Canada still searching for complete effort ahead of semifinal matchup with Czechia

Even after going undefeated in the preliminary round and topping Switzerland 6-3 in the quarter-finals, the talk coming from Team Canada is that they are struggling to put together a full 60 minutes at the World Junior Championship.

Canada’s head coach Dave Cameron referred to Wednesday’s contest as “the dreaded quarter-final game” and said he knew it was going to be a challenge.

“Any time you’re going against a team that has no pressure on them, they’re going to be loosey-goosey,” Cameron told TSN after the game. “Give them credit. I thought they came at us a little bit. We were a little bit slow … but found a way.”

Cameron stopped short of saying that Canada’s approach was also loosey-goosey in letting Switzerland hang around in the game.

“We were just maybe a little casual and just get into that scenario where the thing wasn’t going good for us and maybe we tightened up a little bit,” said Cameron. “But we found a way. We stuck with it, which is what we said we were going to have to do to succeed in this tournament.”

Watch Canada vs. Czechia on Friday at 4 p.m. ET/1p.m. PT on TSN4/5, TSN.ca and the TSN App.

Heading into their semifinal matchup against Czechia on Friday, the focus for Canada remains on finding ways to win.

“Now it’s best on best,” said Cameron. “You’re against the best players, the best coaches, the best teams, so you have to be able to find a way.

“The great thing about it is it gives guys an opportunity to step up. At the end of the day, whoever wins this tournament is going to have the best team.”

As Canada prepares for Czechia, who they defeated 5-1 last Saturday, it is uncertain whether centre Ridly Greig will be available. Greig was ruled out for the remainder of Wednesday’s game after taking a hit from Switzerland’s Vincent Despont in the first period.

“No update. Got banged up there and we kept him out, so I’ll talk to the doctors here after we get a day off [Thursday], and we’ll go from there,” Cameron said on Wednesday, while also referring to Greig as the team’s best player.

“Any time to you take your best player out of the lineup, it affects you in all situations … but some other guys came in there and stepped up and hopefully we get Ridly back,” said Cameron.

Defenceman Olen Zellweger says the team is confident and excited for Friday’s game but believes that it is still searching for a complete effort. 

“I think we still got things to work on, but we’re definitely progressing in the right direction and our best games are yet to come,” said Zellweger.

Sweden will take on Finland in the other semifinal game on Friday.

Canada has reached the podium in four of the past five tournaments, including gold medals in 2018 and 2020. Canada last won gold on home soil in 2015.