U18 Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Slovakia

TV: TSN | Stream: TSN Direct

It’s Semifinal Saturday on the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship, and

Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team has a showdown with Sweden on the schedule, seeking to avenge its loss in
the prelim opener.

Last Game

Canada rode an enormous second interval to victory in its quarterfinal, discovering
the again of the online 5 occasions

as a part of a 7-3 win over host Switzerland on Thursday. Macklin Celebrini continued his red-hot run, scoring twice and
including two assists, Andrew Cristall scored his first two targets of the
match and Carson Bjarnason turned in a 28-save effort.

The Swedes cruised of their quarterfinal,

outshooting Latvia 55-16 in a 6-1 win. Otto Stenberg scored twice, Noah Dower Nilsson, Simon Zether and Noel
Nordh had a aim and an help apiece, and Axel Sandin Pellikka, Felix
Unger Sorum and Tom Willander recorded two helpers every.

Last Meeting

Game No. 1 on the match schedule matched the Canadians and Swedes 9
days in the past, and it was a nightmare begin for the boys in crimson and white.
Sweden netted 5 targets on seven pictures within the first 14 minutes, and

an 8-0 ultimate was the worst loss ever by a Canadian group at U18 Worlds. Nick Lardis led Canada with 5 pictures on
aim, and Gabriel D’Aigle completed with 14 saves in aid.

What to Watch

Bjarnson comes into this one with one thing to show; the Carberry, Man.,
native lasted lower than a interval and made simply two saves within the
tournament-opening loss to the Swedes, however he has been lights out since,
together with his efficiency towards the Swiss his finest but. He made

a variety of large saves early to maintain the sport scoreless, and his glove cease off Matteo Wagner late in
the second interval could be the very best of your complete match. Leave out his
stats from the opener, and Bjarnason has customary a 2.25 goals-against
common and .903 save share, each of which might rank him among the many
match leaders.

The Swedes have been rolling proper alongside, successful their 5 video games by an
common of 4 targets and permitting only a single aim at five-on-five (and
that one got here simply seconds after the top of a penalty kill). Noah Erliden
has been unbeatable between the pipes with a 1.00 GAA, .954 save share
and two shutouts in 4 video games, and Stenberg sits tied for fourth in
match scoring with 11 factors (5-6—11). But it’s extra than simply the
captain – six gamers are averaging greater than a degree a recreation, and one other
4 have 4 factors in 5 video games. To be extra concise … Sweden is deep.

A Look Back

The Canadians and Swedes have gone backwards and forwards via the years, with
each groups occurring mini runs of success – the Canadians gained the primary two,
the Swedes the following three, the Canadians the following two and the Swedes the
subsequent two earlier than a run of 4 in a row by Canada from 2013-15.

There have been 4 earlier semifinal showdowns;

Canada triumphed 3-2 in 2008 and

earned an 8-1 win in 2021, whereas Sweden

scored a 6-5 shootout win in 2016 and

a 4-3 victory in 2019.

All-time file: Canada leads 11-9 (1-1 in OT/SO)
Canada targets: 81
Sweden targets: 60