OHL Three Stars & Review: Day One of World Juniors

Three stars of day one at the World Juniors, which saw four games and Slovakia, Canada, USA, and Sweden take victories.

With the conclusion of Day 1 of the 2024 World Junior Championships, several OHLers were in action throughout four different games.

Slovakia beat Czechia 6-2.

Canada beat Finland 5-2.

USA beat Norway 4-1.

Sweden beat Latvia 6-0.

Several OHL players jumped on the score sheet today. 

Servac Petrovsky (2G, 1A), Arttu Karki (2A), Filip Mesar (2A), Owen Allard (1G), Matthew Poitras (1G), Matyas Sapovaliv (1G), Martin Misiak (1A), Eduard Sale (1A).

Filip Mesar drove the majority of Slovakia's offence in the first game of the tournament. At the forefront, he picked up two pretty primary assists on Servac Petrovsky's (OS) goals. Both were precise cross-ice passes that were put on a tee for Petrovsky to one-time into the back of the net. 

The Kitchener Rangers winger possesses a tremendous amount of pure skill, and the ability to drive offence with finesse. He can attack in a variety of ways, and in this game he was using his playmaking ability the most. 

Slovakia got off to a slow start in this game, trailing 1-0 after 20 minutes of play. Mesar spoke about his team's weak start in the intermission interview, and how they needed to turn the tides. Mesar and the rest of his team did just that, as they never looked back after scoring six in the final two periods.

Owen Allard had a specific spot cut out on Canada's final roster, and he sure lived up to that role against Finland. His line alongside Owen Beck (PBO) and Nate Danielson (WHL) was one of Canada's best, relentlessly pressuring and attacking offensively. Their line scored two of Canada's goals, one coming off of Allard's stick in the slot.

Allard is a physical, hard working player that is willing to put everything on the line for his team to win. He is the only undrafted forward among Canada's forward group (except for Celebrini who is not eligible until 2024). 

His goal began with a hard hit behind the goal line, which generated a turnover in benefit of his team. Allard was then able to get himself positioned open in front of the net, where Nate Danielson was able to find him. Allard put it home, and his energy and emotion was evident in his emphatic celebration. His goal was a prime example of why Canada brought him onto this team, and exemplifies the way that he can generate offence with his suffocating pressure.

The Minnesota Wild draftee picked up a three-point effort against the Czechs, by re-kindling his chemistry with fellow OHLer Filip Mesar. Petrovsky had two goals and one assist, and consistently displayed his two-way game as Slovakia's first line centre. 

On his goals, he was able to showcase his ability to be positionally aware, and his one-time release. He was able to time both shots perfectly, which can be difficult when playing such a North-South game like Slovakia does. Petrovsky and Mesar were threats on the power play, and at even strength.

Petrovsky may not be the flashiest player in the OHL, but he has been Owen Sound's first line centre for some time and proven his two-way reliability. His two goals and ability to fulfill a major role earned him third star.