Johnson's Michigan mindset electrifies Edmonton

Team Canada practised at the Downtown Community Arena in Edmonton on Sunday. 

On the first day of Team Canada's training camp, Kent Johnson casually scored a lacrosse goal during a drill. 

"I actually said to him the first day, 'Johnny, I better see you pull that off this tournament,' and he looked at me and said, 'Yeah, that's what the goal is,'" revealed left winger Brennan Othmann. 

When Johnson got the puck on his blade behind the net late in the first period on Saturday, Othmann flashed back to that conversation. 

"I looked over and said, 'OK, that's it.' And then he did it and I was like, 'This guy's disgusting.'"

The 'Michigan goal' is becoming more common in hockey, but to pull off the move on this stage – in a tie game at the World Juniors on home ice – is something special. 

"It happened pretty quick," Johnson said. "I got a loose puck behind the net and there was no d-man on the post so I just went for it. There was a lot of room."

"That was probably one of the nicest Michigans I've seen," said Team Canada captain Mason McTavish. "He got it up so fast. It's the last minute of the first period and the ice isn't that great then. That was something special to watch. I'll definitely be watching that over and over again."

Team Canada centre Logan Stankoven put his hands on his head while skating over to celebrate the magical marker. 

"I was just in shock," the reigning Canadian Hockey League player of the year said. "I was like, 'Wow! One of my linemates just pulled off the lacrosse move.' It's something you see on the SportsCentre top 10 not something you really see in real life."

Johnson seemed to be snakebitten at this year's World Juniors before he electrified Edmonton on Saturday. Moments before the goal, Tomas Suchanek had absolutely robbed Johnson, but the Czechia goalie had no chance once the University of Michigan product went to the Michigan move. 

"I was looking in front, but he's not there and then I just turn around and he already scored on me," Suchanek recalled. "It's kind of hard. It's about the player. He's got the skill."

Lots of players have the skill, but not everyone has the confidence to go for it. 

"I've been practising that move since I was 14," said Johnson, the fifth overall pick by Columbus in the 2021 NHL draft. "So, now it's just something that's in the toolbox." 

The biggest challenge in executing it? 

"I guess it's just the skill," Johnson said, "but once you got the skill it's to not really overthink it and fear failure."

Team USA centre Logan Cooley, who failed to convert two lacrosse attempts against Austria earlier on Saturday, pointed out another possible pitfall. 

"Just trying not to get killed," Arizona's third overall pick in July's draft said with a laugh. "You know, your head's down and you're trying to scoop it up as fast as possible."

"I don't think I would ever try that," said Team Canada centre Ridly Greig with a smile. "Not in the Western League, at least." 

But, for a guy like Johnson, it's almost business as usual. 

"He does that all the time," noted Greig, who played in Brandon last season. "He does it for a living."

Regina Pats phenom Connor Bedard has tried the move in the Western Hockey League and would absolutely try it at the World Juniors. 

"It's so hard to actually find the opportunity," the 17-year-old noted. "But if it's there I think it's a good play. I think people are doing it more and more. I'm not going to say, 'I'm going to get it,' or anything, but if it's there maybe I'll give it a try."

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The goal was incredible, but Dave Cameron was more excited about how Johnson played overall. 

"Johnny had his best game so that's a good sign for us," Team Canada's coach said.  

What did Johnson, who only had one power-play assist in the opening two games, do better on Saturday? 

"Everything," Cameron said succinctly. 

Johnson has skated with Stankoven and Tyson Foerster every day since Canada opened camp on Aug. 1, but the chemistry didn't really click until Saturday. 

"They played faster," Cameron said. "Got inside more. Played better without the puck. They attacked the net a little bit more."

The line had a meeting with a member of the coaching staff before the game against Czechia to reset. What changed? 

"Our support around the puck," said Stankoven. "Making plays and kind of finding each other. The first couple of games, we weren't having that success and creating those chances."

Foerster scored his first World Juniors goal to cap the 5-1 win. 

"They were getting after pucks really well," said McTavish. "Working together and really connected and they were all moving their feet a lot. They have so much skill on that line."

"It was a really good step for us," said Johnson. "The forecheck game was really good for us and we were just finding each other in the O-zone. It seemed like we were really connecting on all those passes and were in the right sports for puck support."

The lacrosse goal was Johnson's first at even strength in his fifth World Juniors game. 

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Cooley will get his next shot at pulling off the lacrosse move on Sunday night when the United States takes on Sweden in a battle of undefeated teams. 

"They're a real skilled team that can put the puck in the net too so we need to be ready on the defensive side of the puck," Cooley said. "But I think our game is built for this game. We're real physical too and they don't like to go to the dirty areas so I like our chances tonight."

Cooley feels physical play will be a big factor for Team USA and not just against Sweden.  

"It's all pretty even except I think we're a little more physical," he said. "We're willing to stand in front of the net and take the puck to the net. With these other teams, they're more staying on the outside and wanting easy offence. With us, we're creating our chances. We want hard offence and I think we're playing both sides of the puck too."

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Cooley's line with wingers Matthew Knies and Matthew Coronato appears to be gaining some traction after a quiet start to the tournament. 

"That line could've had three in the first [period] if Coronato didn't hit the post there," said Team USA coach Nate Leaman following Saturday's win over Austria. "I love the way Knies and Coronato work. They work extremely hard. They make the right reads off the puck and then those three have good chemistry. They've been together since the beginning of camp." 

Cooley set up Coronato for a goal against Austria. 

"We'd like to produce a little more," Cooley said. "I still think we're having really dominant O-zone shifts, it's just the bounces aren’t going in for us right now so we're looking forward to getting going tonight."

Knies has just one assist in three games and admits the chemistry on the line is a work in progress. 

"It's a little shaky right now," the Leafs prospect said, "but I think it's going to get there. I just got to understand Logan a little bit better. Obviously, he loves to slow the game down so getting used to that is a little bit of an adjustment." 

What's the key to playing with Cooley? 

"Get him the puck," said Knies. "He makes some incredible plays. The more I get him the puck the better for our team. It's been a little different but I'm excited for the challenge. I think we'll have good chemistry the rest of the way."

Cooley has decided to join Knies at the University of Minnesota this season.

"I was in his ear constantly about it," Knies said of his lobbying efforts. 

And Cooley certainly wouldn't mind building chemistry with Knies in the NCAA this season. 

"He rarely loses any battles so it makes it real easy to play with him," he said.

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Ronan Seeley is feeling more at ease at this summer's World Juniors. 

"A little more confidence," said the Team Canada defenceman, who made his debut at this event in December. "I [feel] little more comfortable out there for sure. I noticed going into the games I wasn't as nervous and it was kind of a nice feeling. That's a change for sure."

Seeley's steady play has helped stabilize a Canadian blue line that's missing Owen Power and Kaiden Guhle, who were the biggest minute munchers in December.

"At Christmas, you could tell he was younger and a lot more nervous being on the big stage," said Team Canada assistant coach Dennis Williams, who also coaches Seeley in Everett. "He's come back this summer and really gotten stronger. I hadn't seen him a few months since our season ended. Just a whole different sense of confidence about him. His playmaking has been really simple. He's been moving the puck. He's defending well and trusting his feet and trusting his gaps." 

Seeley is plus-seven, which ranks behind only Olen Zellweger (plus-eight) and McTavish (plus-nine) on Team Canada. 

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Team Canada lines at Sunday's practice:

Othmann - McTavish - Bedard 
Johnson - Stankoven - Foerster
Roy - Greig - Dufour 
Cuylle - Ostapchuk - Desnoyers 
Kidney, Gaucher  

Sebrango - Zellweger 
Del Mastro - Cormier 
Seeley - Thompson 
O'Rourke - Lambos

Garand 
Cossa 
Brochu