Cozens scores twice as Canada defeats Finland to win group

Dylan Cozens scored twice as Team Canada dominated Team Finland 4-1 on Thursday night to close out preliminary round action at the World Juniors in Edmonton.

Levi made 18 saves for Canada (4-0-0-0), who will face the Czech Republic in quarterfinal action at the World Juniors on Saturday.

Dylan Holloway and Peyton Krebs also had goals for Canada.

Brad Lambert scored the lone goal for Finland (3-0-0-1). His goal snapped Levi’s shutout streak of 106:29.

Kari Piiroinen made 36 saves for Finland.

Cozens opened the scoring with his fifth goal of the tournament. Canada was on a 3-on-2 while on the attack. Cozens elected to keep it and beat Piiroinen for a 1-0 lead at 3:49 of the first period.

Canada has scored in the opening five minutes in all four preliminary games in the tournament.

Finland was slow to establish any form of attack. Their first shot on goal came at 9:48 of the opening frame.

Canada outshot Finland 17-1 after 20 minutes.

The second period was similar to that of the first.

Holloway made it 2-0 Canada when he deflected a shot from Jakob Pelletier. Braden Schneider picked up the second assist at 6:54.

Krebs gave Canada a 3-0 lead when he picked up the rebound from Bowen Byram’s point shot. Connor Zary picked up the second assist at 12:58.

Canada outshot Finland 18-6 after 40 minutes.

Finland got its first power play of the game in the third period, and they cashed in on the opportunity when Lambert’s shot went off Canada’s Thomas Harley and beat Levi for a goal. Topi Niemela and Juuso Parssinen picked up assists at 5:05.

Finland continued to press as Canada shifted to a defensive mode to hold onto the lead.

Cozens scored his second goal of the game with an empty-netter at 18:43 to ice it for Canada.

NOTES: Canada forward Alex Newhook left the game at the start of the second period. Newhook appeared to favour his shoulder after a collision with Finnish defenceman Eemil Viro in the first period. Newhook returned to the bench for the start of the second period, but went back to the dressing room and did not return… With Schneider’s assist, every skater on Canada’s roster has recorded at least one point.