World Juniors Update – Grans, Helenius, Simontaival advance to quarterfinals

Good Morning, Insiders!

In our one-of-a-kind edition of August hockey, all three participating LA Kings prospects have advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Junior Championships. There’s really no surprise there – playing for Team Finland and Team Sweden, in a tournament in which eight of the 10 participating teams reach the quarterfinals – but a necessary step in a quest for a medal.

Forwards Samuel Helenius and Kasper Simontaival have helped Team Finland to the second seed in Group A, with three wins and a loss from four games in group play. Finland will face off against Team Germany, the third-seeded team in Group B, in a single-elimination game tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, defenseman Helge Grans helped lead Team Sweden to the second seed in Group B, which sets up a quarterfinal matchup against Latvia, the third-seeded team in Group A.

Knockout Round Schedule
Quarterfinals – August 17
Finland vs. Germany, 9 AM Pacific
Sweden vs. Latvia, 12:30 PM Pacific
Canada vs. Switzerland, 4 PM Pacific
United States vs. Czechia, 7:30 PM Pacific

Semifinals – August 19
Czechia vs. Canada, 1 PM Pacific
Sweden vs. Finland, 5 PM Pacific

Medal Round – August 20
Bronze Medal Game, 1 PM Pacific
Gold Medal Game, 5 PM Pacific

Preliminary Round Recaps
Kasper Simontaival
Simontaival had a strong opening round for Team Finland, as he tallied five points (2-3-5) from four games in group play.

The third-round in 2020 selection opened the tournament with an assist in each of his team’s first two games, victories over Latvia and Czechia. In addition to his helper against the Czechs, Simontaival netted the game-winning goal in the shootout, with a silky move to the backhand when in alone with the goaltender.

Nice little move in the shootout from Kasper Simontaival to earn Team 🇫🇮 its second straight win.

Simontaival also had an assist in the win over Czechia, giving him two from his first two games in the WJC. pic.twitter.com/oF0Z1T0039

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) August 11, 2022

In his team’s third game of the tournament – a 9-3 rout of Slovakia – Simontaival led the Finns with two goals and an assist. Just 35 seconds into the game, Simontaival drove to the net down the left side of the slot and was first to a centering feed, which he finished on the backhand for an early 1-0 advantage for his side.

Oh Captain, my Captain 🇫🇮 🇫🇮 🇫🇮

Kasper Simontaival and Roni Hirvonen combine to give @leijonat a 1-0 lead over @HockeySlovakia just 35 seconds into the first. #WorldJuniors #FINSVK pic.twitter.com/JJKwDubupM

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) August 14, 2022

Finland struck again exactly 35 seconds into the second period, with Simontaival collecting another assist, this on a power-play goal. Later in the game, with Finland on the power play yet again midway through the third period, Simontaival added his second goal of the game with a redirected effort just outside of the crease, bringing him to a game-high three points.

Samuel Helenius
While less active offensively than his fellow Finn, Helenius found himself able to contribute in other ways, mainly with a 63-percent win-rate on faceoffs over the course of Finland’s first two games of the tournament against Latvia and Czechia. In those contests, Helenius was on the ice for just one goal against, which game on the penalty kill.

A surprising omission from the lineup in Game 3 versus Slovakia, Helenius returned to action in Finland’s fourth and final game against Canada, as he produced his team’s most positive moment of the first 40 minutes. The 6-6 forward positioned himself well in the high slot to receive a pass and despite the puck being in his feet, he kicked it to his stick and fired a shot off a Canadian defenseman and in to get his team on the board.

Samuel Helenius puts Finland on the board! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/caEBpLDCKH

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 15, 2022

Despite the disappointing finish against the Canadians, Finland won three of four games played in the pool, giving itself the higher seed in their quarterfinal matchup, avoiding a meeting with the top seeded United States and second-seeded Sweden in the process. As noted above, Finland will face Team Germany tomorrow in its first elimination game of the tournament.

Helge Grans
Similar to fellow 2020 NHL Draft selection Simontaival, Swedish defenseman Helge Grans opened his tournament with assists in each of his first two games. Grans assisted on the game-opening goal in Sweden’s 3-2 victory over Switzerland and added a helper on his team’s second goal in a 6-0 rout of Austria, with the latter coming off of an acrobatic keep in at the offensive blueline.

Grans has been amongst his team’s leaders in terms of time on ice, logging 22:09 in Sweden’s first game against Switzerland, his tournament high and second-most on Team Sweden. Grans has partnered with Simon Edvinsson on the team’s top defensive pairing throughout the tournament, ranking third in total time on ice in each of his team’s first three games played.

In Sweden’s group-stage finale, Grans collected an assist on the game-winning goal in a 4-2 victory over Germany, with the secondary helper on a goal scored in the second period. Grans concluded the group with three points (0-3-3) from four games played, a +3 rating and two penalty minutes.

After finishing on a high note with a victory over Germany last night, Sweden has set itself up as the higher seeded squad in the quarterfinals. Sweden will face Team Latvia, which skated to an impressive win over Czechia, securing its first-ever win in the tournament and its first-ever berth in the quarterfinals in the process.

Helenius, Simontaival and Team Finland kick off the knockout round tomorrow morning at 9 AM.