Though the presents were all unwrapped and the turkey cleaned up, hockey fans had a reason to continue their celebrations on Dec. 26th — Boxing Day signals the start of the world junior championship, where the best under-20 talent can showcase their abilities on the international stage.
With a full slate of games featuring the tournament’s biggest and brightest, Day 1 sure did not disappoint.
First on the docket was 2023 silver medalists Czechia taking on Slovakia, with the Slovaks determined to cement their status as a hockey country in Europe. Though Czechia struck first, Slovakia answered with a monster second half, beating its WJC rivals 6-2.
Next up, Canada began defending their back-to-back championships by taking on Finland. Though not equipped with the star power of years past, Canada proved it’s still a force to be reckoned with after a gritty 5-2 win over the Fins.
Looking to bounce back from disappointing early exits from the previous two tournaments, the United States began its quest for gold against Norway, which hadn’t participated in the World Juniors since 2014. While this wasn’t the thrashing many expected by the star-studded Americans, the red, white and blue were able to pull out the victory with the help of their returning roster.
In the day’s final contest, the host team Sweden took on Latvia in a game that surely brought the home crowd to their feet. Scoring three power-play goals and three at even-strength, the Swedes flexed their muscles as the perennial contenders appear poised to redeem themselves after failing to medal at last year’s tournament.
Finland, Slovakia, Norway, Czechia, Latvia and Canada all return to the ice tomorrow as the round-robin stage continues.
Here’s a look at some of the top performances from Day 1:
3rd Star: Jimmy Snuggerud, USA
With 10 returning members of their 2023 squad and 10 first-round NHL draft picks on its roster, most expected the United States’ first game against the recently-promoted Norway squad to reach blowout territory.
The United States did take the win, but the scoreless first period with high-danger chances at both ends of the ice meant that the victory was anything but a foregone conclusion.
Though Gavin Brindley’s two goals — including the game-winner — certainly sealed the win for the United States, neither was more important than Jimmy Snuggerud’s marker halfway through the second to open the scoring.
Until that point, it seemed that the United States’ highly-touted offence couldn’t buy a goal and Norway’s defence stymied each opportunity for the U.S. to break the scoreless tie.
Then, halfway through the second period, the puck ended up on Snuggerud’s stick in the slot following an impressive passing play and the 19-year-old sent a wrist shot short side to beat Norway’s goaltender.
That first goal of the tournament for the United States seemed to light a fire underneath the gold medal favourites, cleaning up the second period with two more goals in less than 10 minutes, and scoring an insurance marker in the third.
The United States surrendered just one goal to Norway, but by that point, the red, white and blue had already found its groove.
That groove doesn’t start without Snuggerud’s first of the tournament.
2nd Star: Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Sweden
If there is anybody looking for a big tournament this year, it’s Jonathan Lekkerimaki. After struggling to score last tournament (one goal, three assists in seven games), the Vancouver Canucks prospect certainly hopes this year, in front of home fans, will be different.
If his first game was any indication, he’s well on his way to making his mark.
His marker in the second period came just eight seconds into the man-advantage — a Latvia penalty that Lekkerimaki himself drew. Sweden won the draw and after the 19-year-old shovelled the puck to teammate Liam Ohgren, the favour was returned and Lekkerimaki was able to skate right into the slot, using his quick release to stun the Latvian netminder for the 3-0 goal.
That quick release was on display once more in the third period, as Lekkerimaki came down the wing on the rush, snapping it five-hole to cap off the home team’s six-goal affair.
Starting the tournament on the top line and on the first power play unit, the Swedish coaching staff trusts Lekkerimaki to provide offence and, clearly, that trust is paying dividends.
1st Star: Nate Danielson, Canada
Canada is used to having an elite roster, with the skill and name-recognition to back up the hype. With just one of last year’s gold medal-winning roster returning to the tournament — the likes of Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli are cemented in their spots amongst the pros — Canada has an underdog status attached to them for the first time in recent memory.
Absent those big names, Canada’s shifted their strategy this year, aiming to be “relentless” and relying on contributions from up and down the lineup.
Nobody embodied that strategy better on Day 1 than Nate Danielson.
The Detroit Red Wings prospect, who went ninth overall in 2023, potted a goal and an assist in Canada’s victory over Finland, coming up clutch in the first period to net Canada’s first of the tournament.
Danielson’s goal came as the 19-year-old deftly tipped a shot from defenceman Maveric Lamoreux to beat the Finnish goaltender through the five-hole. Danielson was perseverant as he battled in front of the net to get his stick free for the tip, indicative of the compete his line showed through all three frames.
His next point on the afternoon came when he found linemate Owen Allard backdoor on a smooth pass through the crease.
Though the Danielson-Owen Beck-Allard line was deployed in a bottom-six role, they combined for two goals and pumped energy into the lineup, showcasing the depth that Canada believes can win them the gold for the third straight year.
Honourable mentions: Presumptive first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini potted his first goal of the tournament by jamming at the loose puck until it finally crossed the line and was confirmed upon video review. To that point, we’d also like to give an honourable mention to Daniel Eriksson, whose flair on the Celebrini’s goal call rivalled only the dramatics of NHL referee Wes McCauley.
Slovakia’s Servac Petrovsky deserves a nod as his two goals and one assist in his squad’s beat-down of Czechia landed him a spot atop the tournament scoring leaders.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Canada’s Marina Stakusic fell 6-4, 6-3 to Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open tennis tournament on Friday.
The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., won 61 per cent of her first-serve points and broke on just one of her six opportunities.
Stakusic had upset top-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (0) on Thursday night to advance.
In the opening round, Stakusic defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolína Schmiedlová 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday.
The fifth-seeded Frech won 62 per cent of her first-serve points and converted on three of her nine break point opportunities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk’s long single with the bases loaded provided the Toronto Blue Jays with a walk-off 4-3 win in the 11th inning of their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.
With the Cardinals outfield in, Kirk drove a shot off the base of the left-field wall to give the Blue Jays (70-78) their fourth win in 11 outings and halt the Cardinals’ (74-73) two-game win streak before 30,380 at Rogers Centre.
Kirk enjoyed a two-hit, two-RBI outing.
Erik Swanson (2-2) pitched a perfect 11th inning for the win, while Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez (1-5) took the loss.
Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman enjoyed a seven-inning, 104-pitch outing. He surrendered his two runs on nine hits and two walks and fanned only two Cardinals.
He gave way to reliever Genesis Cabrera, who gave up a one-out homer to Thomas Saggese, his first in 2024, that tied the game in the eighth.
The Cardinals started swiftly with four straight singles to open the game. But they exited the first inning with only two runs on an RBI single to centre from Nolan Arendao and a fielder’s choice from Saggese.
Gausman required 28 pitches to escape the first inning but settled down to allow his teammates to snatch the lead in the fourth.
He also deftly pitched out of threats from the visitors in the fifth, sixth and seventh thanks to some solid defence, including Will Wagner’s diving stop, which led to a double play to end the fifth inning.
George Springer led off with a walk and stole second base. He advanced to third on Nathan Lukes’s single and scored when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in his 95th run with a double off the left-field wall.
Lukes scored on a sacrifice fly to left field from Spencer Horwitz. Guerrero touched home on Kirk’s two-out single to right.
In the ninth, Guerrero made a critical diving catch on an Arenado grounder to throw out the Cardinals’ infielder, with reliever Tommy Nance covering first. The defensive gem ended the inning with a runner on second base.
St. Louis starter Erick Fedde faced the minimum night batters in the first three innings thanks to a pair of double plays. He lasted five innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
ON DECK
Toronto ace Jose Berrios (15-9) will start the second of the three-game series on Saturday. He has a six-game win streak.
The Cardinals will counter with righty Kyle Gibson (8-6).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
CALGARY – Mired in their first four-game losing skid in 20 years, the Calgary Stampeders are going back to Jake Maier at quarterback on Saturday after he was benched for a game.
It won’t be an easy assignment.
Visiting McMahon Stadium are the Eastern Conference-leading Montreal Alouettes (10-2) who own the CFL’s best record. The Stampeders (4-8) have fallen to last in the Western Conference.
“Six games is plenty of time, but also it is just six games,” said Maier. “We’ve got to be able to get on the right track.”
Calgary is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
“I do still believe in this team,” said Stampeders’ head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson. “I want to see improvement, though. I want to see guys on a weekly basis elevating their game, and we haven’t been doing that.”
Maier is one of the guys under the microscope. Two weeks ago, the second-year starter threw four interceptions in a 35-20 home loss to the Edmonton Elks.
After his replacement, rookie Logan Bonner, threw five picks in last week’s 37-16 loss to the Elks in Edmonton, the football is back in Maier’s hands.
“Any time you fail or something doesn’t go your way in life, does it stink in the moment? Yeah. But then the days go on and you learn things about yourself and you learn how to prepare a little bit better,” said Maier. “It makes you mentally tougher.”
Dickenson wants to see his quarterback making better decisions with the football.
“Things are going to happen, interceptions will happen, but try to take calculated risks, rather than just putting the ball up there and hoping that we catch it,” said Dickenson.
A former quarterback himself, he knows the importance of that vital position.
“You cannot win without good quarterback play,” Dickenson said. “You’ve got to be able to make some plays — off-schedule plays, move-around plays, plays that break down, plays that aren’t designed perfectly, but somehow you found the right guy, and then those big throws where you’re taking that hit.”
But it’s going to take a team effort, and that includes the club’s receiving corp.
“We always have to band together because we need everything to go right for our receivers to get the ball,” said Nik Lewis, the Stampeders’ receivers coach. “The running back has to pick up the blitz, the o-line has to block, the quarterback has to make the right reads, and then give us a catchable ball.”
Lewis brings a unique perspective to this season’s frustrations as he was a 22-year-old rookie in Calgary in 2004 when the Stamps went 4-14 under coach Matt Dunigan. They turned it around the next season and haven’t missed the playoffs since.”
“Thinking back and just looking at it, there’s just got to be an ultimate belief that you can get it done. Look at Montreal, they were 6-7 last year and they’ve gone 18-2 since then,” said Lewis.
Montreal is also looking to rebound from a 37-23 loss to the B.C. Lions last week. But for head coach Jason Maas, he says his team’s mindset doesn’t change, regardless of what happened the previous week.
“Last year when we went through a four-game losing streak, you couldn’t tell if we were on a four-game winning streak or a four-game losing streak by the way the guys were in the building, the way we prepared, the type of work ethic we have,” said Maas. “All our standards are set, so that’s all we focus on.”
While they may have already clinched a playoff spot, Alouettes’ quarterback Cody Fajardo says this closing stretch remains critical because they want to finish the season strong, just like last year when they won their final five regular-season games before ultimately winning the Grey Cup.
“It doesn’t matter about what you do at the beginning of the year,” said Fajardo. “All that matters is how you end the year and how well you’re playing going into the playoffs so that’s what these games are about.”
The Alouettes’ are kicking off a three-game road stretch, one Fajardo looks forward to.
“You understand what kind of team you have when you play on the road because it’s us versus the world mentality and you can feel everybody against you,” said Fajardo. “Plus, I always tend to find more joy in silencing thousands of people than bringing thousands of people to their feet.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
