GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. SWEDEN (DEC. 31)

Canada’s National Junior Team looks to finish 2022 on a high as it faces off against Sweden to close out the preliminary round on New Year’s Eve at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.

LAST GAME

Canada is coming off an 11-0 win over Austria on Thursday night that saw 10 different players find the back of the net and 18 of 20 skaters record at least a point. Connor Bedard followed up his seven-point effort against Germany with six (two goals, four assists) against the Austrians. Logan Stankoven had four points — a goal and three helpers — and was named Player of the Game, and Benjamin Gaudreau posted a 12-save shutout.

Sweden stayed unbeaten in prelim play with a 3-2 overtime win over Czechia on Thursday. Ludvig Jansson scored twice, including the extra-time winner, and Carl Lindbom made 33 saves as the Swedes were outshot 35-24.

LAST MEETING

The last time these two teams met was the 2018 gold medal game in Buffalo, N.Y. Tyler Steenbergen scored his first goal of the tournament with 100 seconds left and Carter Hart finished with 35 stops to lead Canada to a 3-1 win and its 17th World Juniors gold.

WHAT TO WATCH

Two words for you: Connor Bedard. The 17-year-old is just a goal away from breaking Jordan Eberle’s all-time Canadian record for goals at the World Juniors, and he’s within four of Eric Lindros’ all-time scoring record (31 points) after posting 13 points in his last two games. And he’s a big piece of a lethal Canadian power play, which has converted an absurd 68.6% of its opportunities (11 for 16) through three games,

The Swedes can clinch first place in the group with a win (so could the Canadians, depending on the Czechia-Germany result from earlier in the day), but they’ll need to continue their strong defensive play. Sweden has allowed just two goals in three games, and will need to be stingy again against a Canadian offence that has scored 22 times in its last two games. Jansson leads the Swedes up front; the Florida Panthers’ fourth-rounder has five points in three games.

A LOOK BACK

The history between these two teams is long and deep. They’ve met 35 times, going as far back as the inaugural World Juniors in 1977, and Canada has largely come out on top, winning 24 games, including four gold medal games – in 1996, 2008, 2009 and 2018.

This will be the second meeting in Halifax – the teams played on Boxing Day 2002, with Ian White scoring twice and Carlo Colaiacovo recording four assists in an 8-2 Canadian win.

All-time record: Canada leads 24-10-1 (2-1 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 155
Sweden goals: 111