Team Canada moves on to playoff round after 7-4 win over Finland at World Juniors

The annual World Junior Hockey Championship moves to the playoff round, with Team Canada remaining unbeaten and topping Group B after an exciting 7-4 win over Finland on Wednesday night in Minneapolis.

Cole Beaudoin scored twice and added an assist, while Brady Martin added two goals for the Canadians, while Zayne Parekh added a goal and two assists in a fast, back-and-forth game.

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Michael Hage, Sam O’Reilly and Caleb Desnoyers each chipped in two assists. Tij Iginla scored and set up another. Carter George made 14 saves. O’Reilly added an empty-netter for a three-point night.

Canada’s third line of Beaudoin, O’Reilly and Desnoyers — a buzz-sawing trio that starts each period — combined for eight points on the night.

The game was wide open early, with the teams combining for six goals in the first 12 minutes before Canada pulled ahead in the second.

Roope Vesterinen, with a goal and an assist, Julius Miettinen, Oliver Suvanto and Lasse Boelius replied for Finland. Matias Vanhanen registered two assists. Petteri Rimpinen stopped 25 shots.

Canada has won seven straight against Finland at the world juniors, with the last loss coming in the quarters of the 2019 event in Vancouver.

“You watch this tournament, and you watch this game specifically on New Year’s Eve with your family, so means a lot,” said Ottawa native Beaudoin. “But couldn’t have done it without my linemates, the team.”

One of six returnees from the group that lost to the United States 4-1 at Canadian Tire Centre in the nation’s capital before the calendar flipped to 2025 ahead of getting ousted in the quarterfinals, Beaudoin has done his best to put that disaster behind him.

The pain, however, will linger until there’s a gold medal hanging from his neck.

“Last year’s in the past,” Beaudoin said. “But it’s super cool and means a lot to keep this going. We need to keep this momentum going and crush some more dreams.”

Canada will face Slovakia in the quarterfinals on Friday and Finland will meet the U.S. after the Americans fell 6-3 to unbeaten Sweden, which leads Group A.

The games on Friday are all single-elimination games, with the losers’ tournament coming to an end and the winners moving on to the semifinals on Jan. 4. The winners of the semis play for the gold medal, while the losers battle for bronze on Jan. 5.

— with files from The Canadian Press

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