Veit Oswald's two goals help Germany surprise Finland 4-3 at world juniors; Canada, Czechia roll
Canada's Macklin Celebrini in action during the IIHF World Junior Championship group A ice hockey match between Latvia and Canada at Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden, Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023. Credit: AP/Bjorn Larsson Rosvall
GOTHENBURG, Sweden — Veit Oswald scored twice, including the eventual winner, as Germany held off Finland for a 4-3 upset Wednesday at the world junior hockey championship.
Oswald broke in on the net alone after Finnish defenseman Jesse Pulkkinen lost his edge on the ice and fell. The German forward snapped the puck past goalie Niklas Kokko with 5:22 left in the second period and then he and his teammates hung on.
The Finns outshot Germany 17-5 in the third period but couldn't find the back of the net.
Roman Kechter and Niklas Hubner also scored and Philipp Dietl made 40 saves for Germany (1-0), which beat Finland for the first time at the tournament. Finland had a 25-0 record with a 141-31 goal differential against the Germans dating to the inaugural championship in 1977.
Tommi Mannisto, Kasper Halttunen and Samu Bau scored for Finland (0-2). Kokko stopped 24 shots in net.
CANADA 10, LATVIA 0
Macklin Celebrini had a goal and four assists as Canada routed Latvia.
Canada's Conor Geekie, center, scores during the IIHF World Junior Championship group A ice hockey match between Latvia and Canada at Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden, Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023. Credit: AP/Bjorn Larsson Rosvall
Celebrini’s five points were two short of the Team Canada record for a single game at the world juniors, a mark held by six players, including Connor Bedard at last year’s tournament in Halifax. Conor Geekie and Carson Rehkopf added two goals apiece.
Celebrini, the 17-year-old presumptive top pick at the 2024 NHL draft, gave Canada a 5-0 lead when he scored on a breakaway after collecting a nice pass and finishing with a move to the backhand at 10:56. He picked up his fifth point on Canada’s ninth goal and Matthew Poitras finished off the scoring with nine minutes left in regulation.
Linards Feldbergs allowed seven goals for the overmatched Latvians, who dropped their opening game 6-0 to Sweden. Aksels Ozols replaced his teammate early in the third period.
Looking for a third straight gold medal at the tournament, Canada improved to 4-0 against Latvia by a combined 41-4 score.
Canada's Macklin Celebrini celebrates scoring during the IIHF World Junior Championship group A ice hockey match between Latvia and Canada at Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden, Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023. Credit: AP/Bjorn Larsson Rosvall
SLOVAKIA 3 SWITZERLAND 0
Adam Gajan stopped all 36 shots he faced as Slovakia blanked Switzerland.
Samuel Honzek staked Slovakia (2-0) to a 1-0 lead before Peter Repcik and Servac Petrovsky added empty-net goals in the last two minutes of play. Allessio Beglieri stopped 17 shots for Switzerland (0-1).
CZECHIA 8 NORWAY 1
Jiri Kulich and Eduard Sale each had a hat trick as Czechia routed Norway.
Ales Cech and Matyas Sapovaliv had the other goals for Czechia (1-1). Johannes Lokkeberg was the lone scorer for Norway (0-2).
