Taylor Raddysh and Boris Katchouk collected a goal and an assist apiece as Canada officially began its quest for revenge at the World Junior Hockey Championship with a 4-2 victory over Finland on Tuesday.
Finland nearly made it a one-goal game midway through the final frame, but Canadian defenseman Cal Foote dove and gloved the puck away to preserve the two-goal lead.
Canada scored twice in a span of 27 seconds early in the first period, including an opening goal that generated some controversy. Katchouk flew in on a breakaway and scored despite appearing to knock the net off its moorings beforehand.
Drake Batherson's first-period goal that made it 3-1 for Canada held up as the eventual game-winner.
Aleksi Heponiemi and Henri Jokiharju provided the offense for Finland.
Canada plays Slovakia on Wednesday night, while Finland is off until facing Denmark on Thursday at noon ET.
Instead, Rinaldo will have a phone hearing Wednesday to determine whether he'll face supplemental discipline for the fifth time in his NHL career. The league only offers in-person hearings for situations that may require a suspension of six games or more.
The 2017 NHL season delivered many memorable moments, from a second-straight Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh, an expansion team in Vegas, and a first overall pick by New Jersey.
On the ice, dynamic goals, amazing plays, and key saves made up most of the highlight reels, but 2017 also offered a handful of hits worth watching again:
5. Lucic wallops Watson
What's a highlight reel without a hit from Milan Lucic? The Edmonton Oilers power forward has made many fans in the Alberta capital with his ability to play the body, like this crushing blow to Austin Watson of the Nashville Predators.
Not much went right for the Colorado Avalanche last season, but fans were given at least one reason to cheer in this February contest when blue-liner Nikita Zadorov delivered a big hit on Jets forward Mark Scheifele.
It was a long year for ex-Avs forward Matt Duchene, surrounded by trade speculation as he awaited a deal out of Denver. But nothing may have turned Duchene's world upside down like this hip check courtesy of Washington Capitals blue-liner Dmitry Orlov.
One of the best moments of the hockey schedule is upon us. The 2018 World Junior Hockey Championship is set to kick off in Buffalo, N.Y., counting nine returning nations and a new entry from Belarus.
The two-week tournament offers plenty of memorable moments for scouts and hockey fans alike, and while it's produced some unfathomable results in recent years, here are three themes to bank on in this year's rendition:
Czech Republic back to respectability
Long gone are the days of Jaromir Jagr and Patrik Elias tearing up the scoresheet, but the Czech Republic finally appears to be ushering in the next era of top-level talent.
Meanwhile, a top talent of the coming draft class is sure to catch the eye of scouts: Halifax Mooseheads import Filip Zadina, who has showcased his skill in the QMJHL this season.
The Czechs' talent infusion comes just in the nick of time too, as the nation hasn't won gold at the world juniors since 2001, nor has it taken home a medal in more than a decade.
Finland plays with a vengeance
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
Watch out for the Finns. After narrowly avoiding relegation a year ago, Team Finland will be ready to prove their 2017 showing was a fluke. That's hard to argue, given many of the same key players led Finland to gold a year earlier.
The crystal ball shows the top two teams and longtime rivals once again locking horns in the gold-medal game. And much like last year, extra time may be needed to decide the winner.
Entering the tournament, Canada has defensive depth in spades, from 2016 first-rounders Jake Bean and Dante Fabbro, to Conor Timmins and Cale Makar from last year's draft class. Also making the cut is defenseman Victor Mete, who has already played 27 games with the Montreal Canadiens this season.
While it's no doubt an experienced D core, the group's job should be even easier as it's backed up by netminder Carter Hart. The 19-year-old struggled at last year's world juniors, but has had a terrific bounce-back season with the WHL's Everett Silvertips, where he's posted an outstanding .961 save percentage.
As for the Americans, while their defensive core isn't as revered as Team Canada's, the squad boasts plenty of offensive talents who can score in bunches. Nine recent first-round picks will line up at the forward ranks, including Casey Mittelstadt, Kieffer Bellows, and Kailer Yamamoto.
Atkinson, who will undergo surgery either Tuesday or Wednesday, was felled by a slap shot from Seth Jones in the first period of Saturday's tilt with the Philadelphia Flyers, but the 28-year-old remained in the game, logging heavy minutes (22:26) in the eventual shootout victory at Nationwide Arena.
Now, though, the Blue Jackets could be without Atkinson until February, with his foot injury further depleting a roster already decimated by injuries to defensemen Zach Werenski and Ryan Murray, as well as forwards Alexander Wennberg and Brandon Dubinsky.
That said, Atkinson has struggled this season following a terrific 2016-2017 campaign in which he set new career highs in goals (35), assists (27), and plus-minus (13). Through 32 games this year, Atkinson - a healthy scratch against the Arizona Coyotes earlier this month - has just six goals and seven assists, tying him with Nick Foligno for eighth on the team in points.
For junior hockey fans, Christmas comes on Dec. 26.
That's the annual start date of the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, with this year's tournament set to be played in Buffalo, N.Y., for the second time since 2011.
The host Americans enter the tournament as reigning champions following a shootout win over rival Canada in Montreal, with Russia finishing third in 2017.
Here are three things you need to know before the puck drops:
The format
The tournament will be played at KeyBank Center (home of the NHL's Sabres), the smaller and nearby HarborCenter, and New Era Field (home of the NFL's Bills), which will serve as the venue for the first outdoor game in the history of the tournament.
The 10 participating nations have been divided into the following two groups:
Group A
Group B
United States (USA)
Russia (RUS)
Canada (CAN)
Sweden (SWE)
Denmark (DEN)
Czech Republic (CZE)
Slovakia (SVK)
Switzerland (SUI)
Finland (FIN)
Belarus (BLR)
In the group stage, every country will play one game against each of the other four in its group, earning points as follows:
Three points for the winning team at the conclusion of regulation time.
One point for both teams at the conclusion of regulation time if the game is tied.
An additional point earned for the team winning the game in a five-minute overtime period or a shootout if the teams are still tied following conclusion of the overtime period.
0 points for the team losing the game in regulation time.
The top four teams from Group A and Group B will advance to the quarterfinals and be matched up as follows: 1A-4B, 2A-3B, 1B-4A, 2B-3A. The playoff round will be single elimination, with the gold- and bronze-medal matches scheduled for Jan. 5 at KeyBank Center.
The fifth-place teams, meanwhile, will play a best-of-three mini-series beginning Jan. 2 to determine which country will be relegated.
The favorites
The host Americans - featuring the likes of Casey Mittelstadt, Brady Tkachuk, and Quinn Hughes - begin the tournament as reigning champions and remain the favorites to win this time around.
USA, it should be noted, has earned only a single bronze in five previous tournaments on home soil.
The Canadian squad - backed by these high-end talents - will no doubt have plenty of support, considering Buffalo's proximity to the border, and it should come as no surprise that they come in next on the list.
In the third edition of the player power rankings, theScore hockey editors Josh Wegman, Flip Livingstone, and Sean O'Leary order the top players from around the league based on all-around performance this season.
10. Drew Doughty
Previously unranked
GP
G
A
P
P/GP
5-on-5 CF%
36
5
21
26
0.72
52.9
Doughty's future in L.A. may be uncertain, but one thing is for sure: the rugged rearguard is one of the best in the business. A leader in the locker room and on the ice, the perennial Norris Trophy threat is a big reason the Kings find themselves in first place. - Livingstone
9. Anze Kopitar
Previously unranked
GP
G
A
P
P/GP
5-on-5 CF%
36
17
23
40
1.11
52.0
Another underrated Kings player who deserves a lot more love than he usually gets, Kopitar is having a massive bounce-back year following a campaign in which he registered only 12 goals. On pace for 91 points, he's been the Kings' best forward night in and night out. - Livingstone
8. Johnny Gaudreau
Previously 1st
GP
G
A
P
P/GP
5-on-5 CF%
36
13
28
41
1.14
53.8
Gaudreau may have cooled slightly of late, but he remains one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the game. His 41 points and ridiculous possession numbers lead us to believe he'll be on this list a lot more moving forward. - Livingstone
7. Sidney Crosby
Previously unranked
GP
G
A
P
P/GP
5-on-5 CF%
36
14
20
34
0.94
53.9
Sid might not be lighting the lamp on the regular right now, but power rankings aren't complete without the best player on the planet. Crosby is still performing at almost a point-per-game clip and he seems to be rounding into form, registering eight goals and 11 assists in his last 16 games. - Livingstone
6. Nathan MacKinnon
Previously unranked
GP
G
A
P
P/GP
5-on-5 CF%
34
15
25
40
1.18
51.4
From one Nova Scotia native to the next. MacKinnon is having that huge breakout season we've been waiting for, despite scoring just one goal in his first 10 games. His play has helped transform the Avs from league laughingstocks into a team that's fun to watch - and has a legitimately bright future. - Wegman
5. Alex Ovechkin
Previously unranked
GP
G
A
P
P/GP
5-on-5 CF%
36
23
14
37
1.03
50
After one subpar season, Ovechkin is back scoring at a 50-goal pace. More importantly, he has picked up the slack for all of Washington's offseason departures, as his Caps sit near the top of the ultra-competitive Metropolitan Division. - Wegman
4. Connor McDavid
Previously 7th
GP
G
A
P
P/GP
5-on-5 CF%
35
14
28
41
1.17
55.7
McDavid hasn't dazzled to the extent he did a year ago, but he is still arguably the most dynamic and dangerous player in the game today. The Oilers go as he goes, and given how much better they've played of late, their best player deserves recognition. - Wegman
3. Steven Stamkos
Previously 2nd
GP
G
A
P
P/GP
5-on-5 CF%
35
13
32
45
1.29
54.9
Stamkos has slowed down a touch this month, but remains in the top five in scoring and sits second in points per game. His importance to the Lightning's success can't be understated, and his return as one of the top producers in the NHL, after a treacherous spell of injuries, is one of the better stories of the season. - O'Leary
2. John Tavares
Previously unranked
GP
G
A
P
P/GP
5-on-5 CF%
36
21
25
46
1.28
51.4
Since the start of December, no one has out-produced Tavares, who has recorded 18 points in 12 contests in the final month of the calendar. Linemate Josh Bailey has actually equaled that number, but it's No. 91 who drives the bus in New York, and he's picked a good time to have his best season yet. - O'Leary
1. Nikita Kucherov
GP
G
A
P
P/GP
5-on-5 CF%
35
24
27
51
1.46
53.3
Previously 3rd
Over the past 10 seasons, only Crosby, Ovechkin, and Evgeni Malkin have reached 50 points faster than Kucherov, who accomplished the feat in his 34th game. Kucherov has developed into one of the best players in the world and could be in store for the Rocket Richard, Art Ross, and Hart trophies if this keeps up. - O'Leary
The Americans and Canadians were separated by the slimmest of margins last year, with a shootout ultimately deciding the tournament as the Americans captured gold.
Heading into this year's edition we could be in for much of the same, with the two North American clubs tightly matched once again.
The two will square off during the first-ever tournament outdoor game on Dec. 29, after each have played their first two preliminary games.
The Group A victor is likely to be one of these two, so in order to gauge who that could be one must first take a look at each's roster makeup.
Forwards
There will be no shortage of talent upfront between these teams with a combined 12 first-round draft picks in the fold.
However, it is worth noting that nine of those first-rounders come from the U.S. side, and that doesn't even include Brady Tkachuk, who is expected to be a top-5 selection.
Another American name to keep an eye on is Casey Mittelstadt. Drafted eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres this past June, Mittelstadt has shown incredible skill with the puck in his first season at the University of Minnesota.
Factor in players such as Kailer Yamamoto and Logan Brown who have had brief stints with their respective NHL clubs this season (Edmonton and Ottawa) and it's clear the US talent pool is deep.
As for Canada, they are no slouch, but it's hard to ignore the fact that the team left first-round picks Cody Glass (sixth overall), Nick Suzuki (13th overall), and Owen Tippett (10th overall) off the team.
Edge: United States.
Canada should still have enough offense at their disposal to compete, but if it's one against the other, the United States gets the slight edge here.
Defense
Defense should be the Canadians' biggest strength.
Meanwhile, the Americans enter with Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox as their lone returning defenders from last year's team. The American's other notable defender is Quinn Hughes, a likely top-10 selection in the 2018 draft.
The University of Michigan freshman has great offensive instincts and scored a goal in the team's first pre-tournament win over Belarus.
Edge: Canada.
All things considered, Canada has a stronger all-around defense core. They have looked stellar in their two tune-up games - including limiting Switzerland to just seven shots - and seem to have a knack for creating offense.
Goalies
Heading into this year's tournament it's quite clear that Canada will be backed by returnee Carter Hart.
The Philadelphia Flyers' 2016 second-rounder fared admirably in his first taste of the tournament last year, claiming the starting role from Connor Ingram, and posting a 2.38 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage.
This year he looks to have kicked his play into overdrive, rocking an incredible 1.32 goals-against average and a .961 save percentage with the Everett Silvertips. He was also perfect, turning away all 23 shots in the team's first tune-up against the Czech Republic.
As for the Americans, they also have the potential to have a returnee take the reigns in goal. Toronto Maple Leafs' prospect Joseph Woll returns after playing two games last year, serving up a 1.50 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage.
The other two netminders who will battle for playing time are Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman. All three are currently playing college with Swayman putting up the best numbers at the University of Maine.
Edge: Canada.
Early on Hart looks to be the strongest netminder of the bunch and should give Canada the advantage in goal, a distinction they haven't laid claim to in some time.
A resurgent Tuukka Rask has been named the NHL's first star of the week, after posting three wins along with a .954 save percentage and a 1.30 goals-against average. Rask is now 8-0-1 in his last nine starts, a huge factor in the Bruins' recent success.
Meanwhile, rookie sensation Mathew Barzal earned second star honors after recording six points in four games, including his first career hat trick. Barzal now paces all NHL freshman with 35 points in 36 games.
Finally, Florida Panthers goaltender James Reimer captured the third star of the week. He earned three wins, including one shutout, as well as a sparkling .964 save percentage.
