Canada’s lack of discipline was evident throughout the group stage at the 2025 World Juniors. In the knockout stage, the team picked up right where it left off.
Team Canada lost one of its forwards less than 10 minutes into the quarterfinal matc, as Cole Beaudoin laid a dangerous knee-on-knee hit to Czechia forward Petr Sykora. Beaudoin was given a major penalty and game misconduct for kneeing.
Penalties have been a problem for Dave Cameron’s team all tournament long. Canada is one game removed from allowing eight power plays and three power-play goals to the United States to end group play.
LIVE: Updates, highlights from Canada vs. Czechia World Juniors quarterfinal
Canada has to win in the quarterfinals in order to stay in the hunt for a medal in Ottawa. Just one year removed from the fifth-place finish in Gothenburg, Sweden, the Canadians are at the risk of missing out on medals in back-to-back years for the first time since 2013 and 2014.
Here is more to know about the play and why Beaudoin was ejected.
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Why was Cole Beaudoin ejected?
Beaudion was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for his knee-on-knee hit on Sykora.
Cole Beaudoin has been assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for kneeing.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/VpqoTBoYfC
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 3, 2025
The officials had the penalty immediately after Sykora went down. After a lengthy review, Beaudoin was given the major and the game misconduct, ending his night just 9:03 into the game.
Canada was the first team to strike on the five-minute power play, as Tanner Howe scored off a set-up by Brayden Yager to tie the game at 1-1. Less than three minutes later, however, Sam Dickinson accidentally put the puck in his own net, giving Czechia the lead back.
TANNER HOWE STRIKES SHORT-HANDED!
Canada ties it up.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/nbliEKU1GH
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 3, 2025
Jakub Stancl strikes on the power-play!
Czechia leads 2-1.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/Ad3UXBx3j0
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 3, 2025
A goal by Eduard Sale with two seconds left in the first period allowed Czechia to take a 3-1 lead into the first intermission.
What is kneeing?
According to Rule 50.1 and 50.3 of the IIHF rulebook, kneeing is “the act of a player leading with their knee and in some cases extending their leg outwards to make contact with their opponent.”
The options for penalties on this infraction are a minor, or a major with a game misconduct. Here is the language that classifies the strictest punishment.
The referee, at their discretion, may assess a major penalty and an automatic game misconduct penalty if, in their judgment, the player recklessly endangers their opponent by ‘kneeing’ and the player would not be sufficiently sanctioned by imposing a minor penalty. Such assessment of reckless endangerment shall be based on the severity of the infraction, severity of the contact, the degree of violence and the general reprehensibility involved.
The IIHF rulebook is known to have a stricter stance on hits that are deemed dangerous. Earlier in the quarterfinal action on Thursday, Finland’s EMil Pieniniemi was hit with a five-minute major and a game misconduct for kneeing Slovakia’s Luka Radivojevic during the Finns’ win.
Emil Pieniniemi has been assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for kneeing Luka Radivojevic.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/EkdiJXB9NX
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 2, 2025
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