GAME STATISTICS | LIVE GAME BLOG

HALIFAX, N.S. – Canada's National Junior Team scored six unanswered goals to punch its ticket to the gold medal game at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, defeating the United States 6-2 on Wednesday night.

• Joshua Roy (St-Georges-de-Beauce, Que./Sherbrooke, QMJHL) led the offence with two goals and two assists.
• Connor Bedard (North Vancouver, B.C./Regina, WHL), Logan Stankoven (Kamloops, B.C./Kamloops, WHL), Adam Fantilli (Nobleton, Ont./University of Michigan, Big Ten) and Brandt Clarke (Nepean, Ont./Los Angeles, NHL) chipped in with a goal and an assist each.
• Ethan Del Mastro (Freelton, Ont./Mississauga, OHL), Zach Dean (Mount Pearl, N.L./Gatineau, QMJHL), Olen Zellweger (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta./Everett, WHL) and Owen Beck (Port Hope, Ont./Mississauga, OHL) contributed one assist apiece.
• Thomas Milic (Coquitlam, B.C./Seattle, WHL) was spectacular in a 43-save performance.
• The United States outshot Canada 45-37.

Following the game, Bedard, Roy and Logan Stankoven (Kamloops, B.C./Kamloops, WHL) were named Team Canada’s best players of the tournament.

Next Game:

Canada vs. Czechia (gold medal game) – Thursday, Jan. 5 (7:30 p.m. AT/6:30 p.m. ET)

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, are providing extensive coverage of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, broadcasting all 31 tournament games. TSN Radio is also providing comprehensive tournament coverage.

Quotes:

“There was no panic on our bench. We knew it was going to be at least a 60-minute game, so we took a deep breath and started trying to execute our game plan [after falling behind 2-0]. I said to our guys that we have one more game together, and we need to stay bought into our group. We have done a great job since we came together in early December, and I am really proud of our team’s effort. [The United States] is a good team, but we stayed the course and got a lot of help from Thomas Milic, and when he plays like he has the last two games it gives us a lot of confidence.”

-      Head coach Dennis Williams (Stratford, Ont./Everett, WHL) on falling behind 2-0 and the effort of his team

“[Playing for gold] is what we came here to do. Last [World Juniors] in the summer was incredible and I want to relive that moment here. We did not have the start we wanted and [the United States] outplayed us at the beginning of the game. We stayed calm and got back to our game, and the Bedard goal gave us momentum.”

“I like the big moments. When you are playing in a big game against a good team, it is always nice to be able to contribute. The crowd in Halifax has been incredible, and they give us a lot of momentum in these tough games. I feel great in moments like that, and I just try to embrace them.”

-      Roy on going for gold and playing in big games

“The Canada-USA rivalry is one of the best in sports, and I was very happy to be able to get my moment in that rivalry. More importantly, I am happy we were able to get the win and give ourselves an opportunity to try to win a gold medal. We were not happy about what happened earlier in the tournament [against Czechia] because that was not the way we wanted to play. If we stick to our game and continue to play the way we have been, I think we will have a good chance of winning tomorrow.”

-      Fantilli on the Canada-U.S. rivalry and the rematch against Czechia

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