Blue Jackets Prospects At The IIHF World Junior Championship, Day Seven: Canada Eliminated, Denton Mateychuk Honored, Gavin Brindley, Oiva Keskinen Advance

On Tuesday, four teams advanced to the semi-finals of the World Juniors while four more were eliminated. 

Finland Beats Slovakia 4-3 In OT

Oiva Keskinen's Finland squad won dramatically to advance to the semi-finals. Keskinen played nearly 14 minutes and won six of 13 faceoffs.

#CBJ prospect Oiva Keskinen and Finland beat Slovakia 4-3 in OT to advance to the semi-finals of the #WorldJuniors.
Keskinen's stats:
Today: 0-0--0, 0 SH, +1, 6/13 FO, 13:58 TOI
Total: 5GP, 1-2--3, 3 SH, +0, 34/58 FO, 14:49 TOI/Game

— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) January 2, 2024

Czechia Beats Canada 3-2

For the first time since 2019, Canada will return from the World Juniors without a medal. Blue Jackets defenseman David Jiricek, who played for Czechia at last year's World Juniors, was quite pleased when hearing about the result of the game during morning skate.

#CBJ David Jiriceks reaction to hearing his home nation, Czechia, beat Canada 3-2 in the quarterfinals of the #WorldJuniors: pic.twitter.com/NpMXGSPD8p

— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) January 2, 2024

Blue Jackets prospect Denton Mateychuk led team Canada in TOI/game and was named its best player against Czechia and one of the team's three best players in the tournament.

#CBJ prospects Denton Mateychuk, Jordan Dumais, and Team Canada were eliminated from the #WorldJuniors with a 3-2 loss to Czechia in the quarterfinals.
Mateychuk's stats:
Today: 0-0--0, 3 SH, +0, 25:03 TOI (named 's best player)
Total: 5GP, 0-4--4, 5 SH, +6, 24:32 TOI/game*

— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) January 2, 2024

USA Beats Latvia 7-2

Despite not scoring today, Blue Jackets prospect Gavin Brindley still leads the tournament with six goals. He played 17:03 in the USA's blowout win over Latvia.

#CBJ prospect Gavin Brindley and Team USA beat Latvia 7-2 to advance to the semi-finals of the #WorldJuniors.
Brindley's stats:
Today: 0-0--0, 0 SH, +0, 17:03 TOI
Total: 5GP, 6*-2--8, 12 SH, +6, 16:47 TOI/Game
*Leads the tournament

— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) January 2, 2024

Next Up

Semi-Finals, Jan. 4

• USA vs. Finland, 1:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network