Canada falls to U.S. in World Junior pre-tournament finale
Published
Canada finished their World Junior Championship pre-tournament slate with a 6-5 overtime loss to the United States on Saturday.
Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson won the game for the Americans in the extra frame on an impressive wrist shot off a turnover in the Canadian zone by Owen Beck.
Watch every World Junior Championship game LIVE on TSN, TSN.ca and the TSN App. Canada opens their tournament on Boxing Day in Gothenburg, Sweden against Finland at 8:30am ET/5:30am PT.
The two teams traded goals all afternoon with potential No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini scoring for Canada in the opening period.
The goals were the second best thing to happen to Celebrini Saturday as the IIHF announced 17-year-old would not be suspended for his hit in Canada’s pre-tournament win over Switzerland on Friday.
"Upon reviewing the incident, the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Junior Championship disciplinary panel determined that while the major and game misconduct penalty called on the ice against Canada's Macklin Celebrini was warranted, no further supplementary discipline is necessary," part of the IIHF’s statement read. Celebrini added another goal in the third period.
Ryan Leonard scored a pair of goals for the United States. Quinn Finley, Sam Rinzel and Oliver Moore also found the back of the net for the Americans in addition to Hutson's overtime winner.
Conor Geekie, Matthew Savoie, Jordan Dumais and Owen Allard scored the other goals for Canada along with Celebrini's in the opening frame.
Mathis Rousseau and Samuel St-Hilaire split duties in the Canada crease Saturday while Trey Augustine got the start for the Americans.
After the game, it was offficially announced that defencemen Tristan Luneau and Tanner Molendyk will miss the tournament due to injury. Defencemen Jorian Donovan and Ty Nelson will take their place on Canada's active roster. Luneau is sidelined with a viral infection, while Molendyk is battling an upper-body injury he sustained in Friday's game.
Alan Letang's squad closed out pre-tournament play 2-1, with earlier wins over Denmark's under-25 team on Dec. 19 and Switzerland on Friday.
The World Juniors officially kick off on Boxing Day with Slovakia taking on Czechia at 6:00am ET/3:00am PT with defending champions Canada and Finland to follow.