when asked if he would text the presumed No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Canada had its first forced play 8 minutes into the third period, but Celebrini hit the post before Havelid stopped Minten.
Owen Beck — the only Canadian returnee from last year — was then crunched into the boards by Sweden’s Zeb Forsfjall. The officials initially called a penalty, but overturned that decision following video review.
Canada was given a forced play with less than six minutes remaining, but the disjointed No. 1 unit once back could not locate the field.
The Canadians were then whistled for a poor goalkeeper save that resulted in a penalty for too many on the ice, sealing Sweden’s victory.
A physical first era saw trade opportunities early on, adding a breakaway from Canadian Carson Rehkopf.
Minten was assessed a double minor for high-sticking, but the penalty kill and Rousseau held firm, including that outstanding skate-blade save at full stretch on Liam Ohgren.
“It’s fun to see him impressed,” Rousseau said of Lundqvist’s reaction shown on the big screen. “A while. “
Canada hopes for more as it looks to regroup.
“If you second-guess or you stop believing, that’s when you’re in trouble,” Letang said. “That group still believes.”
NEXT
Canada will face Germany in its final round-robin match on Sunday, while Sweden will face Finland.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on December 29, 2023.
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