After shocking loss, Canada to shake up forward lines

Canada held a meeting at the team hotel on Wednesday before the evening's contest with Germany.

Team Canada will shake up their forward lines despite not holding a practice or morning skate following Monday's shocking 5-2 loss to Czechia. 

"They're smart players," said assistant coach Brent Kisio. "With their club teams, there's always adjustments and changes to the lineup. We'll make a change tonight and, hopefully, it's one that pays off."

The players were told about the new alignment at a meeting this morning.  

"We got to adjust and talk out there," said third-line centre Nathan Gaucher. "That will be key for us. We didn't get to practice with new lines, but I mean, great players and great communication can do great things."

The players requested a morning skate on Boxing Day. 

"I just like getting my legs moving in the morning, even if it's just a 10-, 15-minute skate," Shane Wright explained after Monday's game-day workout. "I like to feel the puck a bit and get the hands moving. It's just something a lot of us like to do and something we decided as a team we wanted to do."

Why didn't Canada hit the ice following the humbling loss? 

"It was time for us to reset," Kisio said. "We had an off game and had to have a little bit of mean and a little bit of a talk there, get away from the rink a bit, and today would have been an early skate [at 9 am], so we kept the guys back here. We're going to do some video and get ready for tonight." 

The forward lines have remained in tact since Day 1 of camp with the exception of some tinkering on the fourth unit. In the opening loss to Czechia, the second line – Logan Stankoven between Adam Fantilli and Dylan Guenther – was on the ice for two goals against. That trio has yet to combine for an even-strength goal in four games together, including the three pre-tournament games. 

"We're going to make some changes and shuffle things and see if we can get a bit more chemistry," said Kisio, who is the head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the Western Hockey League. "We've talked about it lots and there's just some lines we feel have to get going a little bit more."

Guenther played on a line with Shane Wright and Brennan Othmann at the 2021 under-18 World Championship so there's built-in chemistry there, something of which Canada's staff may want to take advantage. Wright and Othmann have been playing with Connor Bedard on the top unit, which was also on the ice for a goal against on Monday. 

The lines will be different, but the mindset also needs to change. 

"Very excited to prove what we can do," said Gaucher. "We'll work [in] this one...Fans here are great. We can feel the energy and we'll get them a win."

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Gaucher credits Wright for helping the players get settled after the upset loss. 

"We got our captain Shane, who's been incredible just talking to us," said Gaucher, who serves as an alternate captain. "We're just trying to be the best we can to help each other. It's easy to be a leadership group when we win, but it's harder when you lose."

Wright described the defeat to Czechia as a wasted opportunity. 

"Got to be a lot of accountability," Wright said in the moments after the setback. "Guys got to look themselves in the mirror and we really got to figure a lot of things out. We got to make sure that that doesn't happen again. We got to make sure we come out strong right from the hop, right from the first whistle."

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Zach Dean was assessed a match penalty on Monday for a hit to the head and neck area of Czechia defenceman Ales Cech. 

"It was 3-2 and I was just trying to get the boys going," the Gatineau Olympiques forward said. "It's a tough call. It happens. It's hockey." 

As the referees reviewed the play, Dean didn't expect such a severe sanction.

"Before the tournament they went over the rules and said they'd be calling a lot of five-minute majors and then reducing them [upon review], so I wasn't too worried at that point," he said. "A little surprised."

Dean could only watch as Czechia scored twice on the ensuing power play.  

"It's tough," the Vegas Golden Knights prospect said. "It sucks. I put the boys in a bad position there."

But Dean won't be taking his foot off the gas against Germany on Wednesday. 

"I can't be hesitant," he stressed. "That's my type of game, playing with that 200-foot, gritty style. I'm not going to be hesitant to bring that today, as well."

Discipline has been a major talking point for Canada in the wake of Monday's loss. It was only amplified after watching Germany play against Sweden on Tuesday. 

"They played real hard," said Kisio. "They did a lot of good things. It was a close game. Their power play was outstanding and had a lot of chances and they could've scored a couple goals on it easily."

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Dean is the ninth player from Newfoundland to suit up for Canada at the World Juniors. 

"It's pretty special," the pride of Mount Pearl, N.L. said. "Obviously, it's in the Maritimes, too, so it makes it even a little bit more special. I'm super pumped about that."

Dean's parents, grandparents and cousins made the trip to Halifax. 

"In warm-up, I saw a couple family members had my jerseys on and that was cool," Dean said with a big smile. "It kind gives you that feeling of...'Wow!' and 'Crazy!' Super pumped for today. Happy I'm here and can't wait to see them at the game."

Canada is going with an iconic Newfoundland tune – 'Heave Away' by The Fables – as their goal song. 

"When we scored the first one there and that came on, it was pretty cool," Dean said. "I think a lot of people love it."

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Canada went 1-for-3 on the power play against Czechia with Wright scoring on a deflection from the bumper spot. This is the first time the Seattle Kraken centre has played in the middle of a power play. 

"He's doing a great job," said Kisio, who oversees the units. "He scored one on a rebound [in a pre-tournament game]. He had one on a tip last game."

With opposing teams keeping a close eye on Bedard, Wright will need to be a consistent option for the top unit. He almost scored a second power-play goal on a quick one-time shot in the third period against Czechia. 

"As the tournament goes, we'll see more and more teams taking away Bedard's shot, so we'll have to use some goal-line plays and get Shane around the net a little more," said Kisio. "He's shown he can score goals there."

But Bedard won't simply be limited to decoy status. 

"We want him shooting pucks and we want him getting touches," Kisio said. "They came up and took him away a bit. If that continues to happen, we'll have to move him around and get him some looks."

The top unit soaked up basically all the power-play time on Monday. 

"We were just in a desperate situation and at the end of the second, [so] they had some real good looks," said Kisio. "But the other unit is a good unit and we'll play them more tonight."

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Dual citizen Ryan Del Monte, who was born in Germany when his dad Dan Del Monte was playing there, is relishing the chance to face Canada. 

"It will be pretty special," the 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont. said. "There's some guys I grew up playing with and against on that team. I have to put that aside and treat them like another team." 

Del Monte, who currently plays for the London Knights, spent a couple seasons in Barrie where he played alongside Team Canada defenceman Brandt Clarke.

"I know that he likes to make some special plays and he can do some things that no one else really can," Del Monte said before cracking a smile. "I know some of his tricks, so hopefully I can use that against him." 

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Canada's preliminary round schedule at the World Juniors: 

Monday Dec. 26 - 5-2 loss to Czechia 

Wednesday Dec. 28 - vs. Germany 

Thursday Dec. 29 - vs. Austria 

Saturday Dec. 31 - vs. Sweden