Welcome one and all to the fourth edition of The Junior Report!

At this point it feels like its been a year since I brought you the last Junior Report, I was meaning to write one after the Slovaks game then a combined one after the clash with the US but due to “technical difficulties” and the fact I had to go serve people food on New Year’s Eve I wasn’t able to do it.  So now  I bring you this Mega ultimate jumbo edition where we will discuss not only the game against the Slovaks and the USA game but also a look ahead to tomorrow’s Quarter-final match’s.

When we last spoke Canada fell to the Czech’s by a score of 5-4 I said let’s not hit the panic button just yet that if Canada played there game that they will be just fine in this tournament…… cue us being down 3-1 to Slovakia and me smashing the panic button with my fists. Then Canada woke up scored 4 unanswered goals and beat the Slovaks 5-3. Zach Fucale (36th Overall 2013 Montreal Canadians) took over the goal tending reigns  and while he was far from spectacular he was good enough to help Canada win the game.

Then came the match-up all Canadian fans were looking forward to. The New Year’s Eve showdown against the Americans. To say I was nervous for our chances in this game would be a understatement. Despite having a 2-0-1 record I didn’t think Canada outside of the Germany game ever really commanded the play. They took penalties against the Slovaks that cost them and  the goal tending wasn’t stellar neither.

Canada once again got off to a slow start and gave up the first goal. It was looking like the same same with the Canadians but this time they were killing off those penalties and the goal tending became stellar. Zach Fucale played a great game and made some great saves. 24 hours after scoring some key goals agianst the Slovaks Nic Petan (43rd overall 2013 Winnipeg Jets) signed his first pro contract  with the Jets and also got Canada on the board. 16 year old sensation Connor McDavid (Eligible 2015) and Curtis Lazar (17th overall 2013 Ottawa Senators) also scored and Canada won 3-1. They won Group A and will now take on the Swiss in the quarter-finals. It should be of note that the quarter-finals are different from  years past. Usually The winner of Group A and Group B would get a bye to the semi-finals and the 2nd and 3rd seed teams would do battle. This year no teams get a bye and 4 teams from each group make it to the quarter-finals.

 1A- Canada Vs 4B Switzerland , 2B Finland Vs 3A Czech Republic

1B-  Sweden Vs 4A Slovakia , 2A USA vs 3B Russia.

If Canada wins they will take on the winner of Finland/Czech Republic, and the Sweden/Slovakia winner would battle USA/Russia winner so my predictions are….

Canada Vs Finland

Sweden Vs USA

Gold- Canada Vs Sweden

Bronze- USA Vs Finland.

That should about wrap it up for another addition of the Junior Report. I hope to do another Overtime edition plus my thoughts on the Canada/Swiss game. Until next time for boredhockeyfan.com I’m Dan Thompson. Happy New Year Everyone !