Eric Rosales predicts a low-scoring game between Finland and Canada in their opening match of the 2025 World Junior Hockey Championships. While Team Canada is favored, Finland's defensive structure and strong goaltending could make it a tight contest.
The 2025 World Juniors kicks off on Boxing Day in Ottawa, and while the host nation should ultimately prevail in their tourney opener, Eric Rosales also predicts goals to come at a premium.After a forgettable 5th-place finish a year ago, Team Canada ’s quest for a gold medal at the World Junior Hockey Championships kicks off Boxing Day in Group A action against Finland. My Finland vs.
Canada predictions expect the Canadians to take some time to fully round into form, which could result in a low-scoring affair against a defensive-minded Finnish side.Finland finds themselves in the pre-anointed Group of Death, as Group A also features the defending champion Americans and Team Canada. While they don’t have a standout blue-chipper, Finland boasts a blueline with five NHL-drafted players, led by Minnesota pick Aron Kiviharju. They’ll be expected to support an always exceptional goalie factory. This year, Petteri Rimpinen appears to have the inside track to start, with Kim Saarinen (Seattle) and Noa Vali also on the roster. Up front, San Jose draftee Kasper Halttunen had three goals and four points in Finland’s two tune-ups against Slovakia and the USA. Jesse Kiiskinen (Detroit) is also expected to provide offense, while Konsta Helenius is a two-way center who will play a big role. Meanwhile, Canada enters the tournament with a perfect 3-0 exhibition slate, having outscored Sweden, Switzerland, and Czechia 14-5 over three games of pre-tournament action. Plenty of eyes will also be on 17-year-old forward Gavin McKenna, who is projected to be the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. While Canada boasts an upper hand in talent, Finland will likely keep the game-script conservative. The last thing Tomi Lamsa's club wants to do is get into a shootout with the Canadians.One of only four Team Canada returnees from last year, Easton Cowan tallied four goals and five points in last year's tournamen
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