Canada and Latvia stepped onto the ice for the final game of day two of the World Juniors. The day had already seen an upset as Germany defeated Finland, and Latvia was hoping to make it two surprising results on the day.
The Latvians started well on their quest for an unlikely win, holding the possession early and having the only shot on the board through the opening minutes. but momentum turned early with a boarding penalty by Eriks Mateiko on Owen Beck. It took just four seconds on the power play for Canada to score, on a great shot from Connor Geekie.
Latvia was set to get a chance to match the man-advantage goal moments later. The officials had called Ty Nelson for tripping, and with contact on the knee the referees decided to review for a five-minute major. After a long time watching replays, they deemed the contact to be a hip-check and not a knee or even a trip, and Nelson was freed from the penalty box.
A few shifts after the call was overturned, Canada doubled its lead. A good move to shake a defender in the neutral zone by Macklin Celebrini gave his line a chance, and a passing play ended in a goal from Brayden Yager.
Consecutive penalties to end the first period by Davis Borozinskis and Peteris Bulans gave Canada 1:05 of five-on-time that spanned the intermission. Canada didn’t score on the two-man advantage, but the second unit got a goal before the second penalty expired, a tip from Owen Allard on a Matthew Wood shot.
After a few minutes of little action, Carson Rehkopf decided to give all the Canadian fans in attendance reason to clap again. He powered around a Latvian defenceman then turned back the opposite way across the top of the crease, getting to the post before goaltender Linards Feldbergs could get across, and potting the 4-0 goal.
With three assists on the day, Celebrini attempted to add a goal to his stat line, but a wrist shot went wide of the far post. A few minutes later, the projected first pick in the upcoming NHL Draft took a pass from Matthew for a breakaway, and this time was able get it into the net on his backhand for the 5-0 lead.
With the 5-0 score, Canada took its foot off the gas, and Latvia saw the opportunity to get into the game for the first time. It started with the game at four-on-four when Latvia controlled the puck, then extended through the final minutes of the second period. It didn’t result in a goal, but was a good sign from a team as it turns its focus to the games later in the tournament as it looks to avoid relegation. They went into the intermission with a bit of momentum, with the goal of at least getting on the board in the final frame.
Latvia’s bid to get on the board was delayed by a better start for Canada in the third than they ended the second. It resulted in Canada’s sixth goal of the day, scored by Fraser Minten as it wobbled off the stick of a defender.
Wood soon added another maintaining possession on his way to the net while a Latvian player attempted to whack it away, just getting it through Feldbergs to make it 7-0. It was the last action Feldbergs saw as Aksels Ozols came in to give his teammate a break.
Connor Geekie became the first player to have two goals in the game when he made it 8-0.
Carson Rehkopf joined him with two goals moments later on a cross-ice one-timer.
Latvia’s coach called a timeout after goal number nine, upset with how his team has begun the period. After appearing on the verge of getting a goal late in the second, they looked far from it in the final period.
The team just had nothing to give their coach, however, and even despite earning a power play, Canada was able to make it 10-0 after the midpoint of the period with a goal from Matthew Poitras.
With the 10-0 win, Canada ballooned it’s goal differential to earn a comfortable lead atop Group A. Canada gets a day off before playing Sweden on Friday, while Latvia will play what is sure to be a fiery team from Finland that’s gotten out to an 0-2 start.
