SWEDEN 5
U.S. 4 (OT)
The Hughes siblings are finding out about the best-laid plans and all that.
The province’s hockey fans are closely watching Vancouver Canucks’ 2018 first-round draft pick, and seventh overall selection, Quinn Hughes during the 2019 International Ice Hockey Federation world junior championship tournament. The American blueliner glaringly coughed up the puck on Sweden’s third goal Saturday night at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre but then came up with a nifty assist as the U.S. rallied from a 4-0 deficit to tie Sweden 4-4 in breathtaking fashion at the wire.
Sweden won the game 5-4 in three-on-three overtime.
Meanwhile, Quinn’s brother Jack Hughes missed the game due to injury. One of the touted Blanshard Street storylines in Pool B of the world juniors was to be the New Year’s Eve meeting between the respective projected No. 1 and No. 2 draft picks for the 2019 NHL draft — forward Jack Hughes of the U.S. and Kaapo Kakko of Finland.
But Jack Hughes missed his second consecutive game as the U.S. (2-0-1) and Sweden (3-0) played before a decidedly pro-Swedish capacity Island crowd, as the Swedes recorded their 47th consecutive pool-round victory since 2006.
Kakko and the Finns (2-1), meanwhile, took care of business in Saturday afternoon’s 5-1 victory over winless Slovakia.
"It was a good win. We needed it. We are getting better and better,” said Kakko, speaking through a Finnish interpreter.
“I was happy with my [play] and am getting better all the time … I am trying to be in scoring position for my teammates and maybe make some goals.”
Kakko has a goal and two assists in the three Finnish tournament games to date. Jack Hughes had an assist in the opening 2-1 U.S. victory over Slovakia but then sat out the stats-fattening 8-2 American win against Kazakhstan and again last night versus the Swedes.
U.S. head coach Mike Hastings told The Canadian Press that Hughes “is progressing every day” from the undisclosed condition.
Meanwhile, asked what the five-foot-10 Jack Hughes does better than him, Kakko replied in Finland’s post-game interviews: “[Hughes] is a good skater. He is a little bit better with the skating.”
Kakko is more of a physical presence.
“[Kakko] is a great guy to play with and he sees the ice well and can shoot. He can do damage on offence,” said Finnish forward Eeli Tolvanen, who has a goal and assist in four games this season in the NHL with the Nashville Predators, and four goals and eight assists in 24 AHL games with the Milwaukee Admirals.
Meanwhile, call Sunday’s lone Group B game the Turtle Bowl or Bottom Bowl if you will. But the 7:30 p.m. match-up at the Memorial Centre means everything to Slovakia (0-3) and Kazakhstan (0-2).
The winner will make the quarter-finals as the fourth seed in the pool and play Canada or Russia on Wednesday at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.
The loser is headed to the relegation final against likely Pool A last-place Denmark.
The relegation-final winner gets to stay in the top group for next year’s 2020 world junior tournament in the Czech Republic. The relegation loser will be dropped down to the Tier 1 worlds in 2020, while recent Tier 1 tournament champion Germany, will be promoted to the top group.
The game Sunday night will conclude Slovakia’s journey at the Memorial Centre through Pool B. Kazakhstan concludes pool play Monday at 3:30 p.m. with a near-impossible task against Sweden.
“Now it’s time to win. We’ll have a good sleep and a good meal and be ready for [Sunday night],” said Slovakian forward Milos Roman, who scored his side’s lone goal Saturday in the loss to the Finns.
“We have to stick with the plan and keep going. Kazakhstan is playing an aggressive game and we have to be ready for it.”
Because of their underdog status, both Kazakhstan and Slovakia have sort of been adopted by Island fans attending the Pool B games. It’s a different sort of reception than what Roman is used to during his usual visits to the Memorial Centre as a member of the Vancouver Giants playing the host Victoria Royals in the WHL.
“This crowd is very good and pushes us forward and it’s a pleasure to play here,” said Roman, in what is certainly a major twist for the Giants forward.
But that’s the difference between playing in national team colours and club kit.
The final game of Pool B is the New Year’s Eve meeting between the U.S. and Finland.
Two playoff quarter-final games, with teams to be decided, are scheduled for Victoria on Wednesday at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The two other quarter-finals, semifinals and final are in Vancouver, concluding with the gold-medal game next Saturday at Rogers Arena.
