All Leafs prospects are in action today at the WJC

Montréal Games

Latvia at Finland: 11:00 am (Relegation)

Martins Dzierkals is playing for the Latvian team of next year, which he’ll be too old for.  The relegation game is best of three, and the Latvians are in tough against a highly-motivated Finnish squad playing for their own team’s future, one many of their young players plan to be around for.  They fired 51 shots on goal at Switzerland in their only win in the tournament in a game they could have blown off, as it had no effect on their placing.  Latvia has a tough job this morning.

Slovakia at Sweden: 3:30 pm (Quarterfinal)

Alex Nylander is leading the tournament in points after the round robin, and he and team Sweden want to keep going.  Slovakia played a valiant game against Russia on New Year’s Eve, but it wasn’t enough to avoid finishing fourth and facing the Swedes.  Carl Grundström sits just out of the top ten in points right now, but he has been a force, often physically, in every game Sweden has played.

Czech Republic at Canada: 8:00 pm (Quarterfinal)

The Czechs have looked dull and lacking in offensive skill in this tournament, and they finished fourth behind Denmark and Switzerland, which can’t be going down well back home.  They will need a miracle from one of their goaltenders who are ranked 10th and 14th in save percentage so far if they plan to accomplish the ultimate upset.

Toronto Games

Russia at Denmark: 1:00 pm (Quarterfinal)

The Russians came third in their group, but get an opponent at a level usually reserved for the winners.  Some times the puck bounces your way.  Denmark won’t fold up and give it to them, though; the Russians will have to play the game to win it.

Switzerland at USA: 5:30 pm (Quarterfinal)

The USA also has a fairly easy opponent in the Swiss, who only managed one overtime win in the round robin.  Jeremy Bracco will be on the ice for the USA, but Joseph Woll is likely going to be backing up Tyler Parsons in this one.

All quarterfinal games are single elimination and the winners of the games in Toronto play in one semifinal while the Montréal games will decide the other semifinal teams.

The second relegation game is the only game played on Tuesday.

All games are on TSN and RDS in Canada.  NHL Network in the USA is carrying three of the quarterfinals only, omitting the Sweden-Slovakia game.