Celebrini scores twice, Canada beats Germany in preliminary round finale at World Juniors

Macklin Celebrini scored twice and Jordan Dumais had the game-winner as Canada beat Germany 6-3 in their preliminary round finale at the 2024 World Juniors. 

Tied 2-2 heading into the third, Owen Beck put the Canadians ahead with his first goal of the tournament, taking a pass from Carson Rehkopf and putting it in the empty cage. 

The Germans tied the game at 4:04 of the third when Dumais' stick got up high on a German player, receiving a double minor for high sticking. Julius Sumpf scored on the power play, Germany's third of the game, to tie the game 3-3. 

Jordan Dumais got his stick up on Germany’s Jakob Weber at 4:04 and received a double-minor penalty for high sticking with Weber bleeding.

Shortly after, Celebrini drew a slashing penalty after driving the middle of the ice. Dumais scored his first of the tournament to put Canada ahead 4-3 off a juicy rebound from Bittner.

Celebrini would score a highlight reel goal as he scored from the German goal line after goaltender Matthias Bittner was caught out of the crease. 

Easton Cowan would ice the game with an empty net goal. 

Earlier in the game, Canadian forward Conor Geekie was ejected from the game 11 seconds into the first period after a check to the head on Germany's Samuel Schindler that resulted in a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct. 

German forward Julian Lutz opened the scoring at 2:57 on the five-minute power play, beating Canada’s Mathis Rousseau blocker-side through traffic. Phillip Sinn picked up the assist on Lutz's goal.

Celebrini tied the game at one at 6:20 as he attacked the middle of the ice to beat Bittner for his third goal of the tournament. Defencemen Ty Nelson and Oliver Bonk got the assists.

With Easton Cowan drawing a two-minute penalty on Sinn for holding, Canada went to the power play and Brayden Yager capitalized off a pass from Nate Danielson to make it 2-1. 

Canada went to the power play again at 16:57 after Germany's Luca Hauf was sent off for boarding Matthew Poitras. Canada got four shots on the man advantage but could not beat Bittner. 

At just 1:26 into the second period, Canadian defenceman Noah Warren went to the penalty box for holding. The Germans would take advantage on the power play as Roman Kechter scored to tie the game 2-2, beating Mathis Rousseau glove side with traffic in front of the Canadian net. Julian Lutz and Jakob Weber got the assists on the goal. 

Germany's Luca Hauf was whistled for his second penalty of the game, two minutes for cross-checking Matthew Poitras at 3:46, but Canada failed to capitalize on the man advantage. 

Canada will face Czechia in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. With the loss, Germany will go to the one-game relegation match against Norway with Latvia moving on to the quarterfinals.