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World Juniors Recap: Canada 6, Czechia 3

Power scored a historic hat trick, Perfetti had three assists and Canada opened with a win in Edmonton

December 26, 2021

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2021-22 National Junior Team

FINAL | Canada 6, Czechia 3

EDMONTON, Alta. – Owen Power (Mississauga, Ont./University of Michigan, Big Ten) became the first defenceman in Team Canada history to record a hat trick in an IIHF World Junior Championship game as Canada’s National Junior Team defeated Czechia 6-3 on Sunday in its tournament opener.

• Power scored once in the first period and added a pair of goals – both on 5-on-3 power plays, in the second.

• Mason McTavish (Carp, Ont./Peterborough, OHL) opened the scoring with an excellent individual effort just four minutes in.

• Czechia held a 3-1 advantage before Power cut into the lead in the first, and Donovan Sebrango (Kingston, Ont./Grand Rapids, AHL) scored in the final minute of the first period to even things up after 20 minutes.

• Olen Zellweger (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta./Everett, WHL) scored Canada’s final goal on another power play in the third period.

• Five of Canada’s six goals were scored by defencemen.

• Cole Perfetti (Whitby, Ont./Manitoba, AHL) had three assists.

• Dylan Garand (Victoria, B.C./Kamloops, WHL) made 14 saves for the win in the Canadian goal.

• Canada outshot Czechia 37-17.

Next Game:
Canada vs. Austria – Tuesday, December 28 (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT)

Quotes:
“It’s incredible to have fans in the stands. They’re wearing the Team Canada jerseys and cheering us on. We’re really happy to have our fans in the building.”
- Mavrik Bourque (Plessisville, Que./Shawinigan, QMJHL) on playing in front of fans in Edmonton

“The guys did a good job of getting me good pucks and getting me good spots to shoot. Pucks just kind of found me and luckily they went in. I was pretty surprised [to be the first Canadian defenceman with a hat trick]. There have been a ton of really good players play in these tournaments. I had no idea that no one had had a hat trick. It's pretty special. It's the first trick I have had (In a long time). Doing it at this stage and wearing the Team Canada jersey is pretty special.
- Power on his hat trick and what went right for him

“That time out was huge that we took [after the 3-1 goal]. It settled us down and we did a better job of keeping guys in front of us. After that time out, we settled in and played really good hockey.”
- Power on how Canada bounced back after a slow start

“One of the things we discussed all week prior to the game as a coaching staff was we didn’t know what to expect in the first 10 minutes. We knew it was going to be a bit of an adventure. That was junior hockey at its finest.”

“[We told the team to] just settle down and relax, make plays. One of things we preach is to manage the pucks. Czechs did a good job, they were willing to take a chance to get a chance. It was just about settling in and let's play responsible hockey. It's just about calm. Just play hockey, protect the puck, make good decisions with the puck, don't try to play the whole tournament in the first 10 minutes of the first game.”
- Head coach Dave Cameron (Kincora, P.E.I./Ottawa, OHL) on Canada falling behind 3-1 and coming back and, also, on him calling a time out in the first period to settle down the team

“It's always great to have adversity when you win the hockey game. This is my fourth World Juniors and the thing I've learned is to expect the unexpected. You put in a style of play for your team but it never really goes as planned. In junior hockey, don't be shocked at anything. Adversity was good because we won the game and hopefully we can learn and grow from that.”
- Cameron on facing adversity early on

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