Canada advanced to the semifinals of the world junior menB次元官网网址檚 hockey championship with a 3-0 win over the Czech Republic on Saturday in Edmonton.
Goaltender Devon Levi posted a 29-save shutout and Dylan Cozens had a goal and an assist for the host country. Connor McMichael scored into an empty net and defenceman Bowen Byram also scored for Canada at Rogers Place.
Canada will face Russia in one semifinal on Monday, while the U.S. meets Finland.
Russia reached the semifinals with a 2-1 quarterfinal win over Germany, while Finland downed Sweden 3-2 to advance. Canada was the only team to go undefeated in the preliminary round at 4-0 to top Pool A. The Czech Republic (2-2) ranked fourth in Pool B.
Nick Malik, who spend part of last season with the Ontario Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, stopped 22 shots in the loss.
Canada led 2-0 after the opening period on goals from co-captains Cozens and Byram.
馃毃馃嚚馃嚘 ICED! flies down the ice and puts up 1-0!
B次元官网网址� IIHF (@IIHFHockey)
The host country didnB次元官网网址檛 dominate puck possession as it did in a 4-1 win over Finland to cap the round-robin, however. The Czechs battled hard for the puck to make Canada chase them, and often clogged the neutral zone to force the Canadians to jump and chase. But CanadaB次元官网网址檚 grinding forecheck in the third period shrunk the Czech RepublicB次元官网网址檚 chances of a comeback.
Czech coach Karel Mlejnek pulled Malik for an extra attacker with five and a half minutes to play in regulation, but McMichael scored an empty-netter at 17:11.
The Czech couldnB次元官网网址檛 produce a power-play goal with less than two minutes to play when Quinton Byfield was penalized for hooking. Canada outshot the Czechs 11-6 in a scoreless, penalty-free second period. With a hard-working backcheck, Canadian forward Peyton Krebs prevented an odd-man Czech chance off a turnover late in the period.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a plus for me the way the Czechs play us, the way we played and the way we had to dig in and figure it out,B次元官网网址� Canadian head coach Andre Tourigny said. B次元官网网址淚 think thatB次元官网网址檚 a good thing.B次元官网网址�
Levi played his busiest period of the tournament stopping all 12 shots he faced in the first.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just taking every moment and savouring it because I know this is my last world juniors,B次元官网网址� Levi said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 going to be able to look back on this for the rest of my life. IB次元官网网址檓 just trying to enjoy it as much as I can and I think that really takes the pressure off.B次元官网网址�
With eight attempts on Malik in the opening frame, Canada was outshot in a period for the first time in the tournament. But seconds after Adam RaskaB次元官网网址檚 interference penalty expired, Byram scored his first of the tournament squeezing a shot under MalikB次元官网网址檚 right armpit at 11:39. Cozens scored CanadaB次元官网网址檚 first goal for the second time in as many games.
Connor McMichael flipped the puck up ice to Cozens on a breakaway. The Buffalo Sabres prospect shovelled the puck between MalikB次元官网网址檚 pads at 8:22.
READ MORE:
Byram and Cozens are alternating the captaincy in the absence of injured Kirby Dach. Canada was minus forward Alex Newhook, who injured his shoulder in the Finland game. Connor Zary centred a line with wingers Krebs and Cole Perfetti in NewhookB次元官网网址檚 absence, and defenceman Jordan Spence also drew into the lineup. Cozens has a team-leading seven goals and six assists in five games.
With 22 combined points from both the 2020 and 2021 world junior tournaments, Cozens ranks sixth all-time for Canada ahead of John Tavares (20) and behind Jason Allison (24).
THE CANADIAN PRESS
To sign up for the latest news, sports and entertainment headlines, click .
Like us on and follow us on
