Despite the loss, Yukoners will cheer on Cozens
It was certainly not the result the young men representing the country had hoped for when they began their quest for a second-straight gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship.
It was certainly not the result the young men representing the country had hoped for when they began their quest for a second-straight gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship.
Team Canada fell to the United States 2-0 in Tuesday evening’s gold medal game. It was a good fight by the team in red, but the Americans are deserving winners.
It was a world juniors like no other. All teams had to contend with staying in a bubble in host city Edmonton and enduring multiple quarantines.
Still, the hockey was excellent and Team Canada gave people coast-to-coast a reason to celebrate.
Here in the Yukon, all eyes were on the “Workhorse from Whitehorse”, as he was dubbed by national media, Dylan Cozens.
Cozens became the first Yukoner to play in the world junior tournament last year.
In 2021, he shared captain duties with teammate Bowen Byram – who wore the “C” in the gold medal game.
Byram and Cozens were originally named assistants before the tournament. Kirby Dach, the lone player on Team Canada to play in the NHL, for the Blackhawks, was named captain. However, Dach broke his wrist in a pre-tournament game against Russia.
IIHF rules state someone has to wear the “C” on the ice; therefore Cozens and Byram split the duties.
Individually, Cozens had a strong tournament. He finished second in points with 16 – eight goals, eight assists.
Heading into the gold medal game, he was tied in points with American Trevor Zegras. In the final contest, Zegras had a goal and assist in leading the U.S.
Zegras was named the tournament MVP.
Finishing third in points was Finnish forward Anton Lundell with 10.
Cozens’ eight goals had put him first in tournament goal-scoring. His highest-scoring game came on Boxing Day against Germany, where he deposited a hat trick.
Cozens was also named to the Media All-Star Team; two of his Canadian teammates also joined him on the team.
The all-star team is: goaltender Devon Levi, Canada; defenceman Bowen Byram, Canada; defenceman Ville Heinola, Finland; forward Trevor Zegras, U.S.A.; forward Dylan Cozens, Canada; and forward Tim Stutzle, Germany.
Now, with the world juniors over, Cozens can focus his attention on making his NHL team, the Buffalo Sabres. The Yukon will be right behind him, cheering him on.
See more coverage of Tuesday’s game in Sports.
Comments (11)
Up 6 Down 3
Disappointed on Jan 11, 2021 at 12:15 pm
@TYMK If you can do better, feel free to do so, we'd love to see it.
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Yoduh on Jan 7, 2021 at 9:06 pm
Hey TMYK,
“It’s not the critic that counts, who points out where the strong man stumbled, or the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who was actually in the Arena, he who actually strives to do the deeds; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows at the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls that know neither victory, nor defeat.
Up 23 Down 6
Rod on Jan 7, 2021 at 8:39 pm
TMYK.. you should be embarrassed at your comment. Obviously you no nothing about hockey.
Up 21 Down 6
Yoduh on Jan 7, 2021 at 8:12 pm
Some good news!
A national auction was held for Dylan’s hockey sweater.
Word is, it was purchased by a true Yukoner, and will be put on display somewhere. Well done.
Up 9 Down 41
TMYK on Jan 7, 2021 at 3:04 pm
@ Rod. They played against a bunch of C and D line teams and still lost. They should be pretty embarrassed.
Up 17 Down 11
Just Sayin' on Jan 7, 2021 at 8:25 am
Mr Facts is probably American...
Up 51 Down 9
Rod on Jan 6, 2021 at 5:04 pm
Those boys didn’t lose anything. They played their hearts and gave us fans one heck of a show! Dylan Cozens definitely was a force in this tourney! It made watching the tourney so much more exciting not only having a Yukoner in the tourney but being in my eyes the best player of the tourney! That young man has same serious skills and some very amazing manners!
Thanks team Canada and Dylan Cozens!
Up 27 Down 9
Bingo on Jan 6, 2021 at 3:52 pm
@ Mr. Facts....U R a total Dud!
Up 45 Down 7
Groucho d'North on Jan 6, 2021 at 3:33 pm
Well done Team Canada! Silver is nothing to frown at, Yes Gold would have been nicer, but that is all a part of sportsmanship and playing a leading role in the game played off the ice. Hold your heads high gentlemen you reached a new watermark in your individual careers while keeping Canada in the spotlight for our game.
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Kerry Huff on Jan 6, 2021 at 1:46 pm
Great tournament Dylan. You gave Yukoners a lot to be proud of. I heard today that you have been called up by the Buffalo Sabres. Will be following your career with keen interest. Congratulations!
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Mr Facts on Jan 6, 2021 at 1:38 pm
Glad to see someone else other than Canada winning. It gets boring after awhile. *grabs popcorn*