Canada's caged kids McKenna, Schaefer look to keep rolling at World Juniors

With Thursday's World Junior opener against Finland tied late in the first period, Team Canada's youngest players went to work. Erie Otters defenceman Matthew Schaefer fired a seam pass to Medicine Hat Tigers winger Gavin McKenna, who collected his own rebound and scored to give Canada a lead it would never relinquish in a 4-0 victory.

"Lots of credit to Schaef," McKenna said. "That was a beautiful play by him."

"It's pretty easy," Schaefer said. "I could just find him backdoor because he's in the right spot."

The caged kids are all right. 

"Heck of a play by two '07s there," said winger Easton Cowan, referencing their birth year. "Schaefs backdoor and that's an elite touch there in front of the net."

The only sign of youth from these two is the additional facial protection the IIHF mandates they wear as under-18 players. 

Schaefer is in contention to go first overall in the 2025 NHL draft. McKenna is projected to go first overall in 2026. They're showing exactly why on the biggest stage in junior hockey. 

"That's just very elite hockey at its finest," said centre Berkly Catton. "Great seam pass and Gav with the patience, you knew he was going to put it home."

McKenna, who turned 17 earlier this month, acknowledged dealing with some stress in the lead up to the game. 

"Definitely a little bit of nerves, but I tried to look at it just like it was another game," he said. "Seeing the crowd and stuff, it's something I'll always remember."

Many fans will likely also remember their first live glimpse of the phenom from Whitehorse, Yukon, who leads the Western Hockey League in scoring with 60 points in 30 games. 

"He's just a gamer," said Catton, who has played on a line with McKenna since the second pre-tournament game. "Like, every time he has the puck on his stick something's going to happen. For me, just get open and odds are it will be on my stick and I'll have a good look. He's probably the funnest guy I've ever got to play with."

McKenna never looks out of place on the ice. Off the ice, though, is a different story. 

"He's still learning," said captain Brayden Yager, who is rooming with McKenna. "I got to teach him here and there. His side of the room's a mess so I have to reach him some better habits in the room. Other than that he's been pretty good. On the ice, he's doing his thing out there."

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Schaefer iced the game with an empty-net goal. 

"It was a good game," the Hamilton native said. "I feel like I played both ways, whether it was the PK or in the o-zone, I felt I played an all-around game for sure."

Schaefer was blocking shots on the penalty kill, quarterbacking the second power play unit, and using his smooth skating stride to get up in the rush. 

"I heard lots about his offensive play and how well he can score and assist and make plays and all that stuff, but I've really been impressed with his 200-foot game," Catton said. "He's everything, really, all in one package."

Schaefer finished third on the team in ice time at 20 minutes and 26 seconds. 

"He just takes charge out there," said Yager. "He's all over the ice when he's out there."

Early in the game, Cowan got into it with Finnish centre Konsta Helenius and Schaefer immediately jumped in.  

"I'm going to ride for my teammates 'cause we're all a family and if one's in there we're all in there," Schaefer said. "I love the guys to death and I'll do anything for them."

He's doing a heck of a lot so far. 

"He's pretty complete for being how young he is," said defenceman Caden Price said. "Looking back at my draft year, there's some things I could've work on, but it seems like he's pretty complete."

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This is the first time since 1991 (Martin Lapointe, Eric Lindros and Scott Niedermayer) that three 17-year-olds made Team Canada. On Friday night, the other youngster on the roster gets his chance. 

Brampton Steelheads goalie Jack Ivankovic gets the start against Latvia. 

"If you didn't get told he was 17 you would never know just by how confident he is and how calm he is," Catton said.

"He's a competitor," Yager observed. "He always wants to win whether it's something in the game room at the hotel or in a practice and in games. He's always wanting to win and that's what you want out of your goalie."

The 5-foot-11 native of Mississauga, Ont. is so competitive that he actually has a fight in the Ontario Hockey League this season. 

"He doesn't back down from anybody," said Price. "He's a good guy. He's really the life of the room. He's not afraid to talk. Being that he's so young it's pretty cool. We're excited for him tonight."

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Carter George stopped all 31 shots he faced to pick up the shutout in his World Junior debut on Thursday against Finland. 

"It's something you dream of as a kid and for it to actually happen doesn't really feel real," the Owen Sound Attack goalie said. "It's definitely something special. I can't thank my team enough. I mean, they blocked a lot of shots so I gotta thank them for that."

Fans chanted George's named before he was named player of the game.

"It's definitely a cool experience," the 18-year-old from Thunder Bay, Ont. said. "To hear a crowd like that cheering your name, it was incredible and I definitely soaked it all in."

George looked calm as could be despite the pressure-packed moment. 

"I treat it as any other game," he insisted. "I didn't want any extra nerves, put extra pressure on myself. I just wanted to play the game and have some fun."

George will sing to himself during games to remain focused. He's currently humming 'King' which is a song by British synth-pop trio Years & Years. 

It may soon be 'Live is Life' now that the Opus tune has been unveiled as the Canadian goal song. That was also Canada's goal song when George led the team to gold at the under-18 World Championship.

"I had it at u18s and Hlinka and we were successful there so I'm hoping the same here," he said. "I like the track record for it. I'm definitely used to it. I love it." 

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Team USA is using 'Free Bird' by Lynyrd Skynyrd as its goal song.

"We were on the bus hanging out trying to figure out a song," said defenceman Zeev Buium. "I threw out 'Free Bird' and we all clicked on it. Jacob Fowler from last year's team loved that song."

Of course, it needed to be a specific part of the song. 

"The first five, six minutes of that song is super mellow and not much going on," Buium noted. "When I'm hanging out with the guys, we'll throw it on. It's a long song so everyone kind of sits around waiting for that part."

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Finland pulled the goalie relatively early on Thursday, which got George thinking about a potential goal. He scored one in the OHL this season. 

"I can't lie, it might have slipped [into] my mind," George said with a smile. "But I wasn't going to risk it."

Ivankovic may not have a chance to hit an empty net on Friday, but he has the stick for it. In an unusual move for a goalie, Ivankovic actually uses a toe curve. 

"I like fooling around with the puck and stuff like that so kind of talking to Bauer and getting a curve like that is something I like to do," he explained. 

What does it help him with? 

"Everything," he said. "Playing the puck, I mean, stopping rims, making easy break-out passes to get the D out of the zone."

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Canada is 4-0-0 against Latvia at the World Juniors, including a 10-0 win last year. 

"We have to be careful there's no letdown," said Cameron. "Outside of us, we think we're probably playing the team that's going to be the hardest-working team in this tournament. That's what they're known for. They're going to be all in. We have to make sure we don't take our foot off the pedal on the right."

The Latvians know they're in tough. 

"Team Canada, the absolute top team," said coach Artis Abols. "That will be a challenge for our young team to face Canada in Ottawa in front of 18,000 local Canadian fans. We know they will come. They will come right away, same as last night against Finland and, I'll be honest, the beginning of the game we need to survive."

How do they do that? 

"We have the structure," Abols stressed. "We have the way how to play and the biggest point is they need to have the courage to play."

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Cowan led Canada with four goals in the three pre-tournament games and it didn't take him long to get on the board at the World Juniors. The Maple Leafs prospect blasted a shot past Petteri Rimpinen in the second period. 

"I felt like all night I was trying to dish it so kind of wanted to shoot it," Cowan explained. "Show them I'm a dual threat. Found my spot and I picked it."

Cowan noticed that Rimpinen was anticipating a pass to Cal Ritchie and cheating a bit. 

Cowan is scoring 0.75 goals per game this season in the OHL (15 goals in 20 games), which is up from 0.63 goals per game last season (34 in 54). He credits Auston Matthews for helping him refine his release. 

"He's taught me a lot on how to shoot," Cowan said. "Just on my one-Ts, you know, how to hit the puck, where to hit, how high to bring your stick, just stuff like that, and it's been helping me out a lot."

It's no fun for George to face Cowan in the OHL and in Team Canada's practices. 

"For me, it's just the deception of it," the Los Angeles Kings prospect said. "He hides it pretty well, doesn't really show the release to the goalie, so it's hard to read. He's got a good shot and he knows where to place it so no surprise that he scored that." 

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Canada failed to convert on its power-play chances against Finland. 

"We just have to execute probably a little quicker," Cameron said.

Canada hasn't scored a power-play goal since its first pre-tournament game. What will it take to breakthrough on Friday? 

"A greasy one just off someone's shin-pad or off a rebound and banging it home," said Catton. "It's not going to be a pretty one, I don't think. Just getting that first one and getting that confidence under our belt will ultimately help us build and get more."

Catton had a glorious chance from the slot against Finland. 

"I saw the net and I just didn't put it in the net," he said while shaking his head. "Next time I get that opportunity I'm going to put it home. Porter [Martone] made a great play to me. I'm sure I'm going to get another one of those and I'm going to put it home next time."

Catton has rarely played the bumper spot in his career. 

"At the u18s when I played as an under ager I played a little bit," he said. "Playing with good players it's really easy. Just get open and usually it's on your stick. I'm enjoying it."

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Projected lineup for Friday's game: 

Nadeau - Ritchie - Cowan
McKenna - Catton - Pinelli
Howe - Yager - Martone
Beaudoin - Luchanko - Gauthier 
Cataford 

Molendyk - Gibson
Schaefer - Bonk 
Akey - Price 
Dickinson 

Ivankovic starts 
George

Scratches: Rehkopf, Mynio, Bjarnason