Alan Letang was on the edge of his seat as an assistant coach in the press box.
The final of last year’s world junior hockey championship saw Canada lead underdog Czech Republic 2-0 midway through the third period in Halifax before a pair of goals stunned the hosts.
The Canadians reset, kept their nerve and scored in overtime to secure a second straight gold medal.
Now in the top job, Letang knows just how close that team came to settling for silver.
“We remember the good side,” Canada’s head coach said Monday afternoon at Scandinavium arena. “They remember the disappointment.”
Team Canada wins gold at the 2023 World Juniors
Canada wins its second-straight gold at the 2023 World Junior Hockey Championship in Halifax with a 3-2 overtime victory over Czech Republic.
The stakes won’t be as high when the nations meet in Tuesday’s quarterfinal at the under-20 tournament, but the same principles that got Canada over the line some 12 months ago still apply.
“The small details, the small mistakes magnified,” said Letang, who has one returnee in forward Owen Beck. “Minuscule things that make a difference.
“I’m sure [the Czechs] remember.”
‘Sticking with it’
Canada finished second in Group A at this year’s event.
The hockey powerhouse — minus seven players in the pros or unavailable due to injury/illness — finished the preliminary round with Sunday’s unconvincing 6-3 victory over Germany that was tied 3-3 with 12 minutes left in regulation.
“Sticking with it,” Canada captain Fraser Minten said of the mindset through two frustrating periods. “We were gonna come out on top if we kept the momentum.”
“Grew up,” added defenceman Maveric Lamoureux. “We know the kind of team we are.”
Letang also knows what the Czechs, who have six players back from last year and pushed the top-seeded United States to a shootout in the round robin, will bring Tuesday.
“It feels hard,” he said. “But it hasn’t even started yet.”
Czech Republic head coach Patrik Augusta, who wasn’t part of last year’s staff, will lean on his veterans.
“They could smell it,” he said of the 2023 gold-medal game. “I’m sure it hurt.”
The other quarterfinals are U.S.-Latvia, Sweden-Switzerland and Slovakia-Finland.
Forward help on the way
Canada should know by the time the players get off the bus Tuesday whether or not Matt Savoie will dress.
The winger skated Monday for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury Friday.
Savoie was on the ice with Conor Geekie, ejected 11 seconds into Sunday for an illegal check to the head, and Jagger Firkus, a forward summoned from the Western Hockey League’s Moose Jaw Warriors as a potential replacement.
“Looked fine, moved around real well,” Letang said of Savoie. “We’ll see.”
Canada got some good news when the International Ice Hockey Federation’s disciplinary panel announced Geekie wouldn’t be suspended after the big forward was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for an illegal check to the head on the first shift against the Germans.
Geekie called :11 seconds in and the play is under review. <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WorldJuniors</a> <a href=”https://t.co/vzreiJjzLH”>pic.twitter.com/vzreiJjzLH</a>
Macklin Celebrini, the 17-year-old centre projected to go No. 1 at June’s NHL draft, rescued Canada in that one by scoring twice and drawing penalty that set up the game-winning goal.
“Really competitive,” Minten said. “He’s got the skill, but every shift he’s really driven to make something happen.
“His hands move just as fast as his feet and his brain.”
Celebrini with the equalizer!<br><br>Celebrini crée l’égalité!<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WorldJuniors</a> | <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/MondialJunior?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#MondialJunior</a><a href=”https://t.co/WPEuXA6b8v”>pic.twitter.com/WPEuXA6b8v</a>
Augusta has been impressed by Celebrini, who’s in a four-way tie for second in tournament scoring.
“Smooth,” he said. “Can beat you one-on-one in a flash, but we have to be ready for every player.”
Division in the Bonk family
One of those players on the Canadian squad is defenceman Oliver Bonk, the son of Czech-born former NHLer Radek Bonk. The younger Bonk was born in Ottawa, but spent a chunk of his childhood in dad’s homeland.
“Always fun watching,” Oliver Bonk said of Canada-Czech Republic games. “Division in the family, but right now it’s just full Canada.”
Radek Bonk was at a Hockey Canada function New Year’s Day where players introduced their parents to the team.
“He was getting excited,” Minten said with a smile. “He was saying, ‘You better win or we’re never gonna be able to go home.”‘
Canada expects a tough, hard-working opponent Tuesday with a quarter of Czech Republic’s roster having felt last year’s bitter disappointment.
“They’ll be hungry,” Letang said. “That’s why you push. If you get to come back, you remember how hard it is and everything that it takes.
“We’re trying to convey that to our guys.”
Firkus circus
The 19-year-old woke up Saturday to a call from Hockey Canada.
He packed his bags, drove to Regina, hopped a flight to Toronto, grabbed a connection to Copenhagen, Denmark, and got a lift from a staff member up the Swedish coast.
“Adventurous,” Firkus said of his trek to Gothenburg.
The winger was cut from selection camp and has no guarantee he’ll play unless Savoie or another teammate is ruled out.
“I’m a Canadian,” Firkus said when asked if he had any second thoughts. “I’m probably the biggest fan of the team right now.”
The French league’s legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages that he claims he’s entitled to, the league said Thursday.
The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former football star Reggie Bush was at his Encino home Tuesday night when three male suspects attempted to break in, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
“Everyone is safe,” Bush said in a text message to the newspaper.
The Los Angeles Police Dept. told the Times that a resident of the house reported hearing a window break and broken glass was found outside. Police said nothing was stolen and that three male suspects dressed in black were seen leaving the scene.
Bush starred at Southern California and in the NFL. The former running back was reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner this year. He forfeited it in 2010 after USC was hit with sanctions partly related to Bush’s dealings with two aspiring sports marketers.
VANCOUVER – A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions‘ highlight reels in recent weeks.
Midway through his second CFL campaign, wide receiver Ayden Eberhardt has contributed touchdowns in two consecutive games.
The 26-year-old wide receiver from Loveland, Colo., was the lone B.C. player to reel in a passing major in his team’s 37-23 victory over the league-leading Montreal Alouettes last Friday. The week before, he notched his first CFL touchdown in the Lions’ win over the Ottawa Redblacks.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been really good,” Eberhardt said of his recent play. “At the end of the day, the biggest stat to me is if we win. But who doesn’t love scoring?”
He’ll look to add to the tally Friday when the Leos (7-6) host the Toronto Argonauts.
Eberhardt signed with B.C. as a free agent in January 2023 and spent much of last season on the practice squad before cementing a role on the roster this year.
The six-foot-two, 195-pound University of Wyoming product has earned more opportunities in his second season, said Lions’ head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell.
“He’s a super hard worker and very smart. He understands, has high football IQ, as we call it,” Campbell said.
The fact that Eberhardt can play virtually every receiving position helps.
“He could literally go into a game and we could throw him into a spot and he’d know exactly what he’s doing,” the coach said. “That allows him to play fast and earn the quarterback’s trust. And you see him making plays.”
Eberhardt credited his teammates, coaches and the rest of the Lions’ staff with helping him prepare for any situation he might face. They’ve all spent time teaching him the ins and outs of the Canadian game, or go over the playbook and run routes after practice, he said.
“I’ve played every single position on our offence in a game in the last two years, which is kind of crazy. But I love playing football,” he said. “I want to play any position that the team needs me to play.”
While B.C.’s lineup is studded with stars like running back William Stanback — who has a CFL-high 938 rushing yards — and wide receiver Justin McInnis — who leads the league in both receiving yards (1,074) and receiving TDs (seven) — versatility has been a critical part of the team’s back-to-back wins.
“I think we’ve got a lot of talented guys who deserve to get the ball and make big plays when they have the ball in their hands. So it’s really my job to get them the ball as much as possible,” said quarterback Nathan Rourke.
“I think that makes it easy when you can lean on those guys and, really, we’re in a situation where anyone can have a big game. And I think that’s a good place to be.”
Even with a talented lineup, the Lions face a tough test against an eager Argos side.
Toronto lost its second straight game Saturday when it dropped a 41-27 decision to Ottawa.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Rourke said. “We’ll have to adjust on the fly to whatever their game plan is. And no doubt, they’ll be ready to go so we’ll have to be as well.”
The two sides have already met once this season when the Argos handed the Lions a 35-27 loss in Toronto back on June 9.
A win on Friday would vault B.C. to the top of the West Division standings, over the 7-6 Winnipeg Blue Bombers who are on a bye week.
Collecting that victory isn’t assured, though, even with Toronto coming in on a two-game skid, Campbell said.
“They’ve hit a little bit of a rut, but they’re a really good team,” he said. “They’re very athletic. And you can really see (quarterback Chad Kelly’s) got zip on the ball. When you see him in there, he can make all the throws. So we’re expecting their best shot.”
TORONTO ARGONAUTS (6-6) AT B.C. LIONS (7-6)
Friday, B.C. Place
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Lions boast a 4-1 home record this season, including a 38-12 victory over the Redblacks at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, B.C., on Aug. 31. The Argos have struggled outside of BMO Field and hold a 1-5 away record. Trips to the West Coast haven’t been easy for Toronto in recent years — since 2003, the club is 4-14 in road games against B.C.
CENTURION: B.C. defensive back Garry Peters is set to appear in his 100th consecutive game. The 32-year-old from Conyers, Ga., is a two-time CFL all-star who has amassed 381 defensive tackles, 19 special teams tackles and 16 interceptions over seven seasons. “Just being on the field with the guys every day, running around, talking trash back and forth, it keeps me young,” Peters said. “It makes me feel good, and my body doesn’t really feel it. I’ve been blessed to be able to play 100 straight.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
