Canada Downplays Injury After Misa Early Exit in Blowout Win

Team Canada defeated Denmark 13-2 at mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato, Minn,. on Tuesday night. Wednesday is a day off for the team.

San Jose Sharks center Michael Misa did not play in the third period of canada’s final pre-tournament game against Denmark on Tuesday night.

“I think he’s going to be OK,” said Team Canada’s world Junior management group lead Mark Hunter. “it’s a day-by-day thing. Nothing major.We’ll look at it today and see where it’s at. It doesn’t sound like anything real bad. Should be ready to go on the 26th.”

Canada opens the World Juniors on Boxing day against Czechia.

Misa produced two primary assists in helping Canada build a 6-1 lead over Denmark after 40 minutes in the team’s final exhibition outing.

“It’s more of a precautionary thing, I think,” said Penn State left winger Gavin McKenna. “We don’t want him to push it too hard. We want him to be ready for the tournament. I think he’ll be ready. If he’s not then that sucks, but I’m hopeful.”

“Why worsen it when he can be ready 100 per cent for Boxing Day,” said Michigan State winger Porter Martone. “I know he’s a tough kid and I know he’s going to be ready.”

Misa, who was the second overall pick in last June’s NHL draft, missed a month of action earlier this season due to a right-ankle injury sustained on Nov. 5. He played two games with the San Jose Barracuda as part of an American Hockey League conditioning stint on Dec.5-6 before being loaned to Hockey Canada.

It is indeed unclear if the issue that kept Misa from playing in the third period on Tuesday is related to the ankle injury.

Misa is one of three NHL players on Canada’s roster and the only one in the forward group. He racked up 134 points in 65 games with the Saginaw Spirit last season en route to being named the Ontario Hockey League’s most outstanding player.

“He’s really excited to play this tournament,” Martone said. “He’s a really huge part of this team. We’ll be happy to have him and, like I said, just precautionary and he’ll be ready to go Boxing Day.”

Misa got off to a slow start with Team Canada in his first pre-tournament game. He took two penalties and failed to hit the scoresheet against Sweden on Saturday.

“Just keep playing my game,” he told TSN of his mindset on Tuesday morning. “Get my legs going early, get pucks in and I’m going to try to drive the play more.”

In a bid to spark the top line,tea

canada Flexes Offensive Muscle in Dominant Win Over Denmark

canada showcased its offensive firepower and commitment to structure in a decisive 11-1 victory over denmark on Tuesday,concluding their pre-tournament preparations for the World Juniors. After struggling with the man advantage in previous games,Canada finally broke through,capitalizing on two power play opportunities.

“A big thing at practice was simplifying it,” explained forward Owen Martone. “We have so much skill that it can sometiems get too intricate. we have two really good units and if both of them can score it will be tough for penalty killers because it’s a full two minutes you have to work to stop us from scoring.”

martone initiated the first power play goal with a strong shot that led to a rebound, tapped in by teammate Jett Luchanko. Head Coach Dale Hunter emphasized the importance of getting to the net, stating, “They shot the puck… Luchanko knocked it out of the air. you got to get to the blue paint and get rebounds.” Later, McKenna assisted Martone for another power play goal in the third period.

The game was closely contested in the first period, with Canada leading 2-1.However, Canada dominated the second period, outshooting Denmark 24-0 and adding four more goals to their tally.

“It was a great win,” said defenceman Ben Danford. “Throughout the game, we stuck to how we want to play. We had quite a few goals, but I’m talking about our defense and the way we were breaking out the puck, and systems-wise I thought we were really good. That’s good to see going into the tournament.”

Canada continued their offensive onslaught in the third,adding seven more goals to secure the lopsided victory.

“It was great from our squad to stick with those habits through the whole 60 minutes,” Martone added. “We could have got away from our game when the game got out of reach. I’m proud of the group in there. We stuck to our habits. That’s big for us to kind of prepare our team for Boxing Day.”

The team’s focus on maintaining consistent habits, even with a meaningful lead, demonstrates their preparedness for the challenges ahead as the World Juniors tournament approaches.

‘Iggy! Iggy!’: Crosby’s Presence Felt on canada’s World Junior Team

Tij Iginla is trying to forge his own path at the World Juniors, but the echoes of his father’s legendary career – and a certain golden goal – are ever-present.

“Every time he calls for the puck he thinks about that,” Iginla’s teammate, Owen Martone, said with a smile, referencing the iconic Sidney Crosby goal at the 2010 Olympics, assisted by Jarome Iginla. “The golden goal, guys always still talk about it.”

Jarome Iginla himself doesn’t dwell on the moment, according to his son. “Not very ofen (smile). Not as often as other people.”

The “Iggy” nickname, popularized by a Kelowna announcer with a playful chant – “Iggy, wiggy, woo, woo” – has followed the Iginla lineage. Martone playfully uses the chant himself, linking it directly to the Olympic moment. “Calling ‘Iggy!’ is the same thing as the Olympics back then.”

Beyond the nickname, there’s a noticeable similarity in playing style. “They’re hard on the puck,” observed Mark Hunter. “They’re really hard. He’s hard on the puck. His dad was hard on the puck. He doesn’t give the puck away and the other player, to defend him, has to find ways to get that puck away from him. He guards the puck.”

Even for players who have faced Sidney Crosby in the NHL, the 38-year-old remains a towering figure. Michael Misa, who had a brief stint with the Sharks this season, recounted his experience taking faceoffs against Crosby.

“I took a couple faceoffs against him,” Misa said. “Those were pretty cool. I didn’t say anything to him. I was kind of nervous a bit. Those faceoffs against him were a pretty cool feeling.”

Misa even managed to win one faceoff against Crosby,a moment he commemorated with a photo on his phone. He produced one goal and two assists in seven games with the Sharks this season.

As Team Canada prepares for its final pre-tournament game against Denmark, they’re looking to Canadian icons – including Crosby – for inspiration, especially as they aim to improve their offensive output after struggling in recent exhibition games.

Canada Dominates Denmark in Pre-Tournament Exhibition, Team Dynamics Shine Through

Canada showcased a dominant offensive performance, defeating Denmark 13-2 in a pre-tournament exhibition game as they prepare for the World junior Championship (WJC).The game, featuring a scoring surge from projected first overall pick Gavin mckenna and Tij Iginla, highlighted Canada’s offensive firepower. https://www.tsn.ca/world-junior-hockey/video/wjc-canada-13-denmark-2_1999999

Beyond the scoreline, the Canadian team is building camaraderie, as evidenced by the playful dynamic between captain mark Hunter and assistant coach Rob Donskov. Despite Hunter’s reputation for early morning discipline – Donskov noted Hunter is at the rink between 6:00 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. every morning – Donskov emphasized Hunter’s lighter side, describing him as a practical joker who knows when to keep things light.

“He keeps you on yoru toes all the time,” Donskov said with a grin.”A practical joker, who keeps things light when he has to.” Donskov playfully declined to reveal details of Hunter’s pranks, stating, “We’ll leave those off-camera,” with a chuckle.

Hunter, known for his dedication, admitted to being a last-minute shopper, revealing he hadn’t yet picked up a gift for Donskov in Hockey Canada’s Secret Santa as of Wednesday noon. “I’m a last-minute shopper,” he said with a smile.

Team Canada Lines from Tuesday’s Game:

* Forwards:

* Iginla – Misa – martone
* McKenna – Hage – Martin
* Reschny – Beaudoin – Luchanko
* Greentree – Cootes – O’Reilly
* Defense:

* Bear, Desnoyers
* Reid – Parekh
* Aitcheson – Brunicke
* MacKenzie – Danford
* Carels – Verhoeff
* Goalies:

* George
* Ravensbergen
* Scratches: Desnoyers, Aitcheson, ivankovic

Canada will look to carry this momentum into the World Junior Championship, which begins December 26, 2024, in Gothenburg, Sweden. https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en/news/canada-completes-pre-tournament-schedule-with-13-2-win-over-denmark