Team Canada held an optional practice at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis on Thursday. Team Slovakia held a full practice at 3M Arena. <\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Before taking the ice for his first shift in the New Year\u2019s Eve game, Zayne Parekh told his longtime pal Michael Hage that he was going to get a goal. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe scored 20 seconds later,\u201d Hage said with a big smile. \u201cI was losing my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMe and Hager have been saying dumb stuff all tournament,\u201d Parekh said with a grin. \u201cIt finally worked.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parekh also added two assists in Canada\u2019s 7-4 win over Finland, which clinched top spot in Group B. The Calgary Flames defenceman is tied for the scoring lead at the World Juniors with eight points. <\/p>\n
After producing just one assist in 11 games during an injury-plagued start to the season with the Flames, Parekh hoped to regain his mojo in Minnesota. And that\u2019s exactly what\u2019s happening. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been so much fun,\u201d the 19-year-old from Nobleton, Ont. said. \u201cI wish I could stay here all year and hang out here as long as possible. I\u2019m sad. I\u2019m kind of counting the days down. It\u2019s coming to an end. It\u2019s been great for me. It\u2019s a refresher. I really needed this, and I\u2019m loving every second.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parekh\u2019s play and personality are big reasons why Team Canada went undefeated in the preliminary round. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s got so much confidence and swagger,\u201d said centre Cole Beaudoin, who also produced three points against Finland. \u201cYou see it in his game and even off the ice. I was not around when he called his shot, but I\u2019m sure he did, because it\u2019s the type of player he is.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s just very loose,\u201d said Team Canada captain Porter Martone. \u201cI think that\u2019s what makes him him. He\u2019s very calm.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s pretty laidback even in games,\u201d said Hage, who is a Montreal Canadiens prospect. \u201cYou\u2019ll miss chances and he\u2019ll come over and laugh at you, and it kind of lightens up the mood. He keeps everything pretty light. It helps you not get too down on yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parekh is appreciating the opportunity to be himself on and off the ice in Minnesota. Why is he so comfortable showing his personality with the media? Is it from watching a certain athlete? <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s more [from] watching NHL guys be robots and not having any personality,\u201d Parekh said with a laugh. \u201cI think you need some personality. It\u2019s kind of the best way to grow the game. I don\u2019t want to come in here and be a robot. When I\u2019m in Calgary, I definitely have a lot of guys that are telling me to give really simple answers, but here I can kind of do what I want.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the ice, Parekh is getting the green light to be himself as well. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe has some freedoms,\u201d said Team Canada head coach Dale Hunter, who also runs the bench for the London Knights and watched Parekh eclipse the 30-goal mark in back-to-back seasons in the Ontario Hockey League. \u201cWe got some rules we put in and some structure, but other than that, he\u2019s got to see the opening when it\u2019s there, and when it\u2019s not there, don\u2019t do it. It\u2019s up to him.\u201d<\/p>\n
That approach has allowed Parekh to bounce back quickly from any tough shifts. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf I have a bad play or I make a mistake, the next shift I\u2019m trying to make an impact again,\u201d Parekh said. \u201cI feel like I\u2019ve been flipping the page pretty easily and it\u2019s really helped me.\u201d <\/p>\n
Parekh taking over World Juniors with his play and personality There are four players tied for the World Juniors scoring lead with eight points, but only one of them is a defenceman. That would be Canada’s Zayne Parekh, who scored Wednesday night and is now up to four goals in four games. Adding to Parekh’s brilliance this tournament, Michael Hage revealed after the game that Parekh actually called his shot and told him he was going to score low blocker before doing just that. Mark Masters has more. <\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Parekh credits his long stick and distinctive skating style for turning his shot into a real weapon. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt goes maybe to my bottom lip now,\u201d he said of his stick. \u201cIt used to be up to my nose. I cut it down a bit, but not much in the grand scheme of things … I can leverage the puck so much and it kind of snaps off my stick. I skate pretty straight up, so I can kind of get some snap on it and it comes hot off the blade.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parekh is tied for third in the tournament with four goals. No other defencemen has more than two.<\/p>\n
Parekh\u2019s passing ability is also on display at the World Juniors.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s played in the NHL,\u201d noted Martone, who is a freshman at Michigan State. \u201cHe realizes you need to snap it around. He fires it so defenders don\u2019t have a chance to intercept it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s right on the tape,\u201d observed Hunter. \u201cIt\u2019s hard, so he catches guys off guard a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parekh reminds Hunter of Edmonton Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard, who he coached in London. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe sees those long stretch passes that a lot of guys don\u2019t see,\u201d Hunter added. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s got his head up,\u201d said Canadian forward Tij Iginla. \u201cThat\u2019s a huge thing for playmaking. It lets him see a pass, however far it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of Parekh\u2019s laser beam stretch passes led to an Iginla breakaway goal during a second-period power play against Finland.<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw Iggy and he was, like, making some silly faces at me and I hit him in stride and he did the rest,\u201d Parekh said.<\/p>\n
Silly faces? <\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, it looked like he angrily wanted the puck,\u201d Parekh explained. \u201cI gave it to him and he delivered.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if I would say I was making faces,\u201d Iginla responded. \u201cHe\u2019s got unbelievable vision and that was on display more times than just that one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parekh has four assists in four games. <\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Iginla\u2019s goal came 30 years to the day that his father, Jarome Iginla, recorded a hat trick for Canada at the World Juniors en route to a gold medal in Boston. What\u2019s it like to carry on the family tradition? <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s special for sure,\u201d the 19-year-old said. \u201cBut will only really consider it \u2018carrying it on\u2019 if we win it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Iginla\u2019s parents were in the crowd to witness his goal live on Wednesday. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was cool,\u201d the Kelowna Rockets sniper said. \u201cAny time that I can play well with them watching, and in an atmosphere like this, and in a big game, it\u2019s special.\u201d<\/p>\n
Is Iginla getting a lot of advice from his Hall-of-Fame father? <\/p>\n
\u201cNothing too crazy,\u201d the Utah Mammoth prospect said. \u201cIf I\u2019m in a little bit of a slump or something like that, he\u2019ll encourage me. It\u2019s more after games and looking at what I can work on and encouragement, and things like that. He usually lets me be a little bit more leading up to the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Iginla on carrying on family tradition at World Juniors: ‘It’s only carrying it on if we win’ Team Canada forward Tij Iginla, son of Jarome Iginla, looks back on his goal against Finland on Wednesday night and explains what it was like playing in front of his parents. <\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Parekh is quick to point out that he was not the only Canadian player to call his shot on Wednesday night. <\/p>\n
\u201cHager, before the power play, told B-Marts that it\u2019s coming,\u201d Parekh revealed. \u201cAnd it happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hage, who operates on the flank of the top unit, fed Brady Martin at the net front for a power-play goal in the first period. <\/p>\n
\u201cWatching the pre-scout on them, I had an idea that I was just going to have to beat just one stick and he was going to be wide open,\u201d Hage said. \u201cIt was a good job by him burying it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe give them three or four options that could be available,\u201d said assistant coach Brad Lauer, who oversees the power play. \u201cAnd they talk amongst each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Canada is seven for 13 on the power play and leads the tournament with a 54 per cent success rate. Seven different Canadian players have scored on the power play. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re very predictable right now with each other and when you\u2019re predictable and you understand each other, you can make plays with each other and we\u2019re starting to do that now,\u201d Lauer said. <\/p>\n
Canada has scored a power-play goal in every game. <\/p>\n
Canada Ice Chips: Hage calls his shot as power play stays hot Canada’s power play has been on fire at the World Juniors, leading the tournament at 54%. They’ve scored a power play goal in all four games and are a confident bunch on the man-advantage. Mark Masters has more. <\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Martin does not have much experience playing in front of the net on the power play, but has made a seamless transition to the role. <\/p>\n
\u201cI love it,\u201d the Soo Greyhounds forward said. \u201cI mean, I\u2019ll stand in front of the net, and I\u2019m not scared of it. I\u2019ll just take the eyes away.\u201d<\/p>\n
Early in training camp, Lauer spent extra time working with Martin on where to accept passes down low. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not an easy position to play,\u201d Lauer said. \u201cHe\u2019s doing well at it. He understands when to get in the goalie\u2019s eyes. He understands when to be available down low. He understands when to pop up into the bumper spot. It shows his intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martin\u2019s hockey IQ is not in question. His decision-making when it comes to his diet, however, is a hot topic around Team Canada. <\/p>\n
Before the tournament, Martin revealed he usually eats two chocolate-glazed donuts from Tim Hortons before games. However, that routine has been scrapped in Minnesota, where the coffee chain does not have any locations. <\/p>\n
\u201cHaven\u2019t had any in a while,\u201d Martin said. \u201cIt\u2019s been tough to get them. We\u2019re not in Canada right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
How\u2019s he filling the void? <\/p>\n
\u201cI usually get some Chick-fil-A,\u201d the Nashville Predators\u2019 fifth overall pick said. <\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Hage looks like a man on a mission at the World Juniors. <\/p>\n
\u201cI just think he wants to be the guy,\u201d said Parekh. \u201cHe loves the spotlight. He embraces it … He\u2019s been our best player probably.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hage assisted on both of Martin\u2019s goals against Finland. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe always makes the right play,\u201d Martin said. \u201cIf you get open, he\u2019ll find you. Just his hands and his IQ take him a long way.\u201d <\/p>\n
Hage is tied for the tournament scoring lead with eight points, including two goals. Is he extra motivated after being left off last year\u2019s World Junior team? <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s more me wanting to win so bad,\u201d Hage said. \u201cI think everyone just elevates the level they\u2019re playing at, and that\u2019s what I feel like I\u2019m doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s in his nature to begin with,\u201d Hunter said. \u201cWhenever he\u2019s playing, he\u2019s driven.\u201d <\/p>\n
With 28 points in 20 games with the University of Michigan, Hage is among the top scorers in the NCAA during his sophomore season. <\/p>\n
\u201cEver since my first year of juniors when I got hurt, I just wanted to prove a lot of people wrong and show that I could get better and better every single year,\u201d the 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont. said. \u201cSo that\u2019s really it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hage missed most of the 2022-23 season after sustaining a torn labrum during his first USHL practice with the Chicago Steel. <\/p>\n
‘He wants to be the guy’: Hage emerging as Canada’s catalyst at World Juniors Michael Hage is emerging as Team Canada’s catalyst at this year’s World Junior Championship and the Canadiens prospect shared his thoughts on embracing the role. <\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Martone picked up one assist on Wednesday night and finished minus-two. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe were alright,\u201d he said of his line, which includes Michael Misa and Iginla. \u201cI think a big thing in this tournament is you need all four lines to be successful, and we contributed in our own way last night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martone made his presence felt with physical play and did his best to agitate the Finns. During one post-whistle scrum, Martone grabbed the glove off the hand of Arttu Valila while falling to the ice. Martone skated away with the glove and dropped it in the bench. <\/p>\n
\u201cJust playing my game,\u201d he said with a smile. \u201cAs the games get tougher, I\u2019ve got to play on that edge and not cross that line. That\u2019s who I am, and that\u2019s how I play.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s that type of play that has earned the Philadelphia Flyers sixth overall pick comparisons to some of the top shift disturbers in the NHL. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been compared to Corey Perry and the Tkachuk brothers,\u201d Martone noted. \u201cI like to play on that line and be a hard player to play against.\u201d <\/p>\n
Martone channels Perry, Tkachuk as Canada’s top line finds different way to contribute Team Canada captain Porter Martone talks about his line’s performance in the win over Finland and looks back on losing in the quarterfinals at last year’s World Junior Championship. <\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Canada\u2019s top line has been quiet for most of the World Juniors. <\/p>\n
\u201cA big thing we\u2019ve talked about in meetings is that at the end of the tournament there\u2019s not going to be a photo of one person up on the wall,\u201d Martone said. \u201cIt\u2019s a team photo when you win a gold medal. At the end of the day, points don\u2019t matter with this group. We\u2019re a very unselfish group, and we\u2019re all fighting with each other to win a gold medal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, it\u2019s hard not to feel the pressure to produce, especially for a guy like Misa, who has been playing in the NHL for the San Jose Sharks. <\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, I\u2019d like to help the team out a little bit more myself, but we\u2019re finding ways to win,\u201d the second overall pick in June\u2019s NHL draft said. \u201cDifferent people are stepping up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Misa produced a goal and two assists in a blowout win over Denmark, but mustered just one assist in the other three group-stage games. The 18-year-old centre did not hit the scoresheet against Finland. <\/p>\n
As he looks to get in a groove offensively at the World Juniors, Misa is keeping words of wisdom from Sharks teammate Macklin Celebrini in mind. <\/p>\n
\u201cJust to be myself and not worry about anything else,\u201d Misa said of the advice. \u201cHe said, \u2018Just trust the process, and it\u2019ll all be good.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Misa reached out to Celebrini after the 19-year-old was named to Canada\u2019s Olympic team. <\/p>\n
\u201cI texted him yesterday and wished him congrats,\u201d Misa said. \u201cHe was asking me how the tournament is going and stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n
Misa reveals advice from Olympian Celebrini as he seeks more production at World Juniors Michael Misa may not have contributed on the scoresheet in Canada’s win over Finland but he is pleased that different people are finding ways to step up. Misa also spoke about his Sharks teammate Macklin Celebrini earning a spot on Canada’s Olympic roster. <\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Carter George allowed four goals on 18 shots on Wednesday night as his save percentage cratered to .844 in the tournament. <\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, the only stat is wins,\u201d said the Owen Sound Attack goalie, who is 3-0-0. <\/p>\n
George\u2019s save percentage is the lowest among goalies who have played at least 40 per cent of the minutes for their team in Minnesota.<\/p>\n
Hunter was asked if he\u2019s still confident with George in the quarterfinals. <\/p>\n
\u201cOh yeah,\u201d he said before quickly adding that he prefers not to confirm his goaltending plan until game day.<\/p>\n
Backup goalie Jack Ivankovic, who is 16-4-0 with a .927 save percentage at Michigan this season, picked up a win against Latvia (.963 save percentage) in his only appearance so far in Minneapolis. <\/p>\n
George\u2019s numbers are not great in the OHL this season as he has an .899 save percentage in 22 games. But the 19-year-old from Thunder Bay, Ont., previously led Canada to a gold medal at the under-18 World Championship and is considered a clutch performer by Hockey Canada\u2019s staff. <\/p>\n
\u201cHad a great third period,\u201d said assistant coach Gardiner MacDougall. \u201cYou want to play your [best] when the game is on the line, and he had to make big saves in the third for us.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cG-Mac always says the most important one is the next one,\u201d George noted. \u201cI just lived by that.\u201d <\/p>\n
George stopped all six shots he faced in the third period on Wednesday. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t really matter if he\u2019s let in one, zero, three, he\u2019s pretty unflappable,\u201d said goalie coach Dan De Palma. \u201cYou know you can count on him to not to lose his way in the middle of a game. The third period last night is a good example. He shuts the door.\u201d<\/p>\n
And George\u2019s numbers wouldn\u2019t look quite so bad if Finland\u2019s third goal by Lasse Boelius had been disallowed. Joona Saarelainen swatted George\u2019s glove with his stick as he tried to make the save. <\/p>\n
The officials ruled that George\u2019s glove was outside the crease. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey know the rule better than me,\u201d said De Palma. \u201cFor me, the spirit of goalie interference is: Did you interfere with the goalie and prevent him from making a save? I thought that happened.\u201d <\/p>\n
Canada remains confident in George despite poor save percentage Despite a poor save percentage throughout the World Junior Championship so far, Team Canada has full confidence in goaltender Carter George the rest of the way and George says the only stat that matters to him is wins. <\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Canada will be playing Slovakia in a do-or-die quarterfinal on Friday night. It\u2019s the first game between the countries at the World Juniors since a dramatic 4-3 overtime win by Canada in the quarterfinal of the 2023 World Juniors in Halifax. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was really sad,\u201d said forward Adam Nemec, whose older brother captained Slovakia in Halifax. \u201cSlovakia is a small country, and we know how big the win will be if they win. It gives us big inspiration that we can win against big countries like Canada.\u201d<\/p>\n
Did Simon Nemec, who plays for the New Jersey Devils, tell Adam anything about that game? <\/p>\n
\u201cNot really. It was too sad.\u201d<\/p>\n
What was it like for the brothers growing up? <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s older, so he put me in the net,\u201d Adam, 18, recalled. \u201cI was the goaltender when I was young.\u201d<\/p>\n
The younger Nemec couldn\u2019t wait to escape the crease. Unlike his brother, Adam is a forward. <\/p>\n
\u201cI like to score goals,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
The 2023 game between Canada and Slovakia ended when Connor Bedard deked around all three Slovaks on the ice, including Nemec, and beat goalie Adam Gajan. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was probably one of the best games I\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d said Slovak goalie Michal Pradel. \u201cMy friend Adam Gajan was playing. Just a crazy experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pradel has leaned on Gajan, who just led the U.S. Collegiate Selects to the final of the Spengler Cup, for advice during the World Juniors.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was telling me, \u2018Just enjoy the game. Focus on the moment,\u2019\u201d the Detroit Red Wings prospect said.<\/p>\n
Pradel, who plays for the Tri-City Storm in the UHL, planned to check in with Gajan again prior to the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n
Pradel has an .894 save percentage in three games at the World Juniors. <\/p>\n
\u201cI like watching tall, big goalies like [Connor] Hellebuyck and [Jake] Oettinger,\u201d said Pradel, who stands 6-foot-5. \u201cThose are my role models.\u201d <\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
With five goals and three assists, Slovak forward Tomas Chrenko is tied with Hage, Parekh and Gavin McKenna for the tournament scoring lead. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s absolutely brilliant,\u201d said Nemec, who also plays with Chrenko on Nitra MHC in the Slovak league. \u201cI tell him to keep shooting. We have chemistry at the club and here too. It\u2019s good.\u201d<\/p>\n
How does the draft-eligible Chrenko describe his style? <\/p>\n
\u201cSmooth style,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
His favourite players are Nathan MacKinnon and William Nylander. Why? <\/p>\n
\u201cMacKinnon is unbelievable,\u201d Chrenko said. \u201cAnd Nylander is smooth.\u201d<\/p>\n
— <\/p>\n
What will it take to beat Canada? <\/p>\n
\u201cIt will take 100 per cent and more,\u201d said Slovak coach Peter Fruhauf. \u201cWe have to go way out of the comfort zone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Canada has 16 wins and one tie in 17 all-time meetings with Slovakia at the World Juniors. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re facing a great team with a huge talent,\u201d said Fruhauf. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be hard, but on the way here we became a family. Boys would die for each other and it\u2019s a huge thing. It\u2019s not ordinary. So, let\u2019s use this. I wish success to the boys. The goal of success is not the quarterfinal game. It\u2019s semifinal and maybe more.\u201d<\/p>\n
‘Boys would die for each other’: Slovakia aims to avenge ‘very sad’ loss to Canada The 2023 World Juniors in Halifax saw Canada take on a spirited Slovakia side in a game that needed overtime heroics from the Canadians to advance. The memories still sting for the current Slovakian side and a few of the players shared their thoughts on that game. <\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Team Canada lines in Wednesday\u2019s game: <\/p>\n
Iginla – Misa – Martone<\/p>\n
McKenna – Hage – Martin<\/p>\n
Desnoyers – Beaudoin – O\u2019Reilly<\/p>\n
Luchanko – Reschny – Cootes<\/p>\n
Bear<\/p>\n
Reid – Parekh<\/p>\n
MacKenzie – Brunicke<\/p>\n
Aitcheson – Danford<\/p>\n
Verhoeff<\/p>\n
George starts<\/p>\n
Ivankovic<\/p>\n
Scratches: Greentree, Carels, Ravensbergen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Team Canada held an optional practice at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis on Thursday. Team Slovakia held a full…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":386605,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[556],"tags":[16159,64,63,575,85,176090,207414],"class_list":["post-386604","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nhl","tag-apple-news","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-nhl","tag-sports","tag-world-juniors-sports-hockey-world-juniors","tag-zayne-parekh-sports-hockey-player-player-nhl-api-8484768"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/386604","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=386604"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/386604\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/386605"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=386604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=386604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=386604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}