GAME NOTES: Canada vs. Switzerland (April 30)

TV: TSN | Stream: TSN Direct

Two very contrasting contests to open the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championship have shown Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team that there are no easy games. Following an off-day Thursday, Canada returns recharged and ready to build on its unbeaten start when it takes to the ice for its third Group A match-up against Switzerland.

LAST GAME

Without the services of captain Shane Wright and Corson Ceulemans due to precautionary reasons, it was Mason McTavish who donned the ‘C’ for his country and helped assure Canada would remain perfect to begin the tournament with a pair of goals and an assist in a hard-fought 4-2 victory over Latvia. Benjamin Gaudreau made 25 saves and Dylan Guenther added a goal and a helper for the Canadians.

Switzerland dealt Latvia the same result in its tournament opener, scoring twice in a 23-second span of the first period, but a 7-1 defeat to Belarus in the ensuing contest dropped its record to 1-1 in the Group A standings. Defenceman Dario Sidler leads the Swiss in points with three assists in two games.

LAST MEETING

Canada was victorious over Switzerland at the 2019 rendition of the tournament, earning a 7-4 preliminary-round win that saw it stake itself to a three-goal advantage in the opening 20 minutes off goals from Connor Zary, Brayden Tracey and Thomas Harley.

The Swiss tied things up in the second frame with three-straight goals of their own, but a Peyton Krebs tally had Canada back in front for good 1:37 from the intermission.

Tracey added his second of the game on the power play following the break before Dylan Cozens and Dylan Holloway finished the scoring. Canada peppered Swiss goaltender Andri Henauer with 60 shots over 60 minutes.

WHAT TO WATCH

How Canada responds to what could be considered a narrow victory on Wednesday, despite nearly doubling up Latvia 52-27 on the shot clock, will be paramount.

The Latvians showed incredible resolve and looked capable of snatching victory up until the final minutes. Canada needed a full team effort in the absence of Wright and Ceulemans to get by Latvia, who’ve shown that effort and energy are qualities that can make up for a lack of standout star power.

Will the Latvia lesson and an extra day to rest following back-to-back games and a long 14-month layoff for a number of players arrive at the right time for Canada?

A LOOK BACK

Canada boasts a commanding 10-1 lead in the head-to-head history, with a +46 goal differential. Three of those meetings have come in the elimination round, most recently in 2016, when Tyson Jost recorded a hat trick and two assists in a 9-1 quarterfinal win.

You have to go all the way back to 2010 to find Switzerland’s only win – a 3-1 victory the year Canada was condemned to the relegation round for the only time in its U18 worlds history.

All-time record: Canada leads 10-1
Canada goals: 64
Switzerland goals: 18