The Prelims are done, the daily recaps are done, and now the games count. Let’s get into it.
Merry New Year, everybody. I hope your 2025 is a good one. It’s certainly been for the World Juniors.
The World Juniors this year is probably one of the most exciting and fun group of games that we’ve seen in quite a long time, certainly since I’ve started covering them back in 2016 for SCoC. Part of it is circumstance; Latvia turned out to take their sudden inclusion in the 2022 WJC as a major chance to both upgrade their status and be seen as not just cute underdogs, but fairly scrappy throughout their times in this tourney; Team USA has gone from skilled but flawed to mostly the team to beat in just about every aspect of the game, Finland and Sweden always find a pretty emphatic way to rebound from unimpressive performances and remain a threat, and even the relegation round is looking to be a very tight series. Sure, are all the teams here true competitors? Probably not, but that’s how this works. That’s how any tournament works; the real competitors eventually rise to the top after separating the wheat from the chaff. Some sports are learning that first hand for the first time in over a century. Hockey’s known this forever.
It’s why I find any discussion of perhaps restricting the tournament in some way to be a fallacy born of a desperate desire for the “best” to be plainly obvious. This is a tournament of the best of an imperfect talent group, picked by people who may not even know who’s good enough to be considered for it (Hi, Canada over the last couple of years). This tournament is fun because of that. Because of gaffes that create golden opportunities. Because of the performance of a lifetime striking at the worst possible time. Because new powers are crowned and killed all within six days, and on the seventh, with a new day dawning…we finally get to see who’s youth shines brightest.
May the World Juniors reign; imperfect, dumb, and beautiful, forever. Thank you all for being a part of it.
Day 6 of the WJC RECAP(s):
Game 1: Switzerland gets right against the Kazakhs, win 3-1
See? Playing Kazakhstan makes everything better.
Game Notes:
- Well, winning this game will definitely have the Swiss in the knockouts, and boy are they in danger to get knocked out badly given who they get to play. That said, I’m glad they didn’t completely break themselves offensively. Maybe it’s just the Swiss way of doing things in hockey; cursed to be better than most of the field, but not quite a real competitor.
- The prophecy has come to fruition. Welcome to the game I forsaw at the beginning of the Tournament; Kazakhstan. You will play Germany. You did not want to know how you got there, and this is how; on the wings of a game where you only got 12 shots. Godspeed, and good luck you godforsaken team.
Game 2: Finland makes it VERY clear they’re not having any of Latvia’s scrappiness, blanks them 3-0
What’s Finnish for “Yeah, that’s about right” or an equivalent expression
Game Notes
- The Finns did exactly what they were intended to do against Latvia, who’s entire tournament has been being a battle cart against War Machines. Sure, they try hard…but sometimes the battle cart gets crushed by War Machines. The Finns never even gave Latvia a chance to be truly dangerous, and are coming into the Quarters on all cylinders.
- Latvia, you were a lovely story, and now your reward is the exact same thing happening to you thanks to Finland’s neighbor. I’m sorry.
Game 3: Group B Decided in 2nd period explosion as Sweden wins over Czechia 4-2
The Czechs stepped on a Tre Kronor landmine. Never want to do that.
Game Notes:
- Sweden did their business as usual routine to crush their opponent with overwhelming defense and letting the offense pick apart Czechia, catching the Czechs principally on the power play, which turned out to be a serious weakness for them. Maybe the Czechs will pull it together, but they better figure out a plan about that and quick because their Quarters foe is not having a good time and would like to make it known to their home crowd.
- Meanwhile, Sweden gets to play Latvia. Maybe the funniest thing in the world will happen, but I’m not holding my breath. This version of Tre Kronor is for real.
Game 4: Canada starts a congo-line to the box, and loses 4-1 to the United States.
Y’know the funny thing is that I had Eyes on the Prize writers swearing up and down in a Slack channel that this rivalry meant nothing or that it was manufactured.
Well, if it was manufactured, it sure didn’t look it.
Game Notes:
- Canada spent this entire game staring at their home crowd, looking out onto the unconditional support that their fans give, a genuine blessing to any team…and promptly responded by showing everyone how hard they can pee it down their legs. I cannot overstate just how poorly disciplined the Canadians were in this game. It became abundantly clear to all that were watching that their plan from the get-go was to be the big bully that used skill as a crutch in case things got a little too tight, and it’s blown up spectacularly in their faces. 22 minutes of penalties, and every single goal scored against coming on the penalty kill. They looked slow, disorganized, and their coach didn’t have a clear answer as to what the hell they do next. If you wanted a clear sign that Hockey’s golden country may be slipping, you couldn’t find a better example than the one seen here in my opinion. Just a miserable showing.
- Meanwhile, the States, whose power play got to sing like a bird, are cruising into a game against the Offensively-challenged Swiss. As long as they don’t try to play it lazy, I think they’ll be headed to the Semifinals easily. Sweden may have struggled less, but this is still, at least in my opinion, the team to beat.
- LOU LAMIORELLO I AM IN YOUR WALLS YOU GIVE COLE EISERMAN BACK TO THE GOOD PEOPLE OF ESSEX COUNTY.
Quarterfinals PREVIEW
QF Game 1: Sweden vs. Latvia – Statement vs. Spunk – Noon
Alright. Now the games count. Which could mean disaster for one of these teams.
Latvia by all accounts had to spend a lot of struggle and toil to get here; getting a nearly perfect game out of their goaltender beating Canada and fighting Germany to the bitter end to finally get their chance at glory, and are staring down the barrel of probably the best Sweden team we’ve seen in quite a long time.
But then again…we’ve been saying that about Sweden for years. It never quite seems to stick.
Granted, Sweden is the only undefeated team of this tournament. Their worst trait, at least as far as I can see, is that they sometimes allow late goals…and penalty killing. Those are traits they’ve largely never had to contend with thanks to their otherwise clean game, but right now it sits lower than even Kazakhstan’s. That seems ripe for somebody to take advantage.
Latvia’s already had one really out of nowhere exceptional game. Maybe they have another.
Sweden’s job is to make sure that never even enters the conversation as a possibility.
QF Game 2: USA vs. Switzerland – Neutral Pressure – 2:30pm EST
Unlike Latvia, who’s been a fun story all tournament, The US seems intent on defending their gold medal with prejudice towards anyone who might show up on the other side of the ice, and Switzerland is just happy to be included. I’d like to be nice about it, but the painful reality is that Switzerland’s dearth of offense is just not going to cut it against a Team USA that will more than likely slide directly through their strong structure and cause havoc.
The best chance the Swiss have is catching the US if they start slow, which they’ve done in the past. Otherwise?…Avert your eyes, the States will do something terrible to Switzerland.
QF Game 3: Finland vs. Slovakia – Alpine Battle – 5pm EST
Finland’s tournament was the story of a good team trying to figure out how to make it all the way to the knockouts after a hideous start, and the Slovaks’ tournament is a good team that couldn’t quite put it all together in time. One of their single biggest issues is that they rely heavily on Dalibor Dvorsky to do much of anything, whereas the Finns have diversified their attack considerably after getting blanked by Canada, and don’t seem interested in slowing down.
The Slovaks have still managed to be difficult to play against even teams objectively better than they are, so it behooves them to make Sam Urban’s job as easy as possible, then try to attack their 5-on-5 game as hard as possible; the Finnish PK has been perfect, and Petteri Rimpinen is looking to be another fine example of the country’s goaltending prowess.
Their battle will be both uphill and very frosty. Just how Finland wants it to be.
QF Game 4: Canada vs. Czechia – Razor’s Edge – 7pm EST
So.
Wanna talk about what all that was there, Canada? Because I sure do.
A loss to the US is rough, but it’s expected; of all the countries they play, the Americans are probably the best team in the tournament on paper, so at least you can get around that. How you did it on the other hand…bodes ill. Nobody is happy with 22 minutes of penalties in a game. Nobody is happy that the sting of dropping a game to Latvia is still very, very fresh. Nobody is happy with the roster, the coach, Hockey Canada…anybody. You are now a team that needs to medal or you are going to be in DEEP trouble. Last year is supposed to be an aberration; or at least that’s what you want it to be.
You’ve already been here. So have the Czechs. Hell, they even brought the kid who killed you last year, and he’s looking like a major force.
What’s it gonna be, Canada? Are you for real or not?
Relegation Round Game 1: Germany vs. Kazakhstan – 11am EST
Both of these teams had fun tournaments where they got a front row seat to some really cool prospects.
They also had the misfortune of playing against them. Here we are as a result.
Now, as for who will take Game 1: The Kazakhs have been in this position multiple times, and Germany has bounced between this position and being the Switzerland analog, so they’re experienced in potentially watching all their hard work go up in smoke. If I had to make a choice, I think Germany will take this one. While both sides have gotten killed, the Germans just score more and have done so against better teams. Kazakhstan can’t say that.
It’s what will kill them in the end; goals will always matter, and they can’t make them consistently.
Should be some great fun, though!