Sebastian Cossa, Donovan Sebrango and Team Canada battled Switzerland at the World Junior Championship in Wednesday’s Quarterfinal stage, with a berth in Friday’s Semifinal round on the line…
Canada won 6-3, though the game was a little closer than the score indicated, for most of the effort, anyway.
In terms of Red Wings prospects playing in today’s game…
Donovan Sebrango: Sebrango played on the top defensive pair with Olen Zellweger. He finished even with 1 shot in 20:12 played. Sebrango had some ups and downs; for most of the game, he and Zellweger generated offense, were astute defensively, and while Zellweger is the more offensively-inclined player on the pair, Sebrango was the “high man” while making some good passes and taking some shots of his own. Sebrango became more subdued after a centering pass from below his own goal line led to the third Swiss goal, but he regained his swagger by the end of the game–as did his team.
In terms of the game’s narrative:
In the 1st period:
Sebrango started the game with Zellweger and the Canadians’ top line, and the Swiss started the game physical and chippy, but Sebrango and company were up to the challenge, parrying a Swiss rush and sending the puck up and into the Swiss zone.
And 1:07 into the 1st period, Tyson Foerester chipped a fine pass into the net behind Noah Patenaude, giving Canada a 1-0 lead.
Tyson Foerster opens the scoring for 🇨🇦 Canada 1:07 into the game 🚨#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/zh45Js5gSs— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 17, 2022
67 seconds into the game, Tyson Foerster puts Canada on the board! #WorldJuniors
🔗: https://t.co/X7syuE1hzxpic.twitter.com/timUgoE0XE— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) August 17, 2022
Switzerland then set up in the Canadian zone and cycled hard, but the Canadians’ fourth line got out of trouble, for the most part; Dylan Garand had to make one big stop and and then a tip-in tied the game at 1 at 2:21.
Switzerland answers fast 🚨
Simon Knak tips one home to tie the game early in the 1st period.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/Rvf3awmxUO— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 17, 2022
The defenseman Brian Zanetti ripped a point shot into traffic, and Simon Knak made it 1-1.
In all honesty, the Swiss absolutely buzzed around the Canadian goal in the first 5 minutes of play, taking a 4-2 shot lead by 4:30 of the 1st, and while Stankoven just missed giving Canada a 2-1 lead, the Swiss were not backing down.
Just over 6 minutes into the 1st period, Sebrango made an astute offensive pass to Zellweger, he reversed flow and kept the puck in the offensive zone, then was unable to keep a second pass back to the point in the offensive zone, but he cleaned up his mess at center ice, and changed.
The Swiss were out-talented to be sure, but they weren’t being out-played. They ceded territory to the speedy Canadians, but the hard-charging Swiss defense hacked and whacked at the Canadian forwards…
Sebrango made a smart offensive pinch and then centered the puck for Roy, he rushed up ice, backed off and helped re-set the Canadian offense while taking a difficult hit up high.
Canada continued to dominate in the offensive zone, but made bad defensive errors in their own zone, and, as a result, the Swiss were earning chances that they had not necessarily worked for some 9:15 into the 1st period.
Switzerland almost capitalized on a 2-on-1 before the first TV timeout some 10:14 into the 1st.
The Canadians were just not playing good defense, even when Sebrango and Zellweger were on the ice, and it was costing them dearly.
What Sebrango was doing was making smart offensive passes and helping players like Ridly Grieg generate scoring chances, and I’m not used to seeing Sebrango play strong offensively. He’s a great defensive defenseman, but he’s got some chops.
9:10 into the 1st, Logan Stankoven raced into the offensive zone 1-on-0 and shanked a shot wide of Patenaude;
At 11:31, however, Jack Thompson took the rebound of a shot-to-generate-a-rebound by Ronan Seeley, and he ripped it into an open net.
Jack on the spot. 🇨🇦🚨#WorldJuniors
pic.twitter.com/avbKkrRGU8— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) August 17, 2022
Jack Thompson rips one home for Canada after a fortunate bounce 🚨
🇨🇦 Canada 2 – 1 🇨🇭 Switzerland#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/mIMNGvqGcC— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 17, 2022
Canada led 2-1.
The Swiss weren’t giving Canada much time or space and they were hitting hard, blocking shots, hacking, whacking, pushing, shoving and generally making Canada’s life exponentially harder than the Canadians imagined their collective life would be.
Still, Canada’s Logan Stankoven chipped a gorgeous goal off the crossbar, goalpost, and then in on the backhand past Patenaude, with Stankoven sneaking behind the Swiss defense on a beautiful play.
🚨 Logan Stankoven capitalizes on the Swiss turnover to extend Canada’s lead in the 1st period.
🇨🇦 Canada 3 – 1 🇨🇭 Switzerland#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/xKhNLE0wQq— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 17, 2022
When you pick up your own rebound 😮@HockeyCanada #WorldJuniors @LoganStankoven @blazerhockey pic.twitter.com/9ZCdFQJwge— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) August 17, 2022
It was 3-1 Canada at 14:32.
Sebrango made a good shot block on his next shift, and he continued to play his efficient, spare, smart game.
Then Nathan Gauthier tipped a Desnoyers shot past Patenaude at 17:01, and the Canadians were up 4-1…
Nathan Gaucher puts the puck over the line and Canada leads 4-1 #WorldJuniors
🔗: https://t.co/sTzYFi9aZwpic.twitter.com/HwWT7NfWEb— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) August 17, 2022
🚨 Nathan Gaucher picks up a loose puck in front and Canada leads 4-1 in the 1st period!
Kevin Pasche has replaced Noah Patenaude in net for Switzerland.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/nAQ510zpXz— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 17, 2022
So Switzerland brought in Kevin Pasche, their second goaltender.
Pasche had to make a beautiful glove save on Othmann almost immediately, and while the Canadians were still being given little time, space, and a hard physical ride by the Swiss, they were pulling away with an equally tough work ethic and a whole lot more talent than Switzerland could provide.
The Swiss were smart in winning a defensive battle down low in the Canadian zone, and none other than Atillio Biasca scored off a fine pass from Joshua Fahrni to make it 4-2 at 19:51 of the 1st.
🇨🇭 Attilio Biasca finishes off a perfect pass from Joshua Fahrni in the dying seconds of the 1st period!
After 20 minutes:
🇨🇦 Canada 4 – 2 🇨🇭 Switzerland#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/y7LlV4Ll9f— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 17, 2022
Attilio Biasca snipes and brings Switzerland within two goals in the dying seconds of the period! #WorldJuniors
🔗: https://t.co/dIpy5X7NFcpic.twitter.com/nLY8F9Wg50— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) August 17, 2022
The Swiss weren’t going away easily.
In the 2nd period:
Sans Ridly Grieg, who suffered a shoulder injury of some sort and was ruled out for the rest of the game, the Canadians proceeded to charge out for the 2nd period, with Sebrango generating a shot off an offensive zone faceoff, Canada changing lines within the first 30 seconds of the period, and playing more crisply overall.
Still, Switzerland wasn’t about to give up, and their tenacity was visible and apparent as they defended the Canadians and attempted their own rushes.
I continued to be surprised by the offensive aplomb of Sebrango and Zellweger as a defensive pairing. It was good to see the pair generate scoring chances and jump up into play to facilitate offense. Sebrango was smooth and smart….
And Zellweger set up Kent Johnson Johnson deked, reversed, and Zellweger sent the puck to Will Cuylle, who chipped the puck over Pasche and in, making it 5-2 Canada at 4:20 of the 2nd.
🚨 Will Cuylle makes no mistake after Zellweger’s great pass.
🇨🇦 Canada 5 – 2 🇨🇭 Switzerland#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/q2dOMmd5pk— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 18, 2022
Will Cuylle adds to Canada’s lead #WorldJuniors
🔗: https://t.co/EuteaRzSR8pic.twitter.com/qLGnPkMqji— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) August 18, 2022
The Swiss weren’t going to roll over and play dead, but, with just over half a game remaining, they’d have to try to break it back open as Canada attempted to close the book.
Sebrango and Zellweger were earning a ton of ice time as the period progressed, but Canada was also rotating 3 defensive pairings and keeping shifts short, so Sebrango and Zellweger didn’t have a hard job…
Until Sebrango took a pass from goaltender Dylan Garand, Sebrango got bumped and smeared and reversed the puck out front to Stankoven, he missed the pass, and Attillio Biasca scored his second goal, making it 5-3 at 7:51.
🚨 Attilio Biasca capitalizes on Canada’s defensive zone woes to put 🇨🇭 Switzerland within two goals.
🇨🇦 Canada 5 – 3 🇨🇭 Switzerland#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/6WqVgEPW6Z— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 18, 2022
Attilio Biasca goes two-in-a-row to get @SwissIceHockey back within 2!#WorldJuniors @HFXMooseheads pic.twitter.com/GZBlMynfyT— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) August 18, 2022
Sebrango was culpable there, but he was rushed by his own goaltender, he got hit, and his teammate flubbed the pass.
And Garand never got set.
Brennan Othmann laid out a Swiss player with a nasty hit…
Brennan Othmann with a big hit 💪#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/YxiH5iKnPt— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 18, 2022
And Canada took a penalty a couple minutes later, at 12:33, when Gaucher took a high-sticking minor, and the Swiss got a key opportunity to squeeze the goal deficit to one…
The Swiss really challenged the Canadians on the PK, but they didn’t really generate any shots on goal, and you’re not going to earn a PPG with 1 shot on goal.
Oddly enough, the Canadians got a power play at 15:23 thanks to Sebrango bumping a Swiss player in front of the Swiss bench as they changed lines, yielding too many Swiss players on the ice…
We’ve heard that song before… 😅#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/iVxw9kwkg3— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 18, 2022
The Canadians got tons of shots on net, Zellweger made an amazing keep-in, et. al., but karma got the better of the Canadians, who did not score on the power play.
As the 2nd period wound down, the Canadians got a little “loosey goosey” in their defensive zone, and they surrendered some prime chances to Switzerland as a result.
Zellweger and Sebrango continued to generate offense, but after his giveaway, Sebrango was more muted offensively, staying back as Zellweger pinched and made slick plays.
The Swiss seemed to be targeting Sebrango in the final minute of the 2nd period, too, running him into the end boards and keeping him there to see if he would make that Red Wings play of chipping the puck out front, which the Canadians were not used to…
Garand had to make a savvy glove save on an icing call against at the end of the 2nd period, too, but they emerged from the 2nd with a 2-goal lead.
In the 3rd period:
The 3rd period began with Canada winning the opening faceoff but icing the puck 16 seconds in, and a Canadian forward (Logan Stankoven) absolutely railed a Swiss player (Kevin Nicolet) in front of the Swiss bench, sans call;
The game remained physical and nasty in general, and the stick work was particularly nasty as it became clear that the referees were going to allow the players to decide the game.
Canada did a decent-enough job of keeping Switzerland off the scoreboard, with Sebrango making some smart hits but some slightly lazy back-handed passes in his own zone–blind ones–but the game was just very nasty.
Canada’s Dylan Garand also faced a significant number of shots, especially with the McTavish line hemmed in its own zone, over the course of the first 5 minutes of play.
The shots were 5-0 Switzerland some 5:30 into the 3rd.
Again, when Sebrango was out with Zellweger, he was a little more cautious, a little more secure, and a little less flourishing, but no less effective.
When he’s at his best, Sebrango’s confident and almost plays with a swashbuckling flair. It’s fun to see. He wasn’t quite there tonight, at least not after his giveaway.
At 7:12, Brennan Othmann and Vincent Despont headed off for Canada and Switzerland, respectively, yielding a 4-on-4 situation.
The Canadians dominated the 4-on-4, sending shots and shot attempts at or near Pasche, and they were “killing clock” as a result.
Sebrango and Zellweger played the final bit of the 4-on-4 and some 5-on-5 play with Connor Bedard’s line, and they played well;
As Canada started to pull away some 12 minutes into the 3rd period, Sebrango was more comfortable pinching when necessary and playing that swashbuckling style again as he and Othmann held the Swiss off the scoresheet.
Pretty frickin’ remarkably, Connor Bedard beat Pasche 5-hole, and Swiss defenseman Despont made a skate save that was fantastic with 6:07 remaining in the 3rd.
The Swiss did hem Canada in their own zone with 5 minutes remaining in the 3rd period, and Switzerland re-set and Garand had to make a huge stop as 6 Canadians got away with being 6 Canadians on the ice…
At the other end, Pasche was keeping it close as the Canadians really piled up chances…
But, with 3:13 left, Switzerland pulled their goaltender, and Sebrango had to defuse a 3-on-2 by the Swiss forwards.
He also wrapped his arms around a Swiss forward and pinned him to the end boards during a scrum for the puck, but he got away with it.
Canada iced the puck with 1:59 left in regulation…But they got away with it, and Stankoven shoveled the 6-3 goal into the empty Swiss net at 18:51, from Kent Johnson.
Logan Stankoven pots the empty-netter 🚨#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/FN3jclw30G— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 18, 2022
Nothing to see here, just Kent Johnson casually feeding Logan Stankoven with a backhand pass between his legs on the empty-netter 🔥
🔗: https://t.co/5iuC6hPJzvpic.twitter.com/bPISnJ50Wm— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) August 18, 2022
The Swiss didn’t stop attacking, to their credit, but time expired on their run.
Update: Here are the game’s highlights:
