Canada channels Mamba Mentality in search of offence at World Juniors
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Team Canada held a media availability at the Canadian Tire Centre on Monday.
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Team Canada has scored on a goalie just seven times through three games at the World Juniors. The players have leaned on Hockey Canada mental performance consultant Lucas Madill as they navigate the offensive dry spell.
"A big part of our debriefs is ... there's a lot of experiences from other pro athletes that can relate to us," said captain Brayden Yager, who is still looking for his first point. "It's a good way to put us in the minds of other pro athletes going through the same stuff."
Kobe Bryant is coming up a lot lately.
"There was one story where he had missed four shots in a row but just kept shooting and eventually they just started going in," Yager said. "It kind of relates to us right now with the amount of shots we're taking and [facing] a couple hot goalies. We'll keep pounding away and they're going to go in."
Canada fired 57 shots on net and eight more in a shootout during a 3-2 loss to Latvia in a shocking upset on Friday.
"Obviously it was frustrating," said defenceman Caden Price. "It was definitely embarrassing but, at the end of the day, you got to move on."
Canada landed 36 shots on net in a 3-0 win over Germany on Sunday, but the game remained 1-0 until late in the third period.
"It was OK for the first two periods," said centre Berkly Catton. "I thought by the third we were playing the way we should be playing."
Why the slow start?
"It's a quick turnaround maybe from that other one," Catton said. "You know, that hurt. But we got to be more ready."
Head coach Dave Cameron has consistently praised his players while lamenting what he considered to be unnecessary "hype" surrounding the loss to Latvia.
"That's what's the most exciting part about it is we haven't broken," Cameron said. "You tell me how many teams can go through what we've gone through in terms of [being] snakebitten and all the bad PR we're getting because we lost a game and blah, blah, blah, and stick with it. That's character ... There's nobody on this team that has played a game for me that I'm disappointed in."
Cameron disputed the idea that his team needs to get to the inside more in the offensive zone.
"We are in the inside," Cameron hit back. "I don't know what game you're watching. How did we score our goal?"
Price scored the insurance goal against Germany on a point shot that banked in off German goalie Nico Pertuch after hitting the end boards. Cal Ritchie and Cole Beaudoin were wreaking havoc in front of the net on the play.
The lack of offence has led to questions about the roster construction. Hockey Canada opted to cut high-scoring candidates such as Kelowna Rockets forward Andrew Cristall, Oshawa Generals forward Beckett Sennecke and Saginaw Spirit defenceman Zayne Parekh.
Cameron insists that Team Canada has more than enough offensive talent available.
"We got a lot of high-scoring guys that are snakebitten," Cameron said. "We said from the get go, we got to use all the clubs in the bag. Well, what better way to win games that you're not scoring or snakebitten in than to have other guys that are real good away from the puck and you're not giving up stuff and so you don't give up any even-strength goals in three games. That's the ultimate team."
The only goals Canada has allowed came via the Latvian power play, which scored twice on Friday.
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Perhaps a date with a bitter rival will spark the offence. Canada and the United States are getting set to faceoff on New Year's Eve for the 13th time.
"That's kind of the game that's been circled in everyone's calendar," said Catton. "It's the biggest one, and that's when you see who the real players are."
"We don't like them," Price said. "They don't like us. Obviously there's a lot of animosity and it's going to be a good battle."
The winner of the game will finish first in Group A and secure an easier path in the knockout stage. The loser will likely finish third in the group, which would mean a date with either Sweden or Czechia, who are both undefeated ahead of Tuesday's showdown, in the quarterfinals.
Canada hopes to get a boost from a supportive sellout crowd.
Team USA will be used to the hostile environment. Fans in Ottawa have been rooting against them since they landed in the nation's capital.
"I don't think they can get much louder than that," said defenceman Cole Hutson following Sunday's overtime loss to Finland. "They hate us out there and I love it. They're going to root against us all tournament and we're ready for it."
Easton Cowan disagrees with Hutson. He thinks the crowd will "100 per cent" be more raucous on New Year's Eve.
"The fans will be loud so hopefully we can get them in the game early," said Cowan, who leads Canada in scoring with three points. "They’ll be helping us in good ways. We'll use it to our advantage."
The Americans are the defending champions with 10 players back from last year's win in Sweden where they also played the villain role.
"The world’s against us," said captain Ryan Leonard. "Same with any team that we play, but it's definitely going to be different breed when we play Canada. We just got to embrace the moment."
Bragging rights are on the line.
"It's a lot of pressure," Hutson said. "You win that game, you get to rub it in a little bit, so hopefully we're on the good side of it."
"Growing up watching, it's always US-Canada," said Yager. "We want to make our country proud."
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Maple Leafs centre John Tavares has shared some World Junior memories with Cowan, who was Toronto's first round pick in 2023.
"We actually had a lot of talks throughout the summer about his experience in his years that he played," said Cowan. "And then also, before I came, he wished me good luck. There's a lot of fun stories so hopefully we can make some fun stories here."
Such as?
"Scoring the hat trick was pretty special to him," Cowan said. "That was really cool."
When Ottawa hosted the World Juniors in 2009, Canada fell behind the United States 3-0 in the New Year's Eve game before Tavares sparked a comeback with a hat trick performance.
Now Cowan gets his chance at creating a fun story.
"It means a lot," the London Knights winger said. "This is all you dream of a kid, so everyone in that room is excited."
Tavares watched Canada's win on Sunday.
"Credit to them and the way they played yesterday and how they stuck with it, especially after a lot of noise with how the game finished up against Latvia," Tavares told reporters after Leafs practice in Toronto. "Just to stay the course, and grind their way through it will only help them build throughout the tournament. Tomorrow night should be a lot of fun to watch."
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Gavin McKenna opened the scoring for Canada on Boxing Day, but hasn't hit the scoresheet since then.
"I think I've been producing plays almost every shift I've been out there," the Medicine Hat Tigers phenom said. "I haven't been able to really put the puck in the back of the net, though. I got to make sure I'm getting into the spots where I can do that and find a way to help my team and produce."
McKenna arrived at Canada's camp on a 14-game point streak in the Western Hockey League where he leads all scorers with 60 points in 30 games.
"Definitely a little bit frustrated, but honestly it doesn't matter as long as we're winning," McKenna said. "You can't let the frustrations get to you when you're out there. I just believe it will come. If I believe, it will happen."
McKenna has only been held without a point in three games in the WHL this season. He's been held off the scoresheet in four games with Team Canada, including two in pre-tournament play.
McKenna, who is projected to go first overall in the 2026 NHL draft, nearly scored a highlight-reel goal on Sunday, but his between-the-legs shot was denied early in the first period.
"I got the puck behind me a little bit, so just thought maybe I could twist and put it through the legs," the 17-year-old said. "I think if I got a little bit more on it, a little bit higher, it would've gone in. You always want those ones back."
McKenna is third on the team with 14 shots on net.
"He's pretty loose for how much pressure he has, which is awesome to see," said Yager, who is rooming with Canada's youngest player. "He has a lot of weight on his shoulders, but I think he does a great job of handling it."
McKenna produced a hat trick against the United States in the gold medal game of the 2024 under-18 World Championship, which Canada won 6-4. He's eager to get another taste of the rivalry.
"It's what everyone talks about," the Whitehorse native said. "It's what you dream of as a kid: Canada-U.S."
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Carter George was the star of that gold medal game at the under-18 World Championship stopping 31 of 35 shots. He's a star again at the World Juniors.
The Owen Sound Attack goalie has started the tournament with consecutive shutouts. When's the last time he posted back-to-back clean sheets?
"I don't know if I ever have," he said with a grin. "Not that I can think of off the top of my head."
Oliver Bonk made the 'We're Not Worthy' gesture from 'Wayne's World' to George after he was named Canada's player of the game on Sunday.
"It's the best feeling in the world knowing that you got probably the best goalie in this tournament," the defenceman said. "It's a really good feeling knowing when you do mess up he's got your back."
With the German goalie pulled for the extra attacker, George even took a shot at the empty net.
"If anyone, he probably has the highest chance of scoring on our team right now," Catton joked. "He's been unbelievable. He held us in that game when maybe we weren't playing great. Credit to him. He's been kind of the heart and soul of our team so far."
George scored his first career goal in the Ontario Hockey League earlier this season, but his latest attempt never appeared to be on target.
"Oh, I was a little ways off," the 18-year-old from Thunder Bay, Ont. said with a laugh. "I'm not sure if it was placement or I just fanned on it."
Players loved it just the same.
"Just having the confidence to do that, especially being a year younger too, it's crazy," Ritchie told TSN's Kenzie Lalonde. "He’s just been so good."
"It's sick," said Bonk. "It takes some guts and he's got the skill to do it so it's sick to see."
Does George, who picked up an assist on Canada's eventual empty-net goal by Mathieu Cataford, feel like he's in a zone right now?
"I think it's just confidence," the Los Angeles Kings prospect said. "I feel pretty confident in the net and just trying to stay in the moment the whole time and play with calmness. I think that's kind of my game and when I stick to my game I feel I'm at my best."
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Bonk supplied the game-winning goal on the power play after moving back to his familiar spot in the bumper on Sunday. He served as the quarterback on the top unit in the first two games.
"I was getting some people saying how bad I was up top so I went to the bumper and got one so it was good," he said.
Bonk started playing that spot last season with London and immediately enjoyed it.
"I just find it fun," he said. "You're in the mix. You're everywhere. You're supporting every guy. It's just a fun spot for me."
It spawned a nickname as well.
"'Bumper Bonk', so maybe just a good rhyme to it," Catton said. "He's smart. He's always in the right spot."
The middle of the zone is an unusual spot for a defenceman to play. So, why does it work for Bonk?
"Very smart," said Cowan, his teammate on the Knights. "Supports the play all over the ice and not just when he scores, but when there's a loose puck he pops right over for that bumper outlet. He's probably one of the best in the OHL at it."
Bonk has 10 power play points in 24 games. The Knights have the second best power play in the Ontario Hockey League this season.
"I feel like the way he gets that knee drop one-timer, it’s really good," observed Price. "He seems to get it off even if guys get sticks under or over top of his stick to try and disrupt it. He always seems to get the shot off so any time you can get a shot on net from the slot good things will happen."
A third member of the Knights power play joined Canada's top unit on Sunday as Sam Dickinson took over as the quarterback.
"It was nice to have those two guys on there with me," Dickinson said. "The big one with Easton is just the familiarity with him on that one side. We read off each other really well, drawing up some stuff we can try, and I think we were moving it around really well."
Canada changed both units amid a slow start to the tournament on the power play. They scored a man-advantage marker in the last two games, but still rank eighth out of 10 teams in the tournament at 15 per cent (2/13).
"We need to attack more," said McKenna, who plays on the flank of the second unit. "We've been playing on the perimeter a little bit, just settling for those shots from the outside. I think we got to get to the inside a little bit more."
Cowan was happy with the progress the top unit showed.
"We created a lot," he said. "We had a goal. Obviously we would want more, but hopefully they fall for us in the right games."
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With Matthew Schaefer out, Dickinson moved into the top four on Sunday and logged 22 minutes and 11 seconds.
"It was a little different from the last couple games," he noted. "But, like I've said before, I'm ready for whatever role's given to me. Our whole team played a lot better with sticking to our systems and that kind of stuff and it made my job pretty easy."
Dickinson played 16:10 and 14:01 in the two previous games. The 18-year-old started the first pre-tournament game as a healthy scratch.
"Excellent," Cameron raved. "He's a helluva player. We used the first part of the tournament to rein him in a little bit and he's adjusted to that."
Dickinson, the 11th overall pick to the San Jose Sharks in June's draft, leads all OHL defencemen with 46 points in 26 games, but previously said he needs to play a different, more defensive-minded game at this level.
"A dominant player that's going to play a big role for us through the rest of this tournament," Cameron said.
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Dickinson was whistled for a tripping penalty after an accidental collision in the first period with Julius Sumpf.
"I was a little confused," he said. "I didn't really get it, but a call's a call. Nothing I can do about it now so I'll move on from it."
The play was actually reviewed as the referees contemplated a kneeing major. They eventually settled on an interference minor.
"I was skating to the box and I asked the one ref what I got called for," Dickinson said. "I turned around and didn't see the guy there so I was asking what I was going for and then I watched on the TV and I saw the play and I knew pretty quickly it wasn't going to be a major. A two-minute penalty is maybe a little questionable but, again, I'm not going to lose sleep over something like that."
Although Team Canada should be losing sleep over the parade to the penalty box. Bonk, Ritchie and Ethan Gauthier also got sent to the box during the game.
"We got to cut down on the penalties," Cameron said. "It's ruining our momentum."
What's the issue?
"Different rules," Cameron said. "It's tighter called."
Canada leads the tournament with 18 minor penalties.
"The refs are going to do their thing," Cowan said. "They’re going to call penalties for our team and their team so nothing we can do about it."
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Beaudoin was promoted to the top line for Sunday's game. How did Cameron feel the Barrie Colt fared beside Cowan and Ritchie?
"Cole Beaudoin is a coach's dream from the point of view that when you put him on the ice you know what you're getting," he said.
Enough said.
"He brought a lot," said Cowan. "Net presence. He came make plays. Speed, skill and hard work. A really good guy and he helped us out a lot."
"It's super sweet playing with those two guys with the skill and the confidence," Beaudoin said. "Watching those guys and playing against those guys in the OHL, and now to play with them is crazy."
Teammates have referred to the Ottawa native as the strongest player on the team.
"Just looking at him he's a beast," Cowan said. "Definitely can lift more than me, that's for sure."
How much more?
"A lot more," Cowan said with a smile.
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Hutson leads the Americans with six points and scored his first goal in Sunday's overtime loss to the Finns. He looked off Leonard before sniping a puck past Petteri Rimpinen.
"I was walking down the wall with the puck and I heard Lenny calling for it the whole way down," said Hutson, who was near the end of his shift. "I really didn't want to shoot it but I had to get off the ice so I just threw it at the net and it went in."
How does Hutson's shot compare to big brother Lane Hutson, who scored one goal in his two World Juniors?
"It's pretty different," Cole said. "I maybe have a little more power than him but he can pick a corner wherever he wants, so he has that on me."
Lane, who plays defence for the Montreal Canadiens, made the trip to Ottawa for Boxing Day to see Cole produce a five-assist game.
"He just told me to have fun, enjoy it," Cole said. "It's only seven games so take advantage of it."
Cole has already matched the total points output of Lane at last year's World Juniors when Team USA won gold.
"I've tried to beat him my whole life so hopefully I can get a gold medal here and have more than him my whole career," Cole said with a smile.
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Team Canada lines in Sunday's game:
Beaudoin - Ritchie - Cowan
McKenna - Catton - Pinelli
Nadeau - Yager - Howe
Cataford - Luchanko - Gauthier
Rehkopf
Molendyk - Gibson
Dickinson - Bonk
Mynio - Price
Akey
George started
Ivankovic
Not dressed: Martone, Bjarnason
Injury: Schaefer (collarbone)