Regina’s Zach Lansard scores in 5-2 win over Sweden on Friday, Canada rolls to 6-2 victory over Czechia on Sunday
BRATISLAVA, Czech. — Team Canada will be looking to keep the momentum rolling at the World Under-18 Hockey Championship after picking up a pair of wins in their pre-tournament games this past weekend.
Canada opened the event with a 5-2 victory over Sweden on Friday and then rolled to a 6-2 win over Czechia on Sunday morning.
Saskatchewan is represented on Team Canada by Regina Pats forward Zach Lansard and Saskatoon product Beckett Hamilton, with Lethbridge Hurricanes head coach and Saskatoon product Matt Anholt joining Moose Jaw Warriors head coach Mark O’Leary as assistant coaches.
Canada 5, Sweden 2
It didn’t take long for Canada to get on the board in their pre-tournament opener, as Adam Valentini (U Michigan) found the back of the net only 2:06 into the proceedings.
Canada’s special teams then went to work midway through the period, killing off thee straight Sweden power plays to hold their lead into the second frame.
There, Lansard would increase Canada’s lead to a pair at the 8:44 mark, with Jean-Christoph Lemieux (OHL Sudbury) and Ryan Lin (WHL Vancouver) drawing assists.
Brock England (WHL Seattle) made it a three-goal Canada lead just over a minute later, but Sweden decided they weren’t going to go quietly, with goals from Malte Gustafsson and Nils Bartholdsson in the final five minutes making it a one-goal contest coming home.
Valentini picked up his second of the game as an insurance marker with 7:24 remaining, and Tynan Lawrence (U Boston) finished things off with an empty-netter with 47 seconds to play.
Keaton Verhoeff (U North Dakota) had two assists for Canada
Gavin Betts (OHL Kingston) picked up the win in goal for Canada, Viggo Tamm took the loss for Sweden.
Canada 6, Czechia 2
Canada got off to another quick start in their second pre-tournament game, this time with Ryder Cali (OHL North Bay) scoring only 2:44 into the contest. Mathis Preston (WHL Vancouver) added another marker with 17 seconds left in the frame and Canada had a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.
Lawrence went to work from there, scoring his first of the game 4:38 into the second period and adding his second four minutes later to make it a four-goal edge at the midpoint of the game.
Verhoeff increased Canada’s lead with 6:25 to play in the period, but Jiri Kamas got one back for Czechia before the frame was out and Matyas Michalek scored early in the third to get the tournament hosts back within three.
They’d get no closer, though, as Lawrence finished off his hat trick and a four-point game with 9:50 gone in the final frame to close out scoring.
Carter Esler (WHL Spokane) and Patrick Deniger (QMJHL Quebec) split time in goal for Canada, Marek Sklenicka and Martin Psholavec did the same for Czechia.
Canada now turns its attention to the preliminary round, where they’ll play four games, taking on Slovakia on Wednesday (12 p.m.), Latvia on Thursday (8 a.m.), Norway on Saturday (8 a.m.) and Finland on Monday, April 27 (8 a.m.).
The top four teams from each pool advance to the quarter-finals on Wednesday, April 29, followed by the semifinals on Friday, May 1 and medal games on Saturday, May 2.