A bounce-back effort with room for improvement

Canada’s goals came from Oliver Bonk on a power play, Caden Price late in the third, and Mathieu Cataford with an empty-netter. Goaltender Carter George delivered a stellar performance, making 25 saves for his second shutout of the tournament.

Despite outshooting Germany 36-25, Canada’s offense struggled to find its rhythm. For two periods, the team looked disjointed, with miscommunications and missed opportunities. Forward Berkly Catton admitted, "The first two periods I didn't think were too great."

Germany, led by an inspired performance from goaltender Nico Pertuch, who stopped 35 of 37 shots, put up a resilient defensive effort.

Bonk opened the scoring at 9:40 of the first period with a well-placed one-timer from the bumper position, assisted by Easton Cowan and Berkly Catton. The Germans nearly equalized late in the period when Cole Beaudoin’s shorthanded attempt narrowly missed the net.

The second period saw both teams fail to convert chances, with Pertuch denying a golden opportunity for Tanner Howe. Meanwhile, Canada’s penalty troubles continued to disrupt their momentum.

In the third, Caden Price provided a crucial insurance goal at 55:02, benefiting from a fortunate bounce off the boards. Mathieu Cataford sealed the victory with an empty-net goal with just three seconds remaining.

Defensively, the absence of Matthew Schaefer has added pressure on the blue line, though newcomer Sawyer Mynio held his own in limited minutes.

Coach Dave Cameron acknowledged the need for improvement, particularly in cutting down on penalties, which have been a recurring issue.

Germany faces a must-win game against Latvia to avoid relegation, while Canada’s showdown with the U.S. will determine first place in Group A. As Oliver Bonk put it, the mindset for the Canadians is simple: "Win at any cost."

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