Canada Men's National Team Qualifies for WFC 2022 in Switzerland

Canada is celebrating another North American Championship after defeating the USA (4-1, 4-4, 8-5 aggregate). This qualifies Canada for the 2022 WFC in Switzerland.

The first game of the 2 game set, held at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, was back and forth with the teams remaining even after the first period. Cedric Grenapin opened the scoring for Canada after a solid but legal hip check levelled by Captain Matt Smith. Quickly after that, Eetu Lumiala made it 2-0 with a howitzer from the point, giving him a legendary first goal in his national team debut. 

The USA's Maximus Blanco cut the lead in half with a great shot off a free hit. The second period would end 2-1 in favour of Canada. 

Canada’s first line came out hot to start the third period with Jonathan Kuysten scoring from only angles that Jonathan Kuysten can score from, giving Canada a 3-1 lead. Canada settled in defensively after that and kept the USA off the scoreboard. The first line continuing on the great game they had managed to make it a 4-1 game with Kuysten scoring another goal from a seeing eye shot from the point. The 4-1 final gave Canada the advantage they needed heading into the second game.

Team USA needing to win by three in the second game to take it to overtime, or by four for an outright overall win, had all the pressure on them.

The second game started off with three unanswered goals by Team Canada, with none other than Jonathan Kuysten getting it started 3 minutes into the game. Tristan Walsh and Matt Smith followed up in the span of a minute and the Team USA was quickly behind 7-1 in the battle for North American supremacy and 3-0 in the current game.

Team USA turned the tide in the second period with Captain Alexander McVey getting the team on the board followed by Colin Aebersold and Maximus Blanco tying the game 3-3 going into the third period and squeezing it back to a 3 goal deficit on aggregate. 

USA was able to score yet again, another from Blanco, giving the team a 4-3 lead. But having to win by three for the overtime team USA took out their goalie and put the pressure on towards the end of the game. Canada's Justin Laquerre was able to score in the empty net and the final result was 4-4 in game two and 8-5 for Canada in aggregate. 

You can find stats from both games here.

Big thanks and shoutout goes out to USA Floorball and North Texas Floorball for being great and welcoming hosts for the week.

The Canadian Men's National Team are looking forward next to playing at the World Games in Birmingham, Alabama in July before venturing off to the WFC in Switzerland in November.