2023 World Junior Live Blog

Jan. 5: Canada Wins Gold in Overtime

Jan. 4: Canada Goes Down 2-0, Roars Back with Six Scores

Does this sound familiar if you watched Tuesday night in Edmonton, Kraken fans? Team USA jumped to a 2-0 lead and the home country fans were quieted. But then Canada delivered six unanswered goals for a runaway victory and a spot in the IIHF World Junior Championship gold-medal game Thursday.
Joshua Roy, a Montreal Canadiens prospect, notched a hat trick, and 17-year-old phenom Connor Bedard scored again, opening the scoring for Canada in Halifax, NS. Canada captain Shane Wright turned in another solid two-way performance, especially disrupting the Americans when they were looking to get back to even at three goals apiece. The Canada coaching staff have consistently praised Wright for both his leadership and setting the example of playing a high-energy game in all zones.
The crowd certainly livened up as Canada blew by their biggest rivals, going up 4-2 by the end of 40 minutes. Team Canada will now get a chance to avenge a loss to their gold-medal game opponent, Czechia, who upset the host country in the opening game of round-robin play on Boxing Day.

Jan. 2: Team Canada Wins OT Thriller, Bedard Tops Eberle Record; Finland Falls to Sweden

In Monday's final quarterfinal matchup at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Halifax, NS, Slovakia put a scare in Team Canada and captain Shane Wright before falling in overtime, 4-3. The Canadians took a 2-0 lead and then went up 3-1 before Slovakia clawed back to three goals at the end of regulation.
Wright was on the ice to begin overtime with Connor Bedard, Olen Zellweger, and Dylan Guenther on a power play that started with 36 seconds left in the third period when Slovakia captain Simon Nemec was called for cross-checking Bedard in front of the Slovakia net. Nemec, the No. 2 overall pick by the New Jersey Devils in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, was initially called for a five-minute match penalty but reduced to a two-minute penalty once the review found that Nemec cross-checked Bedard in the back rather than the head.
Wright nearly won the game for Canada on that first overtime shift, shooting net-front but hitting the crossbar after Slovakia goalie Adam Gajan got a slight piece of the puck. Wright told TSN in a post-game interview that he saw he could get net-front with two Slovakia defenders occupied and maybe cheating a bit to get the puck out of the zone.
Six-plus minutes into the assigned 10-minute three-on-three overtime for WJC quarterfinals, Bedard deked through three Slovakia defenders (including Nemec) and Gajan to score the game-winning goal, creating bedlam for host nation fans.

It was Bedard's second goal of the game. The first one opened the scoring and broke Kraken forward Jordan Eberle's all-time record for goals (14) in the World Junior Championship play. On the night, the 17-year-old Bedard also broke Eric Lindros' all-time record for points (31) in WJC tournaments.
"I saw it hit the crossbar and the post," said Wright. "I'm still not sure how it didn't go in."
Wright, in true captain form, praised Slovakia for their mettle to withstand a 57 to 27 shots on goal advantage (Bedard had 10 total, five in overtime) and nearly steal the game, except Western Hockey League and Seattle Thunderbirds goalie Thomas Milic made a full handful of huge saves in the third period to prevent a colossal upset in regulation.
"'Milli' was great for us all night," said Wright, pointing out especially so after allowing the third goal to complete Slovakia's comeback. "His poise never wavered at all."
Earlier Monday, in the opening quarterfinal game, Sweden beat Finland, 3-2, to send the Finns home without a chance for a medal. Kraken prospect Jani Nyman finished the tourney with two goals and an assist.

Dec. 31: Canada beats Sweden, Meets Slovakia in Quarterfinals; Finland Faces Sweden

It's a wrap on round-robin play in the IIHF World Junior Championship in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Team Canada dispensed of Sweden by a 5-1 score with captain Shane Wright notching the primary assist on the game-winning goal. The 18-year-old Kraken forward recorded at least one point in each of the four round-robin games.

Canada finished second in Group A and advances to play Slovakia in Monday's quarterfinals. Czechia, which upset Canada in the opening game, finished first and draws a surprising Switzerland squad next.
Kraken 2022 second-rounder Jani Nyman and his Finland teammates lost to Team USA Saturday and now prepare for neighboring nation Sweden Monday. Nyman finished round-robin play with two goals and an assist.

Dec. 29: Canada Cruises Past Austria, Wright Scores Again

Team Canada scored 11 goals for the second straight game in Group A round-robin play at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Halifax, Nova Scotia, this time shutting out Austria. Canada captain and Kraken forward Shane Wright scored for his third straight game.

Wright's goal was the third of three in the opening period and just the beginning of a points spectacular. Connor Bedard, the near-consensus projected No. 1 overall pick in next summer's NHL Draft, followed up a seven-point night (hat trick, four assists) against Germany with six more points (2 G, 4 A) Thursday against the Austrians.
Canada's next opponent: Sweden, which leads Group A with eight points in three games, followed by Czechia (7) and Canada (6). Canada can still earn the top seed by beating the Swedes in regulation and Czechia losing to Germany. The latter is unlikely but a win over Sweden would secure at least a second seed before the quarterfinals are played on Jan. 2.

Dec. 29: Finland Skates Past Latvia, Two Points for Nyman

Kraken 2022 second-round draft choice, Jani Nyman, scored Finland's opening goal and earned the primary assist on the second score to fuel a 3-0 win for his native country. Finland now has seven points to be at the top of the Group B standings in Moncton, New Brunswick, ahead of a New Year's Eve matchup with Team USA that will be an even more meaningful game for the Americans looking to improve their seed for next week's quarterfinals.
Nyman scored less than five minutes into the game, taking a pass while facing backward from the Latvian goal. He spun quickly and wired a wrist shot that beat goalie Patriks Berzins, who has been a star during round-robin play. The shot was upper right corner just inside the crossbar and goalpost. Credit teammate Niko Huuhtanen (drafted last overall by Tampa Bay in 2021) for providing a screen net front, but Nyman expertly shoot the puck in between bodies - and put an early puck on net.

Halfway into the second period, Nyman and linemate Huuhtanen worked a give-and-go with the Kraken prospect deftly taking a short pass in net-front traffic, slipping the puck back to the speeding Huuhtanen to finish an impressive play and give Finland a lead it did not relinquish against a solid Latvia squad.

Latvia dominated play in the final frame with tenacious zone pressure, peppering Finland's goaltender Jani Lampinen with 14 shots in the period. But it was all for naught with just over two minutes remaining in the game when Finish winger Konsta Kapanen got a jump on a defensive zone faceoff and took off with blazing speed through the Latvian defense to put Finland up 3-0 with the Latvia net empty. Lampinen finished the game with a 31-save shutout.
Along with his scoring prowess, Nyman looked sharp on the forecheck and didn't back down to physical encounters with Latvia's better players. Nyman finished with 2 shots on goal and 11:58 of ice time.

Dec. 28: Canada Routs Germany with Seven Power Play goals, Two Hat Tricks

Team Canada's disappointing loss to Czechia might still affect their seed for the quarterfinals, but the world juniors power rectified its Group A game with a dominant win over Germany. The final score was 11-2, just one day after Germany lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to Sweden.
Canada scored first but Germany answered early in the game to make it 1-1. But Team Canada captain and Kraken forward Shane Wright put his country ahead for good 13 minutes into the contest. At net front, Wright secured a loose puck on the power play and knew where to deposit it-the back of the net. Wright finished the night with a goal and an assist.

The Canadians finished with seven power-play goals. Presumed No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, forward Connor Bedard notched a hat trick and four assists tying a WJC record seven points by an individual player. As it turned out, Bedard moved to another line after playing alongside Wright in the Swiss loss. But Wright's new linemate, Dylan Guenther, scored his own hat trick. The third forward on the Wright line, Brennan Othmann, tallied a goal to make five for the trio.
Canada plays Austria Thursday and then faces Sweden on New Year's Eve. Czechia and Sweden lead Group A with six points while Canada sits at three points. Beating Austria should not be an issue. That squad lost by a composite 20-0 score in the first two round-robin games.
In Group B, Team USA stumbled Wednesday, dropping a decisive 6-3 game to Slovakia. On Thursday, the Americans will face a surprising Switzerland (two overtime wins for four points) then square off with Finland (also logging four points in the first two games) on New Year's Eve.
Dec. 27: Nyman Goal Helps Finland Bounce Back, Roll Past Slovakia
Following a disappointing overtime loss to Switzerland Monday in Group B play, Team Finland answered the sense of urgency with a commanding 5-2 win over Slovakia Tuesday. The Finns now have four standings points (three points for regulation wins, one point if tied at the end of regulation).
Kraken 2022 second-round draft choice Jani Nyman (49th overall), along with fellow high NHL draft picks, Joakim Kemell (No. 17 overall, 2022, Nashville) and Brad Lambert (No. 30 overall, 2022), scored in a three-goal Finland outburst in a 10-minute span during the second period in Moncton, NB, to break open a tight game. All three players notched their first goal of the 2023 Worlds.

Nyman's one-timer came after a faceoff win in the offensive zone with Nyman gathering a loose puck, and sending it back to his defenseman teammate at the point. The left-handed Nyman then found open space at the right faceoff circle, anticipating and receiving a return pass. The 6-foot-3, 216-pound winger wired his shot on the short side, hitting the inside of the goal post and in. Slovakia changed goaltenders after the score and a 4-1 Finnish lead. Nyman's fast work gathering the puck, passing, and shooting quickly took all of five seconds into Finland's power play.
Nyman had two other Grade-A scoring chances, just one shift before his goal, and another in the third. Both resulted in good saves by the Slovakia goalies. Nyman's overall game was solid and drew praise from TSN announcers covering the game. He finished with six shots on goal in 14:29 of playing time. Finland next plays against Latvia Thursday before facing Team USA on New Year's Eve.
Dec 26: Canada Falls to Czechia in Day 1 Upset
The 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship started in promising fashion for Team Canada and Pacific Northwest fans. Captain and Kraken 2022 first-round draft choice Shane Wright scored 10 minutes in the first period against Czechia in Halifax Monday, which is Boxing Day in Canada. Everett Silvertips defenseman Olen Zellweger recorded the primary assist on the play.
After Czechia scored the next three goals (twice in Period 1 and early second period) during the final game of Day 1, near-consensus 2023 No. 1 overall pick, Connor Bedard, wired his shot upper corner on a primary assist by Wright to make it 3-2. Seattle Thunderbirds defenseman Kevin Korchinski (2022 7th overall pick by the Chicago Blackhawks) started the play for the secondary assist.
Then a five-minute major on Zach Dean (2021, 30th overall pick, Vegas) provided Czechia with an opportunity that turned this game into an upset victory. Czechia defenseman David Jiricek (2022, 6th overall pick by Columbus) notched the primary assist on Czechia's fourth goal to make it 4-2 during the later part of the ensuing powerplay. Then Czechia shocked all of Canada by scoring one more goal during the five minutes of man-advantage to make it 5-2 and persuaded the CAN coaching staff to sub in Seattle Thunderbirds goalie Thomas Milic.
The 5-2 score held up as the final result. The biggest upset of the day means Canada has some work to do in its next three round-robin games, starting with a Wednesday matchup with Germany. Wright finished with the goal and an assist and 18:38 of time on ice.
Dec 26: Finland, Nyman Fall to Swiss in Opening Day
In the opening game of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, the continued evolution of Switzerland as a legitimate medal contender was decidedly evident in a 3-2 overtime win over Finland. Swiss captain Attilio Biasca, a 19-year-old undrafted center who plays for Halifax in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League scored the game-winner 41 seconds into the 3-on-3 extra time.
With Switzerland leading 2-1 early third period, Kraken 2022 second-round draft choice Jani Nyman nearly evened the score with a one-timer from the right faceoff circle. His lifted shot deflected off a stick in front of the Swiss net, then loudly clanged off the crossbar and out of play. Minutes later, Finland did tie matters but could not generate any more goals before going into overtime. Nyman finished with one shot on goal and 17:34 time on ice as a second-line wing, including 58 seconds on the power play.
Biasca beat Finland goalie and Vancouver Canucks prospect, Aku Koskenvuo to put Finland in a less-than-desired position after opening day. Finland matches up with Slovakia Tuesday, then Latvia Thursday, and Team USA on New Year's Eve. Seattle 2022 second-rounder Niklas Kakko did not dress Monday as the backup and it is to be determined which Finnish goalie gets the next start.
Dec. 24 to 26: World Junior tournament fills in hockey void.
As the NHL takes a three-day pause on games, player transactions and overall news, the 2023 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Hockey Championship can gift hockey fans with an elite tournament among the top Under-20 players in the world. Kraken fans can follow center Shane Wright, on loan from the NHL club to Team Canada, as he captains a national team for a second time and looking to repeat
his gold-medal performance from 2021.
Dec. 24: Follow Finland teammates and Kraken 2022 second-rounders Nyman, Kokko.
Finland opens World Junior play in a matchup with Switzerland (Dec. 26, 8 a.m., NHL Network) and will face Team USA in a New Year's Eve showdown (1 p.m., NHL Network) in a game that could decide the top seed from Group B leading to the quarterfinals (Jan. 2, NHL Network). Finland's roster includes two Kraken 2022 second-round picks, forward Jani Nyman and goaltender Niklas Kokko.
Nyman had been a big producer on the international stage. In U20 competition to date this season, he has notched seven goals and six assists for 13 points in six games. At the aforementioned 2021 U18 World Junior tourney, Nyman scored two goals and added two assists in six games and, overall, in U18 international play that season he scored 11 goals with 10 assists for 21 points in 21 games. He figures to be a fixture on the Team Finland power play. Scouts love his shot and 6-foot-3, 216-pound size.
Kokko is one of three Finnish goaltenders vying for playing time at the World Junior tourney. He is currently playing in the second-tier Finnish pro league, sporting a 2.88 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage. You can "scout" Kokko and Nyman in more early-morning Team Finland games Dec. 27 (8 a.m., Slovakia, NHL Network) and Dec. 29 (8 am., Latvia, NHL Network).
Dec. 24: Four WHL Seattle Thunderbirds join Shane Wright on Team Canada roster.
Fans of the Western Hockey League Seattle Thunderbirds will have a keen interest in the World Junior Championship. Four T-Birds teammates are members of the Canada roster: Defensemen Kevin Korchinski and Nolan Allen, plus forward Reid Schaefer, are all projected to get regular minutes. Seattle goalie Thomas Milic is likely to share duties with Ben Gaudreau in round-robin competition.
Korchinski and Allen are both draft choices of the Chicago Blackhawks but are not slated to pair with each other in the tourney. Korchinski (three goals, 25 assists in 21 WHL games) is likely to quarterback one of the Canada power play units. Schaefer was a 2022 first-round draft choice of the Edmonton Oilers who grew up in Edmonton and currently has 15 goals and 12 assists in 22 games for WHL Seattle.
Milic went undrafted but looks to improve his standing with NHL clubs during World Junior competition. He is 11-2-1 for the Thunderbirds with a .919 save percentage and a 2.35 goals-against average. Team Canada plays four round-robin games, all on NHL Network at 3:30 start times: Dec. 26 vs. Czechia, Dec. 28 vs. Germany, Dec. 29 vs. Austria and Dec. 31.
Dec. 24: Full Schedule for 2023 World Junior Championship
(All games Pacific time on NHL Network)

Dec. 26
Finland vs. Switzerland, Avenir Centre, Moncton, NB, 8 a.m.
Sweden vs. Austria, Scotiabank Centre, Halifax, NS, 10:30 a.m.
Latvia vs. United States, Avenir Centre, 12 noon
Czechia vs. Canada, Scotiabank Centre, 3:30 p.m.
Dec. 27
Finland vs. Slovakia, Avenir Centre, 8 a.m.
Germany vs. Sweden, Scotiabank Centre, 10:30 a.m.
Switzerland vs. Latvia, Avenir Centre, 12 noon
Austria vs. Czechia, Scotiabank Centre, 3:30 p.m.
Dec. 28
Slovakia vs. United States, Avenir Centre, 12 noon
Canada vs. Germany, Scotiabank Centre, 3:30 p.m.
Dec. 29
Latvia vs. Finland, Avenir Centre, 8 a.m.
Sweden vs. Czechia, Scotiabank Centre, 10:30 a.m.
United States vs. Switzerland, Avenir Centre, 12 noon
Austria vs. Canada, Scotiabank Centre, 3:30 p.m.
Dec. 30
Slovakia vs. Latvia, Avenir Centre, 10:30 a.m.
Germany vs. Austria, Scotiabank Centre, 12 noon
Dec. 31
Switzerland vs. Slovakia, Avenir Centre, 8 a.m.
Czechia vs. Germany, Scotiabank Centre, 10:30 a.m.
United States vs. Finland, Avenir Centre, 12 noon
Canada vs. Sweden, Scotiabank Centre, 3:30 p.m.
Jan. 2
Relegation Round (Game 1), Scotiabank Centre, 6:30 a.m.
Quarterfinal 1, Avenir Centre, 8 a.m.
Quarterfinal 2, Scotiabank Centre, 10:30 a.m.
Quarterfinal 3, Avenir Centre, 12 noon
Quarterfinal 4, Scotiabank Centre, 3:30 p.m.
Jan. 4 (Scotiabank Centre)
Relegation Round (Game 2), 8 a.m.
Semifinal 1, 11:30 a.m.
Semifinal 2, 3:30 p.m.
Jan. 5 (Scotiabank Centre)
Relegation Round (Game 3, if necessary), 8 a.m.
Third-place game, 11:30 a.m.
Championship game, 3:30 p.m.