Canucks prospects on the World Juniors: Lekkerimaki shoots Sweden into the semifinals

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It’s a particular version of the prospects tracker, the place we tally the efforts of the Vancouver Canucks’ prospects enjoying on the world junior championship match:

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Jonathan Lekkerimaki

He’s not finished but — and neither is his semifinal-bound crew.

Jonathan Lekkerimaki scored his fourth purpose in 5 video games on the world juniors to assist propel Sweden to a troublesome 3-2 time beyond regulation win over Switzerland in entrance of a capability crowd on the Scandinavium in Gothenburg on Tuesday. The win earns the hosts a berth within the semifinal on Thursday towards the Czechs, who shocked Canada 3-2 earlier within the day.

As we’ve seen all through the match, Lekkerimaki was engaged from the drop of the puck, letting a scorching shot rip on an early energy play then transferring the puck round later within the body, organising one other shot, which was swallowed up by Swiss goaltender Alessio Beglieri.

Lekkerimaki, 19, discovered the again of the web on a late first interval energy play, with the 5-foot-11, 172-pound proper shot winger firing a laser by way of the legs of defender Timo Bunzli, off the far-side put up and in.

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Simply … wow.

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The Huddinge product had three pictures within the first interval and three extra within the second.

Early within the third interval, Lekkerimaki fired a howitzer simply broad on an influence play, then had two extra pictures stopped on a late third interval man-advantage, after a phantom slashing name by the IIHF referee.

Then in time beyond regulation, the Canucks prospect earned an help on the game-winner, fired in from defenceman Axel Sandin Pellikka.

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Lekkerimaki completed the sport with two factors and 9 pictures on internet in over 22 minutes of ice time.

You’d assume it’d be sufficient for his first participant of the sport honours at this match, however captain Liam Ohgren, together with his one help, bought the decision.

General, Lekkerimaki is a unique participant than the one who struggled finally 12 months’s showcase occasion.

The indecision is gone. So is the perimeter play.

Lekkerimaki is pestilent in his new strategy, actively disrupting play together with his stick and never shying away from contact. He’s additionally partaking opponents after whistles. There he was within the second interval mucking it up with a Swiss defender after play was blown lifeless, then once more later within the body, crashing into the crease and taking pictures from the goaltender, attempting to get a name from the referees.

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Off the ice, the clock’s been set on Lekkerimaki’s arrival within the Decrease Mainland, with GM Patrik Allvin, who’s on the match, telling Swedish media on Monday that the sharpshooter is anticipated to play in Abbotsford subsequent season.

Allvin, impressed by Lekkerimaki’s play thus far, stated the 2022 first rounder nonetheless has to get stronger and can want adapt his sport to the smaller North American ice.

However what he’s seen so removed from Lekkerimaki is actually encouraging.

“It’s nice to see Lekkerimaki in his third match take a giant step and taking pictures and being a frontrunner on the crew right here,” Allvin instructed TSN on Tuesday.

“He’s had an excellent season right here in Sweden. He’s been working laborious this low season … and we’re excited to see him in coaching camp. As soon as the season is over, we hope he’s going to go to Abbotsford and we’ll take it from there.”

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Lekkerimaki, who instructed the prospects tracker in September that he’s “extra explosive, quicker and greater” this season, might want to hold his head up and bear down defensively within the rough-and-tumble AHL to finally change into a Rick Tocchet prototype on the skilled degree.

Nils Hoglander’s finished it, Vasily Podkolzin is doing it and Lekkerimaki — dripping with top-six potential — shall be anticipated to comply with swimsuit.

Till then, the duty at hand is a semifinal date with Czechia and a potential berth in Friday’s closing.

USA and Finland will play within the different semifinal on Thursday.

Lekkerimaki has 4 targets, 3 assists and a His 4 targets are two again of USA ahead Gavin Bridley, who has scored six this match.

Elias Pettersson

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From sufferer to victor.

After being on the ice for all of Finland’s 4 targets on Sunday, Elias Pettersson regained his defensive footing towards Switzerland on Tuesday with a stabilizing effort.

That stability didn’t extent to his opponents, nevertheless, because the hard-hitting Canucks prospect despatched a Swiss ahead flying into the corner-boards halfway by way of the primary.

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The 2022 third-rounder was assertive early, calling for the puck on the level, taking a go then wheeling it to his defence companion for a shot, tip, and a gap purpose by Otto Stenberg simply over a minute into the sport.

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Pettersson, 19, collected a secondary help on the play, his first level of the match.

The cell 6-foot-4, 205-pound left-shot D-man was on ice for Switzerland’s first purpose, although he wasn’t responsible. Whereas taking his man in entrance of the web, an unchecked Swiss ahead discovered area within the slot and wired a shot into the web to chop the result in 2-1 late within the second interval.

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Pettersson wasn’t on the ice for Switzerland’s tying purpose halfway by way of the third interval, which quieted the capability crowd on the Scandinavium in Gothenburg. Hearts had been additional aflutter when the hosts took a too-many-men penalty with eight minutes left and needed to combat off the man-advantage.

Pettersson was additionally on the ice within the closing minute of the third interval, and completed the sport with an help and a good score in simply over 19 minutes of ice time.

We’ve seen a whole lot of EP2 this match, and we’ll see much more of him in Abbotsford as soon as his season is finished in Sweden, Allvin stated.

Pettersson performs for his hometown crew Vasteras, which is in sixth place within the second-tier circuit and virtually sure to play within the post-season.

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Final 12 months’s Allsvenskan closing was on Might 13 and featured Lekkerimaki dropping a Sport 7 promotion bid with Djurgardens towards Modo, the Sedin twins’ Alma Mater — so a deep run for Vasteras would imply no sport motion for Pettersson within the AHL this season.

Allvin stated Pettersson “has been a gentle presence on the again finish” for Sweden and likes his dimension, energy and mobility.

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The group needs Pettersson to get used to the smaller ice in North America and get acclimatized to Abbotsford as quickly as potential.

Tom Willander

It’s the little issues that add as much as Tom Willander’s huge sport.

Positional consciousness to calm a flurry in entrance. A fast follow stifle a creating play. A seeing-eye go to ship the puck the opposite method.

Willander was rock stable as soon as once more towards Switzerland, enjoying on the second defensive pairing and posting a good score in simply over 19 minutes of ice time.

His highlights included a pleasant lead go to Liam Ohgren halfway by way of the primary interval for a scoring likelihood; forcing an ill-advised go later within the body, which led to a Swiss penalty and Lekkerimaki’s purpose; and main a rush up the ice with 5 minutes left in a tense third interval, skating into some open area and letting a harmful shot fly.

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In the long run, it was one other sport unscathed for the 6-foot-1, 179-pound right-shot defenceman — who has a plus-8 score on the match and hasn’t been on the ice for a purpose towards.

Willander, the Canucks’ Eleventh-overall choose at this previous summer time’s draft, additionally has a purpose and help in 5 video games performed.

Allvin stated the world juniors is a superb alternative for Willander — who at the moment stars for Boston College — to return residence to Sweden and play in entrance of his residence followers. However it can nonetheless be not less than a few years earlier than Vancouver followers can watch Willander play in their very own yard.

The plan for Willander is a sluggish burn: let the 18-year-old cook dinner at BU this season and subsequent — then take it from there. There’s the likelihood that Terriers defenceman and Group USA star Lane Hutson (MON, 2022, Rd. 2) will flip skilled subsequent season, giving Willander the reins to the NCAA’s No. 2-ranked crew’s defence.

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Willander has three targets, 5 assists and a plus-13 score in 15 video games at BU this season, his first in North America.

Elsewhere: Defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz (2023, Rd. 3) notched his 51st help of the OHL season for Kitchener on Monday, in a 3-2 win over the Oshawa Generals. Brzustewicz, 19, continues to guide the league with 58 factors, two earlier than undrafted teammate Matthew Sop.

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