Here’s a bit of where Junior Team Canada was on Wednesday night in Edmonton: scribble over Guernica.

Fortunately for the Canadians, in this knockout appetizer, Switzerland was up against them. So they were able to escape without too many pitfalls with their 6-3 victory that propelled them to the semi-finals of the World Junior Championships.

Not that the national team put on an ugly performance, just that they seemed casual in their area at times, as if they were aware of their superiority which, in the end, is a very human thing.

Some players offered a decorated version of their performance, while others were more significant.

We might have taken them a little bitFrankly admitted, Nathan Gocher.

some examples.

The Canadians scored the first goal of the match after 67 seconds of play, creating from the start the excesses, scoring chances, and smelling of carnage. A minute later, after a spin from Will Cuylle, Switzerland brought everyone back to the same height.

Then Dave Cameron’s men ran with three goals in a row and quickly slowed when the Helvetians changed goalkeepers. In the end, after this change, the Swiss scored more goals than Canada if we exclude the goal scored in the empty net.

Donovan Cibrango’s turn deep into his territory also led to Attilio Biasca’s second goal in the match, which reduced the score to 5-3.

The Canadians were a bit hesitant at the start of the third half, taking just over seven minutes to hit the target just as the match was more intense. Little warning signs here and there, nothing more.

Maybe we thought the defense was going to run on its own. From the start of the tournament it started with defending for us. That’s what gives us chances to score, so we have to focus on that againGaucher, who scored his first goal of the tournament on Wednesday, said.

Today, I think it was a setback. We noticed that we would not give a match. It won’t be easy. We’ll have to work for it, and it was a good time to play a game like thisEliot Desnoyers added.

The time is as good as it is against a less difficult opponent than what is waiting for the maple leaf to keep things going. As long as there was a slight setback compared to the previous game against Finland, the last of the preliminary round, when the team was particularly difficult, it was better that it happened there than in the final.

Head coach Cameron hasn’t put himself ahead with these few covering errors and other poor decisions in the defensive zone.

You won’t go through a cycle thinking that everything will turn out the way you want it to. […] You can still play a very good game and lose. We don’t worry about that. We only care about the way we play. In the end, did we fight alone or did we give ourselves the best chance of winningCoach fired.

Match between Canada and Switzerland.

Photo: The Canadian Press/Jason Franson

a huge loss

More worrying for Canada is what they lost in this match more than their little wanderlust.

Center Ridley Gregg, captain of the squad since the start of the tournament, was forced to leave the match in the first period after absorbing a strong call from Vincent Despont. The prospect of the Senators seems to have hit his left arm or shoulder somewhere, although in the midst of a championship with Team Canada, even Sherlock Holmes will be hard-pressed for more details.

Desnoyers replaced him in the midfield by Joshua Roy and William Dufour, players Super attackers who see the game wellIn his own words, received congratulations from Cameron after the match.

In the event of a serious injury, it would be a huge loss for the Canadians. Greig has been used in all manner of sauces, either to counter the best opposing line, to generate attack or to sell penalties.

The youngster collected six points in four matches and quickly established himself as one of the cornerstones of the formation.

By his own admission, Cameron bragged about the depth of his team. Gaucher assured that they have the resources to do so fill the hole He left due to his possible absence. Logan Stankoven’s good performance against the Swiss, with two goals and an assist, gave weight to these notes. We’ll find out soon enough as this asymmetric tournament approaches its final phase.

Canada has so far outperformed the competition. Even without Greig, there is no apparent reason to predict that this will stop. As Cameron said, the team is, in a way, his staunch enemy.

The beginning of the widget. Skip the widget?

end of the piece. Back to top widget?