CALGARY, Alta. – With less than one month until the puck drops on the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, Hockey Canada has announced the 29 players who have earned an invitation to Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp, set for Dec. 9-12 at the Avenir Centre in Moncton, N.B.

Four goaltenders, nine defencemen and 16 forwards were selected by Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.), director of player personnel, and James Boyd (Midland, Ont./Ottawa, OHL), the U20 lead for the Program of Excellence management group, with support from Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of hockey operations. Head coach Dennis Williams (Stratford, Ont./Everett, WHL) and assistant coaches Stéphane Julien (Shawinigan, Que./Sherbrooke, QMJHL), Brent Kisio (Calgary, Alta./Lethbridge, WHL) and Alan Letang (Renfrew, Ont./Sarnia, OHL), as well as goaltending consultant Kelly Guard (Prince Albert, Sask./Prince Albert, WHL) and coaches and general managers across the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), also provided input.

Among the 29 players competing for a chance to represent Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship in Halifax and Moncton are 10 players who won a gold medal at the 2022 World Juniors in Edmonton (Bedard, Del Mastro, Gaucher, Kidney, Lambos, Ostapchuk, Othmann, Roy, Stankoven, Zellweger).

“We are excited to unveil the 29 players who will begin our journey at selection camp in Moncton as we look ahead to the 2023 World Juniors,” said Millar. “This is an experienced and skilled group, and we expect a competitive selection camp that will lead to difficult decisions when naming a final roster. We are excited about the players who have earned invites to camp, and we look forward to assembling a roster that will wear the Maple Leaf with pride this holiday season.”

Selection camp will include practices and a pair of games against a team of U SPORTS all-stars, Dec. 11 at 2 p.m. AT and Dec. 12 at 12 p.m. AT. Moncton ticket packages include one ticket for both games, while fans who have not purchased a ticket package can buy single-game tickets to each U SPORTS game for as low as $15 plus fees at HockeyCanada.ca/WorldJuniors.

Following selection camp, Canada’s National Junior Team will name its final roster for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship on Dec. 12. 

“We are excited to host our selection camp in Moncton and give fans in New Brunswick the opportunity to see the best under-20 Canadian players before the start of the World Juniors,” said Salmond. “While we continue to have discussions with NHL teams regarding additional players that may be available to attend camp, we are thrilled for the 29 players that have been named to our camp roster and we look forward to taking on a strong U SPORTS team as part of our evaluation process.”

Canada’s National Junior Team will also hold a five-day training camp at the Garcelon Civic Centre in St. Stephen, N.B., from Dec. 14-18 in preparation for the 2023 World Juniors before taking on Switzerland, Slovakia and Finland in pre-tournament action.

The 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship begins on Boxing Day with four games, including Canada taking on Czechia at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax at 7:30 p.m. AT. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will once again provide extensive coverage of the event, broadcasting all 31 tournament games, as well as all three Team Canada pre-tournament games. TSN Radio will also provide comprehensive tournament coverage.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Junior Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

CALGARY, Alta. – After a successful season-ticket holder and priority draw sales window, Hockey Canada has announced a limited number of ticket packages for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship in Halifax, N.S., and Moncton, N.B., are available for purchase to the general public.

“With less than two months until the World Juniors makes its highly-anticipated return to the East Coast, we are excited to provide more fans across Canada and around the world with the opportunity to be a part of a holiday tradition like none other,” said Grant MacDonald, local event lead for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. “We were pleased with the success of the priority draw and have seen first-hand the passion fans have to attend this event in Halifax and Moncton, and we know fans will be thrilled to have an opportunity to be a part of this unique and world-class experience.”

A 21-game ticket package is available for the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax and starts as low as $1,050 plus fees per package for upper-bowl seating. A lower-bowl package is also available for $1,200 plus fees. Both options include one ticket to each game in Halifax, including all Team Canada preliminary-round games, two quarterfinals, both semifinals and the bronze and gold medal games. The package will also include one ticket to each pre-tournament game played at the Scotiabank Centre, with the pre-tournament schedule set to be announced in the coming weeks.

A 15-game package is also available for the Avenir Centre in Moncton, which starts as low $575 plus fees. The package includes one ticket to all 10 preliminary-round games in Moncton featuring Latvia, Finland, Slovakia, Switzerland and the United States, as well as one ticket to the two quarterfinals played in Moncton. It will also include one ticket to each pre-tournament game at the Avenir Centre, which will feature two Team Canada games against opponents that will be announced at a later date.

With the unveiling of the official tournament schedule in September, fans from coast-to-coast-coast have started planning their trips to the Maritimes for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. Those looking to secure their seats for the holiday hockey tradition can purchase their ticket package for both communities today at HockeyCanada.ca/WorldJuniors.

For more information on the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit the official tournament website at 2023.worldjuniors.hockey.

New logo unveiled for Canadian-hosted World Juniors

Hockey Canada has also unveiled a new logo for the World Juniors, which will feature a consistent design for all future IIHF World Junior Championships hosted in Canada starting with the 2023 event.

The logo includes a white silhouette of a hockey player layered over a fragmented red Maple Leaf on a black background to reflect Hockey Canada’s colours. The Maple Leaf, which displays various tones of red, symbolizes the 10 provinces and three territories of Canada as well as the country’s diverse demographic. The logo will feature similar design elements for future World Juniors hosted in Canada to continue to build brand recognition in one of the marquee events on the hockey calendar.

“The passion Canadian hockey fans have for the World Juniors is second to none, and we believe we have designed a logo that is uniquely Canadian and matches the passion we see every holiday season,” said Dean McIntosh, vice-president of events and properties with Hockey Canada. “We are grateful to the International Ice Hockey Federation for allowing us to create a consistent look for Canadian-hosted World Juniors. This is something that helps us build recognition in the event each time it is hosted here while representing Canadians in all corners of our country.”

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

CALGARY, Alta. – With less than two months until the puck drops on the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, Hockey Canada has named the staff that will lead Canada’s National Junior Team in its gold medal defence in Halifax, N.S., and Moncton, N.B.

After helping Canada to a gold medal at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship as an assistant coach, Dennis Williams (Stratford, Ont./Everett, WHL) returns to take the reins as head coach. He will be joined by assistant coaches Stéphane Julien (Shawinigan, Que./Sherbrooke, QMJHL), Brent Kisio (Calgary, Alta./Lethbridge, WHL) and Alan Letang (Renfrew, Ont./Sarnia, OHL), as well as goaltending consultant Kelly Guard (Prince Albert, Sask./Prince Albert, WHL) and video coach James Emery (Calgary, Alta.).

The coaching staff was selected by Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.), director of player personnel, James Boyd (Midland, Ont./Ottawa, OHL), who returns as the U20 lead for the Program of Excellence management group after helping assemble the team that won gold at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, and Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of hockey operations.

“We are thrilled to welcome back Dennis and James Boyd following a gold medal at the 2022 World Juniors to help bring momentum and consistency from our success in the summer,” said Millar. “We are also excited to welcome Stéphane, Brent, Alan, Kelly and James Emery, as each coach brings a wealth of experience and success from the Canadian Hockey League and international levels. We believe we have assembled a world-class coaching staff that will play a large part in defending our gold medal on the East Coast starting next month.”

Williams is in his sixth season as head coach of the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League (WHL), adding the general manager title to his responsibilities in July 2021. He has led the Silvertips to four U.S. Division titles, three Western Conference regular season titles and a Western Conference playoff championship. He has been named WHL Western Conference Coach of the Year twice (2017-18, 2019-20) and U.S. Division Coach of the Year once (2021-22). In addition to his gold medal at the 2022 World Juniors, Williams won a silver medal as an assistant with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He also served as head coach of Team Canada Black at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Julien most recently led Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team as head coach, winning a gold medal at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He is currently in his third season as head coach and general manager of the Sherbrooke Phoenix of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Julien was previously the head coach for parts of five seasons (2016-20) before adding the general manager title, and served as an assistant coach for four seasons (2012-15). He was also an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2017 IIHF U18 World Championship and head coach of Team Canada Black at the 2021 Capital City Challenge.

Kisio is in his eighth season as head coach of the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes. Prior to joining the Hurricanes, he spent eight seasons as an assistant coach (2007-15) and assistant general manager (2014-15) with the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen, helping lead the team to a WHL championship in 2010. Internationally, he served as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship, won a gold medal as head coach at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup, won a silver medal as an assistant with Team Pacific at the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and served as head coach of Team Canada White at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Letang was an assistant coach on Julien’s staff with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team that won gold at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup this summer. He is in his second season as head coach of the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and previously spent five seasons with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack as an assistant coach (2016-19) and head coach (2019-20). Letang also won a gold medal as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The support staff that will work with Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship includes:

• Athletic therapists Kevin Elliott (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) and Andy Brown (Owen Sound, Ont./Owen Sound, OHL)
• Team physician Dr. R.J. Mackenzie (Albert Bridge, N.S./Cape Breton, QMJHL)
• Equipment managers Gord Cochran (Williams Lake, B.C./Regina, WHL) and Chris Cook (Ottawa, Ont./Hamilton, OHL)
• Strength and conditioning coach Sean Young (Ennismore, Ont./Ottawa, OHL)
• Mental performance consultant Luke Madill (Kirkland, Que.)
• Manager of hockey operations Benoit Roy (Sudbury, Ont.)
• Senior coordinator of hockey operations Natalie Gerstmar (Calgary, Alta.)
• Coordinator of hockey operations Kurt Keats (Winnipeg, Man.)
• Security liaison Bob Martin (London, Ont./London, OHL)
• Media relations manager Spencer Sharkey (Hamilton, Ont.)

“The coaching and support staff for Canada’s National Junior Team is a well-rounded, experienced group that have been integral to the recent success of Hockey Canada’s national teams,” said Salmond. “We know these individuals will play a major role in the success of our team at the World Juniors, and we look forward to the opportunity to once again compete for a gold medal on home ice in Halifax and Moncton.”

Canada’s National Junior Team will gather at the Avenir Centre in Moncton for a four-day selection camp, Dec. 9-12, before selecting a final roster ahead of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. The selection camp roster will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MONCTON, N.B. & HALIFAX, N.S. – Hockey Canada and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) have released the schedule for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, which is set to take place Dec. 26, 2022-Jan. 5, 2023 in Moncton and Halifax.

Last month, it was announced that Scotiabank Centre in Halifax will host Group A, featuring Canada, Sweden, Czechia, Germany and Austria. Avenir Centre in Moncton will see the United States, Finland, Switzerland, Slovakia and Latvia compete in Group B.

“The 2023 World Juniors will be an unforgettable celebration of hockey across the Maritimes, and we cannot wait to drop the puck on Boxing Day,” said Dean McIntosh, vice-president of events and properties with Hockey Canada. “From the opening-day matchups to the rivalry games on New Year’s Eve, this year’s schedule is extremely competitive and will showcase the best under-20 hockey players in the world in a return to the tournament’s traditional holiday format.”

After winning a silver medal at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, Finland will open the 2023 event against Switzerland in Moncton at 11 a.m. ET/12 p.m. AT on Dec. 26, the first of 20 preliminary-round games split between the two host cities.

Canada will begin its defence of its gold medal against Czechia on Boxing Day in Halifax at 6:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. AT, in a rematch of the World Juniors semifinal from last month.

The United States will face Finland on Dec. 31 at 4 p.m. ET/5 p.m. AT in the only preliminary-round matchup between two of the three teams that have won gold at the World Juniors since 2013.

Canada and Sweden will play each other on New Year’s Eve for the first time since the 2016 tournament, starting at 6:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. AT.

All 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship games will be broadcast on TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada.

“Halifax and Moncton are great hockey cities that are both excited to enthusiastically welcome the ten participating teams this year,” said Mike Savage, mayor of Halifax. “We know that fans and volunteers will eagerly add the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship to their holiday calendars.”

“We are thrilled to proudly welcome the world and create an unforgettable hockey experience on and off the ice in both host cities,” said Dawn Arnold, mayor of Moncton. “One thing is certain: Moncton and Halifax’s strong history of hosting world-class sporting events and maritime hospitality will be at its best.”

Canada will host its selection camp, which includes games against the U SPORTS All-Stars, in Moncton in mid-December. The pre-tournament schedule will be announced in the coming weeks, with communities throughout southern New Brunswick and central Nova Scotia set to host games.

Nearly 50,000 fans entered the 2023 World Juniors Priority Draw. Should any inventory remain, tickets will go on sale to the public later in September.

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

EDMONTON, Alta. – Canada's National Junior Team has won gold on home ice at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, downing Finland 3-2 in an overtime thriller in front of 13,327 fans.

Kent Johnson (Port Moody, B.C./Columbus, OHL) was the overtime hero, scoring the golden goal on his own rebound after a behind-the-back pass from Logan Stankoven (Kamloops, B.C./Kamloops, WHL) just 3:20 into the extra frame. The win gives Canada its 19th gold medal and 34th medal overall at the World Juniors.

“I take passes on my backhand all the time and I usually try to score on the five-hole, but I had a lot of time and I was able to bang home the rebound,” Johnson said. “It was super exciting overtime period, but not really the situation we wanted to be in after going up 2-0. It means the world to all of us [to win gold]. It has been a crazy couple of months, but everyone wanted to win so bad and I am happy that we were able to do it at home.”

Joshua Roy (Saint-Georges, Que./Sherbrooke, QMJHL) opened the scoring just over 11 minutes into the first period, jamming home a rebound off a Mason McTavish (Carp, Ont./Hamilton, OHL) shot. William Dufour (Québec, Que./Saint John, QMJHL) added to Canada’s lead, firing a wrist shot past Finnish goaltender Juha Jatkola 47 seconds into the middle frame to make it 2-0.

The Finns erased the lead with goals six minutes apart in the opening 11 minutes of the third period, with Aleski Heimosalmi and Joakim Kemell finding the back of the net to force overtime.

Dylan Garand (Victoria, B.C./Kamloops, WHL) was stellar in the Canadian goal, making 29 saves.

A full game summary can be found at HockeyCanada.ca.

Following the gold medal game, McTavish was named Most Valuable Player and Top Forward after leading the tournament in goals (eight) and points (17). He also finished tied for the lead in assists (nine), and was named to the media all-star team alongside defenceman Olen Zellweger (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta./Everett, WHL).

“My stick was in the right place at the right time to knock that puck away from our net [in overtime]. Looking back, I am not sure why I was behind [Garand], but I am happy it worked out. Next thing I knew I was on the bench and Kent [Johnson] was on a breakaway,” McTavish said. “It has been a long journey to get to this moment, and it is so special to win it with this group of guys who put in so much hard work since last summer. I am incredibly proud to be Canadian.”

“This group made a huge commitment to be here, and we overcame some adversity with players not returning and dealing with injuries. These guys stuck with it, we knew it was going to be tough and I have a lot of admiration for all our players and staff,” said head coach Dave Cameron (Kinkora, P.E.I./Ottawa, OHL). “This gold medal feels really special. The atmosphere tonight was unbelievable, and I am so grateful to the fans that supported us. I feel like we were able to reward them with tonight’s win.”

Canada finished the preliminary round atop Group A with a perfect 4-0 record after wins over Latvia (5-2), Slovakia (11-1), Czechia (5-1) and Finland (6-3). It booked a spot in the gold medal game with a 6-3 win against Switzerland in the quarterfinals and a 5-2 win over Czechia in the semifinals.

Since 1977, Canada has collected 19 gold medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship, to go along with 10 silver and five bronze.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Junior Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. FINLAND (AUG. 20)

One more. It all comes down to Saturday night for Canada’s National Junior Team, which faces off against Finland in the gold medal game at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, one win from a 19th World Juniors gold.

LAST GAME

Canada booked its place in the final for the third year in a row with a 5-2 semifinal win over Czechia on Friday afternoon. Kent Johnson drove the offence with a goal and two assists, opening the scoring before setting up a pair of key power-play goals in the second period. Connor Bedard, Logan Stankoven, Mason McTavish (with his tournament-leading eighth goal) and Joshua Roy also found the back of the net, while Dylan Garand made 31 saves.

The Finns faced their Nordic neighbours from Sweden in their semifinal, in what turned out to be a titanic defensive struggle. The goaltenders starred – Juha Jatkola stopped all 23 shots he faced and Jesper Wallstedt turned aside 27 of 28 – and a power-play goal from Kasper Puutio late in the second period was the lone marker as the Finns earned a 1-0 win to return to the gold medal game for the first time since they won gold in 2019.

LAST MEETING

The Canadians and Finns closed out the preliminary round on Monday night with first place in Group A on the line. Brennan Othmann, Tyson Foerster and Bedard gave Canada a 3-0 first-period lead and it was 5-1 after 40 minutes thanks to Ridly Greig and McTavish. Penalty trouble for the Canadians made things interesting in the third, but an empty-net goal from William Dufour sealed a 6-3 win and a perfect prelims.

WHAT TO WATCH

Top to bottom, the Canadians are pretty darn good. Their 38 goals lead the tournament, they are clicking at a 57.1% success rate on the power play (second only to Finland), McTavish leads the tournament with 15 points (just the 12th Canadian to reach that mark in a single year), Olen Zellweger is a tournament-best +12 (tied with McTavish) and is the first Canadian defenceman to reach double digits in points since Thomas Chabot in 2017, and Garand has fashioned a .923 save percentage (best among goaltenders who have appeared more than twice). Gold No. 19 is a solid 60 minutes away.

Looking at the Finns, the conversation begins and ends with the power play. Finland has scored 14 times with the man advantage in the tournament, exactly half of its 28 total goals and almost double the next most efficient unit (Canada has eight PPGs). It provided the only goal in the semifinal win over the Swedes, the third time in its five victories that the game-winning goal came while a man up. Six different Finns have scored on the power play, led by four from Roby Järventie and three each from Roni Hirvonen and Joel Määttä.

A LOOK BACK

The Canadians have faced the Finns 40 times since the first IIHF World Junior Championship in 1977, fashioning a 25-9-6 (W-L-T) record. The teams are also frequent foes in the playoff round; in the last decade, they’ve matched up in the quarterfinals (2016, 2019), semifinals (2014, 2020) and bronze medal game (2012). Jonathan Huberdeau owns the best single-game performance by a Canadian against the Finns, posting a goal and four assists in a tournament-opening 8-1 win in 2012.

All-time record: Canada leads 25-9-6 (Finland leads 1-0 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 160
Finland goals: 103

EDMONTON, Alta. – Five different players scored as Canada's National Junior Team clinched its spot in the gold medal game at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, defeating Czechia 5-2 in the semifinals on Friday.

• Kent Johnson (Port Moody, B.C./Columbus, NHL) opened the scoring and added a pair of assists.
• Logan Stankoven (Kamloops, B.C./Kamloops, WHL) chipped in with a power-play goal and an assist.
• Connor Bedard (North Vancouver, B.C./Regina, WHL), Mason McTavish (Carp, Ont./Hamilton, OHL) and Joshua Roy (Saint-Georges, Que./Sherbrooke, QMJHL) rounded out the scoring.
• Olen Zellweger (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta./Everett, WHL) contributed a trio of assists.
• Tyson Foerster (Alliston, Ont./Barrie, OHL), Nathan Gaucher (Richelieu, Que./Québec, QMJHL), Will Cuylle (Toronto, Ont./Windsor, OHL) and William Dufour (Québec, Que./Saint John, QMJHL) registered one assist apiece.
• McTavish, Stankoven and Zellweger were named Team Canada’s three best players of the tournament.
• Dylan Garand (Victoria, B.C./Kamloops, WHL) made 30 saves.
• Canada outshot Czechia 35-32.

Next Game:

Canada vs. Finland/Sweden (gold medal game) – Saturday, Aug. 20 (6 p.m. MT/8 p.m. ET)

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, are carrying extensive game coverage and analysis throughout the World Juniors, broadcasting all 28 tournament games. TSN Radio is also providing comprehensive coverage.

Quotes:

“We have been working towards this moment for 13 months ever since we had our first summer camp back in July [2021]. It has been a very long road to get to this point, there have been a lot of obstacles in the way, and the players and staff are very deserving to be where they are. I have seen the effort put in by everyone to get here, but we know tomorrow is not going to be easy. We are excited for the challenge.”

- Head coach Dave Cameron (Kinkora, P.E.I./Ottawa, OHL) on the effort to get to the gold medal game

“I wound up for a slap shot and was thinking about taking the shot, but I noticed [Mason] McTavish was open. I was glad he was able to hammer it home because he does not miss too many of those opportunities. Obviously I would love to score a bit more, and I felt like I was due for a goal heading in to tonight’s game, but I am happy to be contributing and hopefully there are still a few more goals to come tomorrow.”

- Johnson on his assist on McTavish’s goal and contributing on offence

“We were not completely satisfied with our second period, and we knew we need to have a stronger third period to finish off the game. I thought we cleaned up some things and played better in the third despite giving up a couple goals. Overall, we played well and it is an great feeling [to have a chance to play in the gold medal game]. Ever since my first year at World Juniors when we lost to the United States in the gold medal game, I have been waiting for this day to come. It is exciting to be in this moment, but we know the toughest test is still to come.”

- Garand on today’s game and playing in the gold medal game

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Junior Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

EDMONTON, Alta. – Five different players scored goals and 11 recorded a point as Canada's National Junior Team booked its spot in the semifinals at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, doubling up on Switzerland 6-3 on Wednesday.

• Logan Stankoven (Kamloops, B.C./Kamloops, WHL) led the offence with two goals and an assist.
• Tyson Foerster (Alliston, Ont./Barrie, OHL) chipped in with a goal and an assist.
• Jack Thompson (Courtice, Ont./Sault Ste. Marie, OHL), Nathan Gaucher (Richelieu, Que./Québec, QMJHL) and Will Cuylle (Toronto, Ont./Windsor, OHL) rounded out the scoring.
• Ronan Seeley (Olds, Alta./Everett, WHL) contributed a pair of assists.
• Mason McTavish (Carp, Ont./Hamilton, OHL), Elliot Desnoyers (Saint-Hyacinthe, Que./Halifax, QMJHL), Ryan O’Rourke (Bowmanville, Ont./Sault Ste. Marie, OHL), Olen Zellweger (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta./Everett, WHL) and Kent Johnson (Port Moody, B.C./Columbus, NHL) registered one assist apiece.
• Dylan Garand (Victoria, B.C./Kamloops, WHL) made 23 saves.
• Canada outshot Switzerland 40-26.

Next Game:

Canada vs. Czechia – Friday, Aug. 19 (2 p.m. MT/4 p.m. ET)

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, are carrying extensive game coverage and analysis throughout the World Juniors, broadcasting all 28 tournament games. TSN Radio is also providing comprehensive coverage.

Quotes:

“I do not think we had as much energy as our previous games and we did not execute quick enough, which is something that made us successful against other teams. In tournaments like this, the quarterfinals can be games you dread. You can find yourself up against a team that has nothing to lose, and we have to give [Switzerland] credit. They took it to us and played a great game, but we found a way to win and that is what good teams do.”

- Head coach Dave Cameron (Kinkora, P.E.I./Ottawa, OHL) on the challenges of the quarterfinals

“We have talked a lot about doing our part to help our team win a gold medal, and this is just the next step in the right direction. We have to focus on one game at a time, and we still need to play our best in the semifinals to have a chance at gold. We do not know who we are going to play yet, but either way our opponent is going to want to win just like us. Regardless of who we play, we are going to give it our best effort.”

- Gaucher on advancing to the semifinals

“I do not think it was our best game, but we were able to find a way to win and that is what matters. We are off to the semifinals, and we have a day to regroup, watch some video [on other teams] and prepare so we can make sure we bring our best effort against our next opponent. Having a chance to win a medal is motivating, and obviously we are looking for gold, but we know we need play our best in the semifinals to have a chance at that gold medal.”

- Stankoven on today’s performance and playing for a medal

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Junior Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) have announced the two groups for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, scheduled for Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Halifax, N.S., and Moncton, N.B.

With no relegation at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, the IIHF formed the groups by ranking each federation on performance at the past five tournaments to allow fans, competing teams and stakeholders time to prepare for the 2023 World Juniors as the event was only awarded to the host communities in May and give all stakeholders the opportunity to jointly work on the game schedule during the current World Juniors in Edmonton, Alta.

Canada, Sweden, Czechia, Germany and Austria will compete in Group A, with preliminary-round games taking place at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax.

The United States, Finland, Switzerland, Slovakia and Latvia will form Group B and play at the Avenir Centre in Moncton.

A minimum of 10 pre-tournament games will be played in communities throughout New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, bringing the world’s best under-20 hockey players to fans across the Maritimes.

The full tournament schedule will be available in the coming weeks. All games at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship will be broadcast on TSN and RDS.

Nearly 50,000 fans who entered the 2023 World Juniors Priority Draw will have the opportunity to buy tickets in late August, with tickets going on sale to the public in September if any inventory remains.

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, become a Hockey Canada Insider, or follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. SWITZERLAND (AUG. 17)

It’s on to the playoff round for Canada’s National Junior Team , which takes on Switzerland in the third of four quarterfinals on a busy Wednesday at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship.

LAST GAME

Canada capped off a perfect preliminary round with a 6-3 win over Finland on Monday, getting goals from six different players. Special teams were the story for the Canadians; they scored on both of their power-play opportunities and killed four of five Finnish chances, including a five-minute major and a pair of five-on-three advantages in the third period. Mason McTavish added a goal and two assists to his tournament-leading totals, while Olen Zellweger had three helpers to move into a tie with American defenceman Luke Hughes for the scoring lead among blue-liners.

The Swiss went down to the wire to clinch their quarterfinal spot, getting a power-play goal from Attilio Biasca with 4:07 left to score a 3-2 win over Austria on Monday afternoon and advance to the playoff round. Joshua Fahrni and Jonas Taibel provided the other goals for Switzerland.

LAST MEETING

The Canadians and Swiss met last in the preliminary round of the 2021 World Juniors inside the Edmonton bubble, with Canada cruising to a 10-0 win for its third victory in as many tries. Quinton Byfield was the offensive star, scoring twice and adding four assists to post the 12th six-point effort by a Canadians in tournament history. Jakob Pelletier added two goals and an assist and Devon Levi made 15 saves for Canada, which led 1-0 after one period and 5-0 after two before pulling away over the final 20 minutes.

WHAT TO WATCH

As mentioned above, how about the special teams for Canada? The Canadians are clicking as a 60% success rate on the power play (6-of-10) – tops in the tournament – while the penalty kill has allowed only two goals in 11 opposition chances. And in goal, Dylan Garand has been lights out in his second World Juniors (third if you count the cancelled December event); he has fashioned a 1.67 goals-against average and .930 save percentage in three games, both second-best among all puck-stoppers.

The Swiss are never an easy out. They may rank near the bottom of the tournament on the offensive side of the puck (eight goals in four games and a 7.2% shooting percentage), but they put third-period scares into Sweden and Germany in a pair of 3-2 losses and kept the high-powered Americans scoreless for the first 26 minutes. They tend to find a way to hang around, and in a win-or-go-home game, that could create some excitement.

A LOOK BACK

Canada has dominated the head-to-head history since the first meeting in 1980, winning all 24 meetings – 23 of them in regulation time.

The history includes six playoff meetings, four of them in the quarterfinals – Brandon Reid had two goals and an assist in an 8-3 win in 2000, Brayden Schenn notched two his record-tying 18 points in a 4-1 win in 2011, Anthony Mantha scored the game-winner on a penalty shot in a 4-1 triumph in 2014 and Brett Howden had a goal and three helpers as part of an 8-2 victory in 2018.

All-time record: Canada leads 24-0-0 (1-0 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 154
Switzerland goals: 40