WHLers combine for 17 points, stage set for all-Canadian showdown at 2024 World U17 Hockey Challenge

Sarnia, Ont.- The stage is set for an all-Canadian showdown at the 2024 World U17 Hockey Challenge.

It’s the first time two Canadian squads have made the final at the tournament since 2009.

Fifteen WHLers are represented on Canada White and Canada Red rosters as both Canuck squads won their semifinal matchups on Friday.

Kelowna Rockets forward Kalder Varga and the United States will face Sweden on Saturday with a bronze medal on the line.

Mathis Preston (Spokane Chiefs / Penticton, B.C) scored a hat trick and the WHL crew combined for 10 points as Canada White powered past Sweden 6-3 in Friday’s first semifinal.

Impressive Vancouver Giants rookie Ryan Lin (Richmond, B.C.) and Preston combined for the assists on Tynan Lawrence’s game-opening tally.

With the match tied at one in the second frame, the Western contingent kicked into high gear with captain Keaton Verhoeff (Victoria Royals / Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) restoring the lead with a powerplay snipe through heavy traffic.

Two minutes later, Markus Ruck (Medicine Hat Tigers / Osoyoos, B.C.) sprung Preston down the ice on a breakaway to fire a backhander past Milo Tjarnlund to add to the cushion.

Patience. Precision. Preston.@spokanechiefs | #WorldU17 pic.twitter.com/1vfWiWOMNU

— The WHL (@TheWHL) November 8, 2024

Late in the middle frame, Verhoeff would wire another long pass onto Preston’s stick for a second clean break.

This time, the 5-foot-11, 166-pound forward went high glove side to make it 4-1 in favour of Canada White.

Sweden got on the board late in the period to trail by two with 20 minutes to play, but Lin put a damper on their hopes by picking off a neutral zone pass and out-pacing the Swedish defenders for a stunning wraparound goal.

The sixth-overall pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft has 13 assists in 13 games with Vancouver this season- but this marked his first goal of 2024-25.

With under five minutes remaining, Preston played give-and-go with Liam Ruck (Medicine Hat Tigers / Osoyoos, B.C.) to break out of the Canadian zone, deked a defender, and cut across the top of the crease to slide the puck home and complete the hat trick.

Preston, Spokane’s 2023 third-overall pick, now leads the tournament in scoring with five tallies.

Lin (Richmond, B.C.) was named Player of the Game for Canada White with a stellar one-goal, one-assist effort in addition to his special teams work.

The second semifinal saw Canada Red and the United States, featuring Kelowna Rockets forward Kalder Varga, going head-to-head.

Everett Silvertips exceptional-status defenceman Landon DuPont linked up with Alessandro Di Iorio (Sarnia Sting) on the powerplay to open the scoring, with Jaxon Jacobson (Brandon Wheat Kings / Brandon, Man.) taking the secondary assist.

A sight that @StingHockey fans are familiar with! 🐝

Landon DuPont sets up Alessandro Di Iorio on the power-play to open the scoring for Canada Red in their semi-final matchup against Team USA 📽️ @HockeyCanada | #WorldU17 pic.twitter.com/bLDgeGKDCL

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) November 9, 2024

With Canada leading 2-0 in the second period, Joe Iginla snagged his second goal of the tournament on the powerplay, with Prince George’s Carson Carels (Cypress River, Man.) serving up a helper.

Netminder Carter Esler (Spokane Chiefs / Okotoks, Alta.), who now has two wins at the tournament, added a rare goalie assist by springing Maddox Dagenais (Quebec Remparts) and Chad Lygitsakos (Shawinigan Cataractes) to make it 4-0 for Canada Red 90 seconds later.

Cruz Pavao (Tri-City Americans / Calgary, Alta.) showed off his determination- and a wicked shot- when he was denied on a breakaway but held on to the puck and started a cycle that he capped off with a one-timer goal.

The Americans would score three goals late in the period to make it a close 5-3 match heading into the final frame, but goals by Parker Vaughan (Barrie Colts) and Brett Olson (Vancouver Giants / Spruce Grove, Alta.) sealed a 7-3 decision.

Varga and the United States will battle Sweden for bronze at 1:30 p.m. MST on Saturday, November 9 at Sarnia’s Progressive Auto Sales Arena, while Canada White and Canada Red face off at 5:30 p.m. MST.

TSN will carry both games online and on TSN 2.