Anaheim Ducks: The World Junior Championship Is Over for our Prospects

Four of the Anaheim Ducks prospects entered the World Junior Championship with their eyes on the gold. They have all worked hard, but unfortunately, their journey has come to an end.

The Anaheim Ducks have four prospects representing them and their respective countries at the World Junior Championship over the past week. Out of the gate, each of them debuted in perfect form.

Lukas Dostál led his team, the Czech Republic, to a 2-1 win over the Swiss on opening night. He saved 26 out of 27 shots on goal, which led him to be named the player of the game. His calm, cool, and collected demeanor was a bright spot during his time in the World Juniors.

Isac Lundestrom started the competition off with a primary assist on Erik Brannstrom’s first goal of the game. This propelled Team Sweden to a 2-1 win over Finland.

Olle Eriksson Ek was the only player not to make an appearance in the opening day of the preliminary rounds. A two-game suspension kept him on the sidelines, but he would eventually make his appearance between the pipes for the Swedes.

Max Comtois absolutely dominated during Team Canada’s first game. The Canadian’s refused to have any mercy on the Danes. He scored the team’s second hat trick of the night and one more goal to end the night, leading the Canadians to a 14-0 win.

Despite the phenomenal showing from each of them during the preliminary rounds, their journey came to an end during the Quarter-Finals. However, although they have lost, and the gold medal is no longer attainable, their performances still deserve recognition.

Watching them perform has made the future of the Anaheim Ducks look extremely bright. If they were able to perform that way in the World Junior Championship, imagine what they will do for the  Anaheim Ducks in a few years time.

Maxime Comtois — Canada (5 games played, 5 goals, 1 assist)

Maxime Comtois returned to Team Canada this year, the only player from last years gold medal team to make an appearance on the roster again. He was named the team’s captain and did a great job leading despite their unfortunate loss.

As previously mentioned, he scored four games in Team Canada’s first game against the Danes. Comtois would score his fifth goal of the tournament against the Czech Republic.

Despite winning their first three contests, Canada would end up losing their last preliminary game against the Russians. This would carry into the Quarter-Finals game against Finland, where the team would lose 2-1 in overtime.

Comtois received a lot of criticism for a missed penalty shot that could have won the game for Team Canada. The negative reactions towards the 19-year-old forward were highly unacceptable to the point where a statement had to be released on his behalf about the cyberbullying.

I think it’s safe to say that Ducks Nation is very proud of Comtois and his performance at the World Juniors. All of his hard work has him tied for second in points. He definitely led his team with dignity and integrity and Canada should be proud to have him represent them on the ice.

Isac Lundestrom — Sweden (5 games played, 1 goal, 3 assists)

Isac Lundstrom played in all five games with Team Sweden this year and posted four points. His one goal and three assists throughout the tournament had him tied for second on his team in points.

Although Team Sweden was knocked out of the WJC in the quarter-finals, Lundestrom acted as an anchor for the team, especially while the flu was running rampant through the roster. His lone goal came during Swedens 5-2 victory over Slovakia.

The 2-0 shutout loss against the Swiss in the Quarter-Final was the first time the Swiss had defeated Sweden in an elimination game in the past 21 years.

Lundestrom’s time with Team Sweden at the World Junior’s has given him the desire to finish the rest of his season overseas in the SHL instead of with the Anaheim Ducks AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls.

Olle Eriksson Ek — Sweden (1 game played, 1.00 GAA, .909 SV%)

Olle Eriksson Ek’s time at the World Junior’s was rather disappointing. It wasn’t his performance that was disappointing per se, the 11 shots he faced against Kazakhstan really hurt his overall save percentage after they scored their lone goal.

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What was unfortunate is that his time in the net was short lived. It is understanding, considering he spent the first two games sidelined due to his suspension. However, it would have been nice to see him play another game.

As frustrating as it was for Eriksson Ek to have only played on game in the tournament, he still played a great game against Kazakhstan. Don’t let his lower save percentage fool you.

The opposing team didn’t help him out very much in that regard, only generating 11 shots on goal. Team Sweden still dominated in every area of that game, including with their goaltending.

Lukas Dostál — Czech Republic (4 games played, 1.25 GAA, .956 SV%, 1 SO)

Lukas Dostál was the youngest goaltender on the Czech Republic’s roster this year. Nevertheless, they relied on him heavily throughout the contest, playing in 4 of their 5 games. It is no surprise, considering his first performance between the pipes.

He seemed to perform significantly better each game. Although he lost two contests, against Russian and Canada, he still managed to maintain one of the most impressive save percentages of the entire tournament.

With the tournament still going on, this is subject to change. However, he currently has the third highest save percentage among goaltenders in the World Junior Championship, at .956%. In four games, he faced 115 shots on goal and only allowed 5 goals against.

As unfortunate as it is that all of the Anaheim Ducks prospects have been knocked out of the World Junior Championship, it was a great experiance for each of them. They played hard and relentlessly. We look forward to seeing what they can do the rest of the season with their current teams.