WHL at the World Junior Championships day one

Czech Republic 5 Russia 4

The Czech Republic opened the 2018 IIHF U-20 World Junior Championships with a shocking upset of the Russians. The 56th ranked prospect by Future Considerations Martin Kaut led the way with three assists, while the 5th ranked prospect by the same publication, Filip Zadina potted two goals.

Russia tied the game at two with a power play goal late in the first period, but the Czechs reeled off three straight. Russia pressed late with markers from Artur Kayumov and Vladislav Syomin in the last 2:12 of game time, but the Czechs held on and took a big game in Group B: 5-4.

Libor Hajek of the Saskatoon Blades and Vojtech Budik of the Prince Albert Raiders were the Czechs top defensive pair and the two East Division rivals did a stellar job of shutting down the star-studded Russians. Hajek got the secondary assist on the Czech Republic’s second goal of the game and was a plus-one with two shots on goal in 21:21 of ice time, while Budik was an even rating with two penalty minutes in 18:52 of ice time. Filip Kral of the Spokane Chiefs scored the eventual game-winner in the third period while playing on another d-pairing, while the Kamloops Blazers Ondrej Vala was an even rating. The lone WHL forward of the five WHL representatives on the Czech team: Kristian Reichel of the Red Deer Rebels was a minus-one with one minor penalty. Both Vala and Reichel are assistant captains on the team. The Czechs did sport another player with some WHL ties as the Zadina was the top pick in the CHL Import Draft for the Vancouver Giants in 2016.

The Russians surprised many by cutting the Red Deer Rebels Alexander Alexeyev right before the tournament, did keep Artyom Minulin of the Swift Current Broncos. Minulin, the third East Division d-man in this game had one shot on net. He played on their third defensive pair with Alexander Shepelev. Russia was also sporting a player with some WHL ties in former Edmonton Oil Kings import Anatoli Yelizarov. He played two years for Edmonton before leaving for the KHL this year.

Canada 4 Finland 2

The first game of the day in Group A was a wild one. Canada used a wild 27 second period of time in the first period to take a 2-0 lead on Finland and despite some interesting moments they never did really look back. First, Boris Katchouk flew in on Finnish goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and shot the puck off the right post as he collided with the netminder. The puck bounced off the post, hit Luukkonen’s right pad and slid slowly over the goal line. While the puck was still on the line, Katchouk knocked the net off its moorings. The goal was reviewed and upheld, despite a clear view of the net being off before the puck crossed the line. Right after play started again, Tri-City Americans d-man and Finnish team captain Juuso Valimaki took a high hit and then lifted the stick out of the hands of the forward who hit him. Valimaki was given a slashing penalty and Canada would convert right away.

Regina Pats center Sam Steel would be the one that made this a two-goal game. Taylor Raddysh’s chance was stopped by Luukkonen but the puck came right to Steel and the reigning WHL MVP put it away.

Aleksi Heponiemi of the Swift Current Broncos cut into Canada’s lead with a goal after a shot from Valimaki was blocked over right to him to the right of the net. Valimaki got an assist on the marker. Canada would add another goal 33 seconds later to make it 3-1 Canada after one.

Finland made it a one-goal game again 7:31 into the second period with a power play marker. The goal came from the Finnish team’s third WHL representative Henri Jokiharju. About five minutes later, Raddysh would add Canada’s fourth goal and the last one in the game.

 

Despite neither of the two teams getting a goal in the third, Finland came about as close as you can get. A shot got past Hart and had to be saved off the goal line by Kelowna Rockets d-man Cal Foote.

Everett Silvertips goalie Carter Hart stopped 29 of 31 in the game and was absolutely stellar in the third when the Finns were mounting some pressure.

Calagary Hitmen d-man Jake Bean had one shot in 16:47 of ice time. Foote had 12:55 of ice time. Brandon Wheat Kings blue liner Kale Clague led Canada with 23:27 of ice time, had three shots and was a minus-one. Kelowna Rockets forward Dillon Dube had three shots on net in 17:46 of ice time. Swift Current Broncos sniper Tyler Steenbergen had just five minutes of ice time. Moose Jaw Warriors forward Brett Howden had a minor penalty and was a minus one in 13:17 of ice time.

Jokiharju was second on his team in ice time with 25:05 and had three shots on net. Valimaki had two shots in 18:57 and Heponiemi had one shot in 20 minutes.

USA 9 Denmark 0

The United States started off their tournament with an emphatic statement. The defending champions potted five goals in the first period and just kept on rolling to a 9-0 win. Casey Mittelstadt, whose WHL rights are owned by Everett had two goals, as did Portland Winterhawks left wing Kieffer Bellows. Bellows, who had two goals in his last game with the United States World Junior team added two more and was about an inch from netting a hat-trick as he hit the post in the third period. The second goal from Bellows came on a penalty shot after he was hooked on a breakaway. Bellows scored on the penalty shot with a nifty move that opened up the Danish goalie’s five hole. Bellows ended up with three shots in 14:21 of ice time.

Spokane Chiefs forward Kailer Yamamoto added a goal as well for the United States off a great feed from Brady Tkachuk in the first. Yamamoto was a plus-one with one shot in 13:19 of ice time.

Meanwhile on the Danish side, Joachim Blichfeld, along with all of his countrymen had a rough night. He was minus-one and had four shots (which led his team) in 14:12 of ice time. Perhaps his worst moment though was a high hit that warranted him a minor penalty. The U.S. would score on that power play moments later.

Sweden 6 Belarus 1

After a tight opening period that saw the Belarus goalie Andrei Grishenko make many stellar saves, Sweden found their footing and the net. They netted three goals in the second to pull ahead 4-1 and added two more in the third for the 6-1 final.

Prince George Cougars forward Vladislav Mikhalchuk skated just 9:21 of ice time and did not have a shot for the Belorussian squad. Victoria Royals forward Igor Martynov was a minus-one for Belarus in 13:51 of ice time.