2024 World Juniors daily: Dec. 31
New Year’s Eve saw the round-robin conclude at the 2024 World Juniors with a full slate of four games from Gothenburg, Sweden.
Day 6 results (Dec. 31, 2023):
USA 10-2 Slovakia
Finland 5-4 Sweden (SO)
Czechia 4-2 Switzerland
Canada 6-3 Germany
About today:
In a battle between two undefeated teams, the USA made a statement with a thumping 10-2 win over Slovakia.
The Slovaks entered the game with a perfect 3-0-0 record and in first place in Group B but will now have to settle for second spot. Kitchener’s Filip Mesar (MTL) cut the deficit to 3-2 at 7:50 of the second period but the Americans rattled off seven straight goals to finish top of the group unbeaten.
Filip Mesar finds the narrowest of openings!
The #GoHabsGo prospect and @OHLRangers forward scores his first of the #WorldJuniors! 🇸🇰 pic.twitter.com/9DtAEX1vKA
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) December 31, 2023
Finland secured its spot in the quarterfinals after a 5-4 shootout win against hosts Sweden.
London’s Kasper Halttunen (SJ) scored again on the power play and added two assists as Finland made it back-to-back-wins after they had lost their first two games of the competition.
Kasper Halttunen is lethal on the 🅿️🅿️!
The #SJSharks prospect and @LondonKnights forward with a 🚀 on the man advantage! #WorldJuniors 🇫🇮 pic.twitter.com/LpaINMyFxk
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) December 31, 2023
As for Sweden, they suffered their first defeat of the tournament but with 10 of 12 points earned, they topped Group A.
Czechia secured third spot in Group B after they doubled up Switzerland 4-2.
Saginaw’s Matyas Sapovaliv (VGK), Victoria’s Robin Sapousek and Brantford’s Tomas Hamara (OTT) scored for Czechia while the Spirit’s Rodwin Dionicio (ANA) had two assists for the Swiss, who finished fourth in the group.
Matyas 🤝 Matyas
Sapovaliv knocks down Melovsky's shot and buries it for 🇨🇿! #WorldJuniors | #VegasBorn | @SpiritHockey | @DrakkarBAC pic.twitter.com/Qao0qia3Zc
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) December 31, 2023
Canada compelted its round-robin with a 6-3 win over Germany as they locked up the second seed in Group A.
Moose Jaw’s Brayden Yager (PIT), Peterborough’s Owen Beck (MTL), Halifax’s Jordan Dumais (CBJ) and London’s Easton Cowan (TOR) all scored while the Mooseheads’ Mathis Rousseau made 17 saves in his fourth straight start.
Rehkopf ➡️ Beck
The @OHLHockey duo combine and the #GoHabsGo prospect and @PetesOHLhockey forward has his first of the #WorldJuniors! 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/D39H3mSYyO
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) December 31, 2023
Additionally, London’s Oliver Bonk (PHI) and Kitchener’s Carson Rehkopf (SEA) had two assists each.
Player of the day:
Finland’s Kasper Halttunen continued his fine World Juniors with a three-point (1G, 2A) outing against Sweden.
The Knights forward scored his second power play goal of the tournament Sunday and in four games has amassed six points (3G, 3A).
With London, Halttunen has 20 goals in 28 games and leads the OHL with 12 goals on the man advantage.
Day 7 schedule (Jan. 2, 2024)
Slovakia vs. Finland — 6am ET / 3am PT
Canada vs. Czechia — 8:30am ET / 5:30am PT
USA vs. Latvia — 11am ET / 8am PT
Sweden vs. Switzerland — 1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT
A look ahead:
The World Juniors will breathe on New Year’s Day as there are no games on the schedule but the tournament will resume Jan. 2 with the quarterfinals.
Slovakia returns to the quarters for the second straight year and will continues its quest for a first medal since they claimed bronze in 2015. As for Finland, they have reached the final eight for the seventh straight year. They last medalled in 2022 when they claimed silver after an overtime defeat to Canada. The Finns have won gold on five occasions at the tournament.
Canada and Czechia will meet in a rematch of their classic 2023 World Juniors gold medal game that the former claimed in overtime on Dylan Guenther’s winner.
Canada is seeking its 21st gold medal at the competition while Czechia’s silver medal a year ago was their first since 2005. Canada last won gold on foreign soil in 2020 in Czechia.
The USA will look to medal for a second straight tournament after they earned bronze last year after a wild back-and-forth affair with Sweden. The Americans last won gold in 2021 when they beat Canada and are five-time gold medallists.
As for Latvia, they find themselves in the quarterfinals for only the second time in program history after they also achieved the feat in 2022.
Lastly, hosts Sweden will look to begin their quest to break a long gold medal drought when they face Switzerland.
The Swedes haven’t stood atop the World Juniors since 2012 when they beat Russia in overtime.
Switzerland return to the quarters for the third straight year but will look to make the semi-finals for the first time since 2019.
The standings after the final day of the preliminary round.👀 #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/0m8ycrUNfP
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) December 31, 2023
CHL leaders:
Name | Points | Country | CHL club |
Servac Petrovsky | 9 | Slovakia | Owen Sound |
Filip Mesar | 7 | Slovakia | Kitchener |
Matyas Melovsky | 7 | Czechia | Baie-Comeau |
Kasper Halttunen | 6 | Finland | London |
Peter Repcik | 6 | Slovkia | Drummondville |
Eduard Sale | 5 | Czechia | Barrie |
Samuel Honzek | 4 | Slovakia | Vancouver |
Conor Geekie | 4 | Canada | Wenatchee |
Matyas Sapovaliv | 4 | Czechia | Saginaw |
Brayden Yager | 4 | Canada | Moose Jaw |