EURO CURVE

Euro Curve chronicles the latest international hockey news.

Team Canada improved to 2-0-0 at the 2008 World Junior Hockey Championships in Pardubice with a quiet 2-0 victory over Team Slovakia on Thursday morning. It was the other games yesterday however which drew more attention. I discuss those as well as Friday's games in today's World Junior Hockey Championship/Spengler Cup report.

Team Canada will play an explosive Swedish squad tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. ET at the Pardubice Arena, a battle of two unbeaten teams. In the other marquee match-up, the host Czechs will play Slovakia at 10:00 a.m. ET at Pardubice Arena. This game will surely be one of the better games of the round robin tournament.

Other games tomorrow:

Kazakhstan vs. Finland, 10:00 a.m. ET., Tipsport Arena
Russia vs. USA, 2:00 p.m. ET., Tipsport Arena

Yesterday

- The Czech Republic responded from losing their first round-robin game to Canada by whooping lowly Denmark 5-2. 1st round draft picks Michael Frolik (Florida Panthers) and Jakub Voracek (Columbus Blue Jackets) each had impressive outings, not only registering on the scoresheet but by providing much needed leadership and poise for the home team. The Czechs were favoured going into this tournament because of their highly-talented forward corps and these two phenoms gave us a little taste of what they can bring.

- Russia seemed to take Kazakhstan rather lightly, winning 5-4. Alexei Cherepanov (2007 1st round draft pick of the New York Rangers) registered a goal in the game, making his NHL management and agents happy. Ditto for Finland, who needed a shootout to beat Switzerland? Yikes!


Friday

It was a light day at the WJC with only two games, one of which was a laugher. Sweden stomped Team Denmark 10-1. This is the first year that Denmark is in the top group at the World U-20 Junior Hockey Championships.

In the only other game, the United States defeated Switzerland 4-2 at the Tipsport Arena, with Philadelphia Flyers prospect James van Riemsdyk getting the game-winner.

- Team Canada is flying pretty high at the Spengler Cup hockey tournament after defeating HC Davos 6-2 Thursday afternoon. They are now 2-0 and look to stay undefeated when they host Salavat Yulaev Ufa on Saturday in Davos. Canada has meshed very quickly and are playing an extremely intelligent puck possession game. Serge Aubin and Yannick Tremblay played marvelously on Thursday, and are emerging as the co-offensive leaders on a talented Canuck squad.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Ezra Ginsburg.

EURO CURVE

Euro Curve chronicles the latest international hockey news.

As everyone continues to enjoy their holiday season, Illegal Curve provides hockey fans with excellent insight and analysis on the two major international hockey tournaments which take place every December; the 2008 U-20 World Junior Hockey Championships from Pardubice, Czech Republic and the 2008 Spengler Cup Hockey tournament, held in Davos, Switzerland.

- Canada is three-time defending champion at the 2008 World Junior Championships, and won their 19th consecutive game on Wednesday afternoon, defeating the host Czech Republic 3-0, on the strength of two John Tavares goals. The 17-year-old Oshawa General, who isn't draft eligible until 2009, leads a new youth movement for the Crazy Canucks, which also features 2008 draft hopefuls Steven Stamkos and Drew Doughty, two other 17-year-olds who played impressively in their first WJC games respectively.

Canada didn't bring their A-game for the opening contest but played well enough to win. Los Angeles Kings goaltending prospect Jonathan Bernier was the star of the game, stopping 44 shots and earning the goose egg. Canada will play Slovakia tomorrow morning, a team they beat in exhibition play last week.

Other Scores:

Sweden 4 Slovakia 3
USA 5 Kazakhstan 1
Russia 7 Finland 4

Tomorrow's games:

Canada vs. Slovakia, 10 a.m. ET, Pardubice Arena
Kazakhstan vs. Russia, 10 a.m. ET, Tipsport Arena
Czech Republic vs. Denmark, 2 p.m. ET, Pardubice Arena
Finland vs. Switzerland, 2 p.m. ET, Tipsport Arena

- The opening match at the Spengler Cup Tournament was entertaining to say the least, as Canada needed the overtime shootout to beat HC Pardubice 4-3. Dale MacTavish and Captain Serge Aubin had the shootout goals for Team Canada while Curtis Joseph provided superb goaltending, stopping everything in the extra fame. Manitobans Kirby Law and J.P Vigier put Canada ahead 3-2 late in the second period but the Czech Republic squared the contest in the third period on a 5-on-3 man advantage.

In the only other game of the day, Adler Mannheim upset host club HC Davos by a score of 3-2.

Tomorrow's games:

HC Moller Pardubice vs. Salavat Yulaev Ufa, 9:00 a.m. ET.
HC Davos vs. Team Canada, 2:15 p.m. ET.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Ezra Ginsburg.