Team Canada parent reacts to shutout win in tournament opener

Thursday night’s game between Canada and Finland at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship saw Canada blank Finland 4-0. 

It was a full team effort that saw 17-year-old forward Gavin McKenna open the scoring, followed by a number of blocked shots late in the third and ending with goaltender Carter George recording a shutout.

Saskatoon’s Cam Yager, Brayden Yager’s dad, joined Mark Loshack on the CKOM Morning show to talk about the game and his experience at the tournament so far.

Cam, who also played hockey, and has traveled all over for both of his son’s hockey tournaments said he is able to keep his nerves at bay even with his son as the captain of Team Canada.

“As I’ve gotten older I’ve recognized that I have absolutely no control over anything that happens,” Yager said. “If I do get wound up I try to take a breath, sit back and try to enjoy.”

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Yager said he definitely isn’t one of those parents who gets worked up at each game.

“I would much prefer being in a corner by myself and just watch,” he said.

Canada dominated the first two periods only allowing Finland to record 11 shots.

Yager said the early results look good, noting Canada has one of the deepest forward groups in the tournament.

“They (the offence) just come in waves and waves,” he said. “If this line whose an all-starCanada’sthe . line in any Canadian hockey league can’t do it, the next one whose second team all star comes at you.”

“I don’t think there are very many countries that are four lines deep.”

Late in the third, Finland was pressing but Canada’s penalty kill unit stood tall. Yager said even if a shot does get through it’s met with a brick wall in the net.

“At the end of the game last night where seven or eight shots are blocked,” he said. “We’ll just have Carter George in net for you to shoot at and he’ll just eat it (the puck) and get a whistle.”

Thursday night was the first tournament game that counted for this Canadian group but it wasn’t the first time they all played together, as there were three pre-tournament games that Canada played in.

But it might have been the first time all the parents were together at the rink.

Yager said most parents stick to the group of parents they know at the beginning of the tournament.

“The hockey itself brings you together,” he said. “There might be an emotional dump in or shot block or a big save or a goal or something and next thing you know you’re fist bumping with the parents above or below.”

“Next thing you know between periods you’re having a chat and by the end of the tournament everyone’s really gelled together.”

Canada plays Latvia next on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Listen live on 980 CJME or 650 CKOM.