WJC 2021: Three mouthwatering matchups to watch in Gold Medal Showdown

1. Peyton Krebs Vs. Matthew Boldy

Now, you may be wondering why we haven’t gone with Trevor Zegras and Dylan Cozens who both lead the entire 2021 WJC with 16 points each.

Good question. But, please hear us out.

It all comes down to this in the Gold Medal game with nothing left to worry about after, so both teams will be devising their best game plans and both teams will be focussed on shutting down their opponent’s best players.

As a result, both Cozens and Zegras will probably have a much tougher job to find open ice in tonight’s championship game, thus leaving the door open for other players to step up and become a hero, as Akil Thomas did for Team Canada last year.

And this is where it gets interesting.

Because, it is fair to state that both teams are absolutely loaded and stacked with both rosters boasting an abundance of riches in all areas of the ice.

Both teams have had valuable contributions from up and down the lineup, and that’s why Peyton Krebs and Matthew Boldy will be huge for Team Canada and Team USA respectively tonight.

Krebs, who was taken with the No. 17 overall pick by the Vegas Golden Knights at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, has been enjoying a coming-out party at this tournament with eight points (3 G, 5 A) in six games, providing a real added offensive punch for Team Canada.

You can say the same about Minnesota Wild prospect Matthew Boldy, who has emerged as a real rising star for Team USA in Edmonton.

Through six games Boldy has seven points (5 G, 2 A) and he’s been lights out, beating goaltenders with sublime skill and bringing a boatload of creativity to the table for Team USA.

And, on a night where depth and role players could play a starring role in what could be an offensive explosion, players in the ilk of Matthew Boldy and Peyton Krebs could be huge for their teams.

Let the battles commence!