World Junior Championship 2021: Four Storylines to watch for ahead of Quarter-Final matchups
We’ve got you covered ahead of the 2021 World Junior Championship Quarter-Finals later today.
We’re heading into the final days of the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship in Red Deer, Edmonton, with the meaty part of the competition taking place later today in the form of the Quarter-Finals.
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We have four hugely compelling matchups to look forward to in the World Junior Championship, including Team Canada taking on the Czech Republic and Team USA going up against Slovakia.
These are the four Quarter-Finals games in full:
- Russia Vs. Germany (10:00 a.m. ET)
- Finland Vs. Sweden (1:30 p.m. ET)
- Team Canada Vs. Czech Republic (5:00 p.m. ET)
- Team USA Vs. Slovakia (10:30 p.m. ET)
It should make for an entertaining day of hockey with plenty of talent on display, and it does feel like we will be getting a mouthwatering matchup between Team Canada and Team USA at some stage.
And, on that note, let’s delve into the four storylines, one for each game, you should be aware of before the first game of today between Russia and Germany gets underway.
Let’s get started…
4. Irresistible force against immovable object
Germany Vs. Russia (10 a.m ET)
Russia is a powerhouse in hockey and they have been nearly unstoppable at the 2021 World Juniors, winning three of four games and they can lay claim to having the best goaltender at the tournament in Yaroslav Askarov, who was taken with the No. 11 overall pick by the Nashville Predators in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
Askarov ranks sixth among all goaltenders at the 2021 WJC with a .921 Save Percentage and a 2.62 Goals Against Average, and he’ll have to be at his very best to stop a determined Germany team.
It was a rough start to the tournament for Germany who could only ice 14 skaters due to a COVID-19 outbreak, and they dropped their first two games including a tough 16-2 loss to Team Canada.
However, spearheaded by Captain and No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators in Tim Stuetzle, Buffalo Sabres prospect John Peterka and Mannheim forward Florian Elias, Germany won their next two games to progress to the Quarter-Finals for the first time.
And they will be a tough out for Russia.
Playing with a real confidence and a togetherness, Germany also boast an elite game-changer in Stuetzle, who ranks third among scoring leaders with 10 points (5 G, 5 A) in four games.
He’s supported by Peterka who is fourth with four goals and six assists for 10 points, and Elias who ranks No. 5 with 8 points (3 G, 5 A) in four games, with that dynamic top line combining for 28 points.
So, while Russia will be the overwhelming favorites, they won’t be able to take it easy against Germany who will be looking to make more history today.
3. One for the Panthers
Finland Vs. Sweden (1:30 p.m. ET)
This matchup will be of particular interest to Florida Panthers fans, who will no doubt have been hugely impressed by Anton Lundell so far.
The No. 12 overall pick by the Panthers in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Lundell has been a standout for Finland and he will be key to their hopes of progressing beyond the Quarter-Finals.
Also wearing the “C” on his chest for his country, Lundell has three goals and three assists for six points in four games, and he has got better the longer the tournament has gone on.
Lundell, who looks to be an elite talent that could really flourish in the NHL for the Panthers, has forged strong chemistry with linemates Kasper Simontaival (2 G, 3 A) and Roni Hirvonen (4 A), and they could really feast on a Sweden penalty kill that has allowed four goals in 10 opportunities.
Speaking of Sweden, they have dropped two straight and look to be a fading force, despite the efforts of Carolina Hurricanes prospect Noel Gunler, who has five points (4 G, 1 A) in four games.
Sweden are talented but Finland look the most complete team and it wouldn’t be surprising if Anton Lundell leads them to the Semi-Finals.
2. The Trevor Zegras Show
Team USA Vs. Slovakia (10:30 p.m. ET)
Expect the Trevor Zegras show to continue for Team USA when they take on Slovakia in the 2021 WJC Quarter-Finals today.
Zegras – who was selected with the No. 9 overall pick by the Anaheim Ducks at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft – has been absolutely lights out for Team USA so far with 13 points (6 G, 7 A) in just four games.
He leads the entire tournament in points and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the talented center make the Ducks’ Opening Night roster for the 2020-21 NHL season based on his performance in Edmonton so far.
However, Zegras will no doubt be focussed on unfinished business and helping Team USA to capture Gold, which they have a great chance of doing.
Despite dropping their opening game of the tournament to Russia on Christmas Day, Team USA recovered quickly and won their remaining games to top Group B and remain on course to set up a potential mouthwatering Gold Medal showdown with Team Canada.
In it to win in. @usahockey is making the #WorldJuniors look easy. Check out some of their top plays from the preliminary round. pic.twitter.com/OyadKndCcF
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) January 2, 2021
They will have to get past Slovakia first, of course, who lost all but one game which was a narrow one to a talent-laden Sweden team.
Slovakia doesn’t boast any standout star but they rely on a total team effort, although they will struggle to breach an American defense that hasn’t allowed a single goal against since their Christmas Day loss to Russia, with goaltenders Dustin Wolf and Spencer Knight combining for three straight shutouts.
Unless something does go drastically wrong, this should be a routine win for Team USA who will again be looking to the likes of Trevor Zegras to put on an absolute clinic.
1. True Test Awaits
Team Canada Vs. Czech Republic (5:00 p.m. ET)
It would be a huge understatement to say that Team Canada has been an absolute juggernaut so far, winning all four games in Group A, scoring 34 goals and allowing just four goals.
Complete and utter dominance.
They boast incredible depth throughout their lineup and there’s no real weaknesses on this roster, with goaltender Devon Levi allowing just three goals on 61 shots, with all three coming on the power play.
Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens has broken out with 11 points (6 G, 5 A) in four games, while Quinton Byfield, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft by the LA Kings, has also had a strong tournament so far with seven points (2 G, 5 A) in four games.
Defensemen Bowen Byram, Jamie Drysdale and Thomas Harley have all impressed too, and Team Canada just look an absolute juggernaut all over the ice.
However, the real test begins later tonight and Team Canada won’t have it easy against the Czech Republic, who upset Russia in a Shootout while they have been elite as a team at 5-on-5.
They will be far from an easy out and Team Canada will have to elevate its play on the power play having scored just five times from 15 attempts, which isn’t good enough for a roster this talented.
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It will be Team Canada’s toughest test of the 2021 World Junior Championship so far, but it would be a massive shock if they didn’t progress to the Semi-Finals and remained on course for a showdown with Team USA.
That’s our four storylines to look out for done and dusted, and we’ll have loads more coverage of the 2021 World Junior Championship in Edmonton over the coming days.