Mason McTavish and the things we learned from Day 3 of the World Juniors
The third day of the World Juniors saw two of three games decided in blowout fashion.
Canada dominated Slovakia en route to a double-digit victory, and Team USA hammered Switzerland in the late game. If not for a 4-3 shootout win by Finland against Czechia during earlier Wednesday, it could have been a hat trick of lopsided affairs.
All three games provided some interesting storylines nonetheless.
Here’s what we learned from the third day of action:
Mason McTavish puts his stamp on World Juniors
The Canadians took care of business against the Slovakians in a big way with a decisive 11-1 victory to improve to 2-0 for the tournament. Canada’s best player in this game was easily team captain Mason McTavish, who was picked No. 3 in the 2021 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks. He was an offensive force for the entire game, recording a four-goal night while adding a couple more assists for a startling six-point performance.
McTavish is already up to eight points (four goals, four assists) through the first two games and is stealing the show along with teammate Connor Bedard after three days of competition.
Finland is having success with a well-rounded team attack
Finland have gotten off to a perfect start at the World Juniors with two victories in their opening two games. They’ve beaten two tricky opponents in Switzerland and Czechia, and it’s the way they have won that has stuck out. Through two games, 10 Finnish players have recorded a point and six players have at least one goal. While top players like Joakim Kemell (Nashville Predators) and Aatu Raty (New York Islanders) are leading the way with five points a piece, the entire roster has found a way to contribute.
For Finland to remain competitive the rest of the way they’re going to have to keep getting contributions from their depth as well as their stars as the competition gets tougher from here on out.
Bordeleau steps up for the Americans at World Juniors
Thomas Bordeleau was okay in the tournament opener against the Germans, recording one assist in a 5-1 win. It was a good — not great — performance for the second-round pick (No. 38) of the San Jose Sharks in the 2022 NHL Draft. He followed that up with a dominant showing against Switzerland Thursday night.
Bordeleau displayed his great vision and elite passing ability by setting up a few goals for the Team USA, but also proved he can be so much more than just a playmaking option. He let a beautiful one-time shot rip on the power play that went bar down right over the goalies shoulder for a beautiful snipe. The Americans have taken care of business through their first two games at the World Juniors, and Bordeleau was a vital part of their 7-1 victory on the third day.
Honorable Mentions
Czechia opened the tournament with a crucial victory over Slovakia, with the winning effort led by captain and Montreal Canadiens prospect Jan Mysak and Jiri Kulich (Buffalo Sabres). Despite losing in a shootout to Finland on Day 3, both Kulich and Mysak were impressive yet again.
Each player recorded a goal and an assist, helping drive the offense, and Kulich was even awarded Czechia’s player of the game for his efforts. These two continue to be standouts for their team and will have a massive impact on how far Czechia goes in the tournament.
DAY 1: JOAKIM KEMELL AND THE THINGS WE LEARNED ON DAY 1 OF THE WORLD JUNIORS
DAY 2: CONNOR BEDARD AND THE THINGS WE LEARNED ON DAY 2 OF THE WORLD JUNIORS
DAY 3: MASON MCTAVISH AND THE THINGS WE LEARNED FROM DAY 3 OF THE WORLD JUNIORS