In a world hockey championship game held in Fribourg, Switzerland, Canada’s top scorers were relatively quiet, but Emmitt Finnie, an unsung forward, made a valuable contribution to maintain their undefeated streak. Finnie, who recently secured a spot with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings after being chosen in the seventh round of the 2023 draft, scored his first international goal and provided an assist as Canada triumphed over Slovenia 3-1, solidifying their position at the top of Group B standings.
The 20-year-old player from Lethbridge, Alta., had an impressive rookie season with the Red Wings, playing in all 82 games, scoring 17 goals, and assisting on 13 others. Finnie demonstrated his scoring prowess by sealing the victory in the third period with a well-placed redirection of a Morgan Rielly shot into the Slovenian net.
Expressing his joy at the achievement, Finnie, who was named Canada’s player of the game, stated, “It feels great [to score]. It has been a lot of fun here, and I have had a lot of support from everyone, so it feels great. We need to keep playing our game, never be satisfied and keep working hard.”
Denton Mateychuk and Dylan Cozens also found the back of the net for Canada, who currently lead Pool B with 14 points from four wins in regulation and one in overtime. Mateychuk, a newcomer to the world championship, scored early in the opening period, while Cozens added another goal in the second period, assisted by Sidney Crosby.
Although Slovenia managed to score a late goal, ending Jet Greaves’s shutout bid, Canada’s goaltender made 13 saves, while Slovenia’s Zan Us stopped 29 shots. Cozens praised Finnie’s determination and positive attitude, highlighting his hard work and dedication on the ice.
Looking ahead, Canada will face Slovakia and Czechia in their remaining preliminary round games. Slovakia trails Canada by three points in Pool B, while the Czech Republic is four points behind. Canada has secured victories in four games in regulation and one in overtime.
In other world championship matchups, Germany secured their first win by defeating Hungary 6-2, with Leon Gawanke scoring a hat trick. Italy and Britain, still winless, suffered defeats against Finland and Sweden, respectively. Both teams will need to secure points in their upcoming matches to avoid immediate relegation from the top division.