Canada and Finland are both 3-0 looking to secure 1st place in the group and start the quarterfinals against Czech Republic. The loser of this game will not know their opponent until the end of the USA, Sweden game tonight.
It wouldn't be New Year's Eve without @HC_WJC taking the ice. Classic. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/qPQ7q96RHI
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) December 31, 2020
🐺Quinton Byfield beamed up🤩 #worldjuniors@LAKings | @byfield55 | @OHLHockey pic.twitter.com/ocG7iWflKQ
— Sudbury Wolves (@Sudbury_Wolves) December 31, 2020
Byfield just got crosschecked hard behind the Finnish net and is bleeding. No penalty called on the play.
— Lauren Kelly (@laurkelly24) December 31, 2020
Not only did Byfield get crosschecked by a Finnish defender but then he took Jack Quinn’s stick right to the face. Ouch.
— Lauren Kelly (@laurkelly24) December 31, 2020
What a play by Dylan Cozens to open the scoring for Canada! 1-0 🇨🇦#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/FrCn4oGofZ
— Caitlin Berry (@caitlinsports) December 31, 2020
This pass pic.twitter.com/7SUbprVZUa
— CJ Fogler #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) December 31, 2020
🇫🇮 penalty
2 minutes slashing Kasper Simontaival— Inside the Golden Knights (@Inside_VGK) December 31, 2020
Imagine not wanting Quinton Byfield on your top power play unit?
— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) December 31, 2020
It looks like Canada has positioned Byfield in more of a role to move the puck and get some shots on the PP rather than just playing the net front #LAKings #WorldJuniors
— Davis (@davisgreen_) December 31, 2020
End of one
🇨🇦- 1
🇫🇮- 0
Shots on goal
🇨🇦 17
🇫🇮 1Canada came out to play this period. Let’s see if Finland can answer next period#worldjuniors
— Inside the Golden Knights (@Inside_VGK) December 31, 2020
STATS CHECK after 20 minutes
Canada 1
Finland 0#KingsOnKingsCrime at #WorldJuniorsQuinton Byfield
5:20 TOI
1 SOG
Even +/-
2-for-2 faceoffs (100%)
* NOTE: Byfield entered today T-3rd in WJC F/O%Kasper Simontaival
4:03 TOI
2 PIM (slashing)
0 SOG
Minus-1— John Hoven | The Mayor (@mayorNHL) December 31, 2020
With the complete domination during the 1st period will Canada keep that up in the second? Or will Finland strike back and get themselves back into the game?
Canada had to work hard for this one! Dylan Holloway is credited with the goal 👀 pic.twitter.com/51dsEeSXPX
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 1, 2021
According to TSN, Alex Newhook (COL) will not return to tonight's game. Had a big shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Finland defenseman Eemil Viro (DET) in first period, which could have caused the injury.
— Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) January 1, 2021
🇨🇦 goal 🚨#VegasBorn Peyton Krebs buries the loose puck
3-0 🇨🇦 #worldjuniors— Inside the Golden Knights (@Inside_VGK) January 1, 2021
Peyton Krebs goes between his own legs for the goal! pic.twitter.com/ID2UpBq4pW
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 1, 2021
End of the second
🇨🇦- 3
🇫🇮- 0
Shots in the period
🇨🇦 18
🇫🇮 6Finland looks completely gassed #WorldJuniors
— Inside the Golden Knights (@Inside_VGK) January 1, 2021
STATS CHECK after 40 minutes
Canada 3
Finland 0#KingsOnKingsCrime at #WorldJuniorsQuinton Byfield
10:47 TOI
1 SOG
Even +/-
3-for-5 faceoffs (60%)
* NOTE: Byfield entered today T-3rd in WJC F/O%Kasper Simontaival
7:13 TOI
2 PIM (slashing)
2 SOG
Minus-2Winner plays CZE
— John Hoven | The Mayor (@mayorNHL) January 1, 2021
Third period starts with a comeback attempt by Finland.
Brad Lambert gets Finland on the board with a power-play goal! pic.twitter.com/gKWkADWAw2
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 1, 2021
Brad Lambert, a top prospect for 2022 NHL Draft, scores a PPG for Finland. Topi Niemela (TOR) with the primary assist, gives him 7 points (2 goals, 5 assists), best among all defensemen at the WJC
— Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) January 1, 2021
Finland had their best period of the game, but couldn’t find another goal. Canada put it away.
🇨🇦 empty net goal 🚨#Sabres Dylan Cozens fights off the Finnish defender and puts the puck into the empty net
4-1 🇨🇦— Inside the Golden Knights (@Inside_VGK) January 1, 2021
Possibly the hardest-earned empty net goal EVER from Dylan Cozens! 4-1 🇨🇦#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/IFox0BtTVI
— Caitlin Berry (@caitlinsports) January 1, 2021
Canada beats Finland and clinches Group A!
Next up: Canada will play against the Czech Republic in the quarterfinal round 👀 pic.twitter.com/vFASlCVdwA
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 1, 2021
FINAL STATS CHECK
Canada 4
Finland 1#KingsOnKingsCrime at #WorldJuniorsQuinton Byfield
14:45 TOI
1 SOG
Even +/-
3-for-10 faceoffs (30%) – went 0-for-5 in 3rdKasper Simontaival
13:24 TOI – his 6:23 in 3rd led all FIN fwds
2 PIM (slashing)
2 SOG
Minus-3Canada v CZE in QF
— John Hoven | The Mayor (@mayorNHL) January 1, 2021
Video highlights courtesy of the IIHF:
Canada vs Finland – 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship from IIHF on Vimeo.
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Lead Photo via Matthew Murnaghan / Hockey Canada Images
