There’s still plenty to be decided in the final games of round robin play at the World U17 Hockey Challenge, but if things go according to plan, at least a pair of Moose Jaw Warriors will be in medal contention.
Team Black -- featuring Warriors head coach Mark O’Leary and forward Lynden Lakovic -- hold a 2-2-0-1 (win-loss-overtime win-overtime loss) record through their first five preliminary round games and as a result sit in third place in the standings with one game to play.
Things aren’t going quite as well for Warriors defenceman Marek Howell and Canada White, as they sit 0-2-1-1 and are in fifth place with two games remaining.
After winning their opener 4-3 over Team Red back on Nov. 3, Canada Black dropped a 5-1 decision to Finland on Friday before rebounding with a 5-3 win over Canada White Saturday and losing 4-3 to Sweden on Monday.
Lakovic, the Warriors second-round pick in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, scored his first goal as a member of Team Canada against Canada White, and it came not long after he picked up his first penalty as well. Lakovic had served a tripping minor with 5:37 gone in the first period and only had to wait a few shifts before getting on the scoresheet in a positive manner, scoring Black’s third goal of the period with 5:02 remaining in the frame.
Lakovic also drew an assist in Team Black’s loss to Sweden, picking up a helper when Cole Beaudoin (OHL Barrie) scored with 5:18 gone in the first.
Howell, the Warriors’ first-round Prospect Draft pick in 2021, also has his first point with Team Canada. That came in Canada White’s 6-5 overtime win over Czechia, where Howell assisted on a goal by Spencer Gill (QMJHL Rimouski) with 29 seconds remaining in the first, giving Canada a 4-3 lead.
Things didn’t go as well in Canada White’s other contests, as they fell 3-2 to Sweden to open their run on Nov. 5 before dropping a 4-3 overtime decision to Canada Red on Sunday.
Canada White will need wins over Finland (3-1-0-0) and the United States (5-0-0-0) on Wednesday and Thursday to have a shot at finishing in the top four and advancing to the playoff round.
Canada Black, meanwhile, can move into second place with a regulation-time win over Czechia (0-0-3-1) and a Finland regulation loss to Canada White on Thursday.
The third- and fourth-place teams will play for bronze with the top two preliminary round teams advancing to the gold medal game. Both contests are slated for Saturday in Langley, B.C.
For the latest scores from the World U17 Hockey Challenge, be sure to visit www.hockeycanada.ca.
