Macklin Celebrini dropped back to pass 鈥� with a glove in place of a football 鈥� and fired towards a sliding Fraser Minten.
Conor Geekie and Nate Danielson were play fighting close by, while goaltenders Mathis Rousseau and Scott Ratzlaff had a friendly grappling match in the corner.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been together for a little bit now,鈥� Celebrini said Thursday. 鈥淲e鈥檙e a team of brothers.鈥�
A delayed group picture along with some time away from the rink to be with family and friends offered Canada a brief respite from the enormous expectations that come with pulling on the red Maple Leaf at the world junior hockey championship.
After getting a chance to recharge following a pair of victories to open the annual showcase, things are about to get a lot more difficult.
Canada will march into the jam-packed Scandinavium arena 鈥� a building that resembles Calgary鈥檚 Scotiabank Saddledome 鈥� against the tournament hosts Friday night in a marquee Group A matchup.
鈥淪killed, dangerous,鈥� Canadian head coach Alan Letang said of Sweden. 鈥淰ery, very dangerous off the rush.鈥�
Canada is looking secure a third straight gold medal at the under-20 tournament for the first time since the country grabbed five in a row from 2005 to 2009, but is without some major NHL star power 鈥� namely Connor Bedard.
鈥淭hese games are the easiest to get up for, and have energy and be present in,鈥� said Minten, Canada鈥檚 captain and a Toronto Maple Leafs prospect. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just really fun.鈥�
There are about 3,500 red-clad Canucks in Gothenburg for the tournament. Despite those strong numbers, they will be in the minority Friday.
鈥淐rowd鈥檚 is going to be electric,鈥� said Letang, who has just one returnee from the 2023 tournament in Montreal Canadiens draft pick Owen Beck. 鈥淲e鈥檒l see how we handle that pressure, that momentum.鈥�
Rousseau, who looks set to make a third consecutive start, said the belief in Canada鈥檚 camp is strong.
鈥淓verybody has the same mindset,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e here to do big things. Everybody trusts each other.鈥�
The Swedes, who were set to meet Germany on Thursday and are viewed as favourites along with the United States, cruised past Latvia 6-0 in their opener.
Canada, meanwhile, topped Finland 5-2 before thumping the Latvians 10-0 on Wednesday. The 17-year-old Celebrini 鈥� expected to be the top pick at the 2024 NHL draft 鈥� stole the show with a goal and four assists.
鈥淚鈥檝e seen him out-compete, outscore guys two years older than him his whole life,鈥� said Minten, who, like the star centre, grew up in Vancouver. 鈥淐ome to expect it at this point.鈥�
Celebrini and linemate Matthew Wood are two players with recent experience against Friday鈥檚 opponent.
And it wasn鈥檛 pretty. Canada lost 8-0 to Sweden at April鈥檚 under-18 world championships in Switzerland.
鈥淏it of redemption here,鈥� Celebrini said. 鈥淥nly time playing against them, they wiped us. Definitely motivation.鈥�
The Swedes are led by Vancouver Canucks draft pick Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Detroit Red Wings prospect Axel Sandin Pellika, who both play professionally in their country.
Letang said he expects Canada鈥檚 defence to be under a lot of pressure, but is confident his group can handle it with support from the forwards.
鈥淓xcited for this challenge,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all the stuff we鈥檝e been preaching.鈥�
One of those blueliners is Ty Nelson.
The Toronto product didn鈥檛 make the initial roster, but was summoned from a family Christmas trip in Pittsburgh due to a rash of Canadian injuries.
He drove back to Toronto, flew to Germany and boarded his connection to Gothenburg.
That鈥檚 when things got interesting over the weekend.
A windy day on Sweden鈥檚 west coast meant the flight from Frankfurt briefly touched down on the tarmac before taking off again and heading to Stockholm.
Nelson鈥檚 heart skipped a few beats.
鈥淚t was quiet on the plane,鈥� he said. 鈥淓verybody was scared. We had to keep the window shade open. I was wishing I could close it. It was scary. We just touched down and right back up. We weren鈥檛 expecting it.鈥�
The pilot tried to land again a few hours later 鈥� successfully, this time 鈥� after a brief stop in the Swedish capital. Nelson, whose absence pushed the taking of Canada鈥檚 official picture back to Thursday, was off to join his teammates and try to kick the jet lag.
鈥淗ard to take in,鈥� he said of being at the world juniors. 鈥淕rowing up as a kid you always want to play in this tournament, especially being a Canadian.
鈥淗aving the honour to represent our country, it means so much.鈥�
Now he鈥檚 part of a group that鈥檚 chasing a dream 鈥� and staring down a tough test.
鈥淲e鈥檝e become really close,鈥� Celebrini said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 awesome to have that chemistry and have that brotherhood.鈥�
They鈥檒l need each other Friday night.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
