World Juniors Updates: IIHF Cancels Remainder of 2022 World Junior Championship
12/29/2021 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
The University of Michigan ice hockey team has five players competing at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, scheduled for Dec. 26, 2021 through Jan. 5, 2022, in Alberta, Canada. On Team USA are sophomore Matty Beniers and freshmen Luke Hughes and Mackie Samoskevich, while Hockey Canada features Wolverine sophomores Kent Johnson and Owen Power. Follow the progress of the Maize and Blue quintet via updates on this page.
• IIHF World Junior Championship Site
• Team Sites: Canada | USA
• Michigan at World Juniors History (PDF)
Schedule
Times EST; All games on NHL Network in the U.S. and TSN and RDS in Canada
Sunday, Dec. 26 (Prelims) -- Canada vs. Czechia (W, 6-3) | Game Center
Sunday, Dec. 26 (Prelims) -- USA vs. Slovakia (W, 3-2) | Game Center
Tuesday, Dec. 28 (Prelims) -- USA vs. Switzerland (L, 1-0 forfeit) | Game Center
Tuesday, Dec. 28 (Prelims) -- Canada vs. Austria (W, 11-2) | Game Center
Wednesday, Dec. 29 (Prelims) -- Canada vs. Germany (canceled) | Game Center
Wednesday, Dec. 29 (Prelims) -- USA vs. Sweden (canceled) | Game Center
Friday, Dec. 31 (Prelims) -- Canada vs. Finland (canceled | Game Center
Friday, Dec. 31Â (Prelims) -- USA vs. Russia (canceled) | Game Center
Sunday, Jan. 2 -- Quarterfinals (canceled)
Tuesday, Jan. 4 -- Semifinals (canceled)
Wednesday, Jan. 5 -- Medal Games (canceled)
Wednesday, Dec. 29: IIHF Cancels Remainder of World Juniors
The IIHF canceled the remainder of the 2022 World Juniors after a positive COVID-19 case on the Russian roster, which would have necessitated a forfeiture, and was the third cancelation due to COVID-positive cases. [ IIHF Release ]
Tuesday, Dec. 28: Johnson Nets Goal as Canada Dominates; USA Forfeits
Kent Johnson scored his first goal of the World Juniors as Canada dominated Austria in an 11-2 win. Johnson finished a +3, taking six shots on goal and totaling 15:16 of time on the ice. Owen Power added two assists, as he logged the most minutes (18:40). Power now has five points this tournament, leading all defensemen. Team USA was forced to forfeit its game vs. Switzerland due to a mandated quarantine following two players testing positive for COVID.
Sunday, Dec. 26: Power's Hat Trick Lifts Canada; Samoskevich Scores in USA Win
Owen Power tallied a hat trick in his World Juniors debut as Canada defeated Czechia 6-3, overcoming a 3-1 first-period deficit. He makes history as the first ever defenseman to score a hat trick at the World Juniors, and it earned him Player of the Game honors. He logged the most minutes on the team (21:48) and put six shots on goal for a 50 percent SOG percentage.
In the final game of the evening, the USA took a 3-2 win over Slovakia. Mackie Samoskevich tallied his first World Juniors goal to give USA a 2-0 lead in the first period. He finished with three shots in 13:27. Matty Beniers earned an assist, his fourth career World Juniors point. He played the second most minutes of any forward on the squad at 17:18.
Pre-Tournament
• Matty Beniers and was named alternate captain of Team USA on Tuesday, Dec. 21, becoming the eighth Wolverine to be an alternate at the World Juniors and the most recent since Quinn Hughes and Josh Norris in 2019.
• Kent Johnson had a goal and an assist for Canada in a 6-4 pre-tournament win over Russia on Thursday, Dec. 23. Johnson and Owen Power both played on the top power-play unit. Earlier in the afternoon, Beniers was named the USA Player of the Game as the Americans lost to Finland 4-3 in OT.
Rosters
Owen Power and Kent Johnson were named to the Hockey Canada roster on Tuesday, Dec. 14. Johnson did not attend the camp but joined the team on Wednesday, Dec. 15, ahead of the team's 48-hour quarantine in Alberta. Matty Beniers, Luke Hughes and Mackie Samoskevich were named to Team USA on Tuesday, Dec. 14.
History
• This is the second time in Michigan Hockey history that a record five players will represent their countries at the World Juniors in the same year, the most in program history. Mike Brown, T.J. Hensick, Matt Hunwick, Al Montoya and Kevin Porter represented Team USA in 2005.
• The last time Michigan had players on two teams at World Juniors was in 2008, when Carl Hagelin (silver medal) played for Sweden and Max Pacioretty, Matt Rust and Chris Summers were members of Team USA.
