A third period break-down cost Canada’s World Junior Team in their second of three pre-tournament exhibition games.
Team Canada defeated Sweden 2-1 on Dec. 17, and led by that same score heading into the third period of the second exhibition match between the two teams on Dec. 20.
Despite being out-shot 10-6, the Swedes rallied for three unanswered goals and a 4-2 win at Canada Life Place in London, Ont.
“I thought we had some good looks and probably could have scored a few more goals,” head coach Dale Hunter said in a press release. “Obviously, a couple of tough bounces, a couple of bad luck breaks, but that’s hockey, those things are going to happen. At the end of the day, we missed our chances, and when they had looks, they buried it.”
Sweden led 1-0 after the first, but goals from Kelowna Rockets winger Tij Iginla and centre Braeden Cootes of the Seattle Thunderbirds put Canada in the lead after 40.
The Swedes tied things up in the first minute of the first. Jack Berglund scored short-handed 43 seconds in, and Ivar Stenberg gave Sweden the lead roughly nine minutes into the period.
Berglund added his second of the night with 1:21 to play to give Sweden a 4-2 win.
Jack Ivankovic stopped 12 shots for Canada in the loss, while Sweden’s Love Harenstam made 23 saves.
“Sweden is a good team, and we know that we can’t underestimate anyone,” Team Canada defenceman Cameron Reid said. “It’s hockey; mistakes are going to happen, but it’s about how many you can limit and how you respond when they do happen.”
Canada has one more pre-tournament game against Denmark on Tuesday before the World Juniors start on Boxing Day. Canada is in Group B with Finland, Czechia, Denmark, and Latvia.
They open the tournament on Dec. 27 against Czechia.
“We know this isn’t going to be an easy tournament,” Reid said. “Every team is going to bring their best against us. Everyone wants to beat Canada and I think that’s an important lesson for this group to learn here today.”
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