<p>We finally hit do-or-die status at the World Juniors, as all three Vancouver Canucks representatives took the ice for their quarterfinal matchups. It was a day full of ups and downs, which resulted in just one Canuck coming out on top.</p>
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<p>Here’s how the Canucks prospects fared on a crucial day of action.</p>
<h1>Sweden edges Latvia to advance to Semifinals</h1>
<p>Tom Willander and Team Sweden entered the quarterfinals as heavy favourites after a perfect 4-0-0-0 preliminary round (the only perfect team). Their matchup against Latvia – the feel-good story of the tournament – was expected to be a straightforward victory, but the Latvians made the Swedes earn every inch of their win.</p>
<p>Sweden started strong, scoring two goals in the first period and jumping to a 3-0 lead midway through the game. Despite their dominance in possession and shot totals (50-13 in Sweden’s favour by the game’s end), Latvian goaltender Linards Feldbergs turned in an incredible 47-save performance to keep his team within striking distance.</p>
<p>Latvia closed the gap to 3-2 in the final frame but couldn’t find the equalizer.</p>
<p>For Willander, it was another strong outing despite being held off the scoresheet for only the second time in the tournament. He logged a game-high 24:12 of ice time, leading the Swedes for the fourth time in five games, and once again showcased his ability to quarterback the Swedish attack from the blue line. He fired four shots on goal and finished the game as a minus-1.</p>
<p>His skating and poise have been on display throughout the tournament, and today was no different. He was just having fun out there.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Some slick moves from Tom Willander <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://t.co/RRDYNrt4Df">pic.twitter.com/RRDYNrt4Df</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dave Hall (@davehall1289) <a href="https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1874868057178587267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tommy boy, just having some fun out there. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://t.co/vgcnBI04fu">pic.twitter.com/vgcnBI04fu</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dave Hall (@davehall1289) <a href="https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1874881520823079383?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Through five games, Willander has established himself as one of Sweden’s most consistent and dependable defencemen. He excels in a shutdown role and contributes offensively with five points (two goals, three assists).</p>
<p>He’ll look to continue his strong play in Saturday&#8217;s semifinal matchup against Finland at 12:30 PM PT.</p>
<h1>Switzerland overwhelmed by the United States</h1>
<p>Basile Sansonnens and Team Switzerland faced the unenviable task of taking on a dominant United States squad in the quarterfinals. The Americans, loaded with offensive firepower, overwhelmed the Swiss in an expected lopsided 7-2 victory.</p>
<p>For Sansonnens, it was another modest showing in a tournament where his role has been limited. The 18-year-old skated just 11:51, the second least among Switzerland’s defencemen, and finished the game with a minus-2 rating. While he hasn’t significantly impacted the scoresheet, his tournament experience as a young player on a middling team will serve as a valuable stepping stone in his development.</p>
<p>Sansonnens wraps up his first World Juniors with no points, two shots on goal, and a minus-4 rating across five games. He is expected to return for Team Switzerland in 2026, where he could take on a more prominent role on the team’s blue line.</p>
<h1>Canada falls to Czechia in heartbreaker</h1>
<p>In one of the most anticipated matchups of the quarterfinals, Canada faced Czechia in what many considered a toss-up game. Unfortunately for the Canadians, a lack of consistency throughout the tournament carried over into this game, leading to a heartbreaking 4-3 loss in regulation.</p>
<p>Canada conceded just 47 seconds into the game; from there, it was all a catch-up game. Although Canada showed flashes of their offensive potential in the latter half, the Czechs proved resilient and delivered the decisive blow in the final minute of the game, eliminating Canada in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.</p>
<p>Sawyer Mynio played another game in a modest role, this time skating just 13:28. With his role on the team obvious, Mynio elected for the simple game throughout the tournament, focusing on positive exits and safe hockey — much different than what he&#8217;s accustomed to in Seattle. Although he did collect two shots in the game, his offensive impact was seldom seen throughout his three-game stint.</p>
<p>He wraps up his first and last World Juniors with one assist and a plus-1 rating through three games.</p>
<p>The semifinals are set, and Tom Willander will look to lead Sweden against Finland on Friday. With two games guaranteed, he can continue his impressive tournament and help Sweden vie for a consecutive medal.</p>
<p><strong>Sponsored by bet365</strong></p>
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We finally hit do-or-die status at the World Juniors, as all three Vancouver Canucks representatives took the ice for their quarterfinal matchups. It was a day full of ups and downs, which resulted in just one Canuck coming out on top.
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Here’s how the Canucks prospects fared on a crucial day of action.
<h1>Sweden edges Latvia to advance to Semifinals</h1>
Tom Willander and Team Sweden entered the quarterfinals as heavy favourites after a perfect 4-0-0-0 preliminary round (the only perfect team). Their matchup against Latvia – the feel-good story of the tournament – was expected to be a straightforward victory, but the Latvians made the Swedes earn every inch of their win.

Sweden started strong, scoring two goals in the first period and jumping to a 3-0 lead midway through the game. Despite their dominance in possession and shot totals (50-13 in Sweden’s favour by the game’s end), Latvian goaltender Linards Feldbergs turned in an incredible 47-save performance to keep his team within striking distance.

Latvia closed the gap to 3-2 in the final frame but couldn’t find the equalizer.

For Willander, it was another strong outing despite being held off the scoresheet for only the second time in the tournament. He logged a game-high 24:12 of ice time, leading the Swedes for the fourth time in five games, and once again showcased his ability to quarterback the Swedish attack from the blue line. He fired four shots on goal and finished the game as a minus-1.

His skating and poise have been on display throughout the tournament, and today was no different. He was just having fun out there.

https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1874868057178587267

https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1874881520823079383

Through five games, Willander has established himself as one of Sweden’s most consistent and dependable defencemen. He excels in a shutdown role and contributes offensively with five points (two goals, three assists).

He’ll look to continue his strong play in Saturday's semifinal matchup against Finland at 12:30 PM PT.
<h1>Switzerland overwhelmed by the United States</h1>
Basile Sansonnens and Team Switzerland faced the unenviable task of taking on a dominant United States squad in the quarterfinals. The Americans, loaded with offensive firepower, overwhelmed the Swiss in an expected lopsided 7-2 victory.

For Sansonnens, it was another modest showing in a tournament where his role has been limited. The 18-year-old skated just 11:51, the second least among Switzerland’s defencemen, and finished the game with a minus-2 rating. While he hasn’t significantly impacted the scoresheet, his tournament experience as a young player on a middling team will serve as a valuable stepping stone in his development.

Sansonnens wraps up his first World Juniors with no points, two shots on goal, and a minus-4 rating across five games. He is expected to return for Team Switzerland in 2026, where he could take on a more prominent role on the team’s blue line.
<h1>Canada falls to Czechia in heartbreaker</h1>
In one of the most anticipated matchups of the quarterfinals, Canada faced Czechia in what many considered a toss-up game. Unfortunately for the Canadians, a lack of consistency throughout the tournament carried over into this game, leading to a heartbreaking 4-3 loss in regulation.

Canada conceded just 47 seconds into the game; from there, it was all a catch-up game. Although Canada showed flashes of their offensive potential in the latter half, the Czechs proved resilient and delivered the decisive blow in the final minute of the game, eliminating Canada in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.

Sawyer Mynio played another game in a modest role, this time skating just 13:28. With his role on the team obvious, Mynio elected for the simple game throughout the tournament, focusing on positive exits and safe hockey — much different than what he's accustomed to in Seattle. Although he did collect two shots in the game, his offensive impact was seldom seen throughout his three-game stint.

He wraps up his first and last World Juniors with one assist and a plus-1 rating through three games.

The semifinals are set, and Tom Willander will look to lead Sweden against Finland on Friday. With two games guaranteed, he can continue his impressive tournament and help Sweden vie for a consecutive medal.

<strong>Sponsored by bet365</strong>
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