Maritime hockey fans cheer for Team Canada following unforgettable 2023 World Juniors

It's the most wonderful time of the year for Canadian hockey fans.

The 2024 World Junior Hockey Championship got underway on Boxing Day in Sweden, with Canada opening their two-time gold medal defence with a 5-2 win against Finland. The red and white followed it up with a 10-0 shutout win against Latvia on Wednesday.

Unlike the team’s opening game, the match against Latvia was played in the afternoon. In Saint John, N.B., that brought fans out to Rocky’s Sports Bar to catch the action.

“I’m pumped to watch it, I watch it every year,” says Michael Laskey, who went to the bar to watch the game with some friends.

“It’s electric around here just to watch a sport.”

“Being a Canadian, you got to love those juniors and here we are cheering for them in the best sports bar in the city of Saint John,” says fellow fan Edward Mitchell.

Rocky’s bartender Mimi Lachaîne expects the bar to only get busier as the tournament progresses.

“For other restaurants in the area this is their quiet season,” says Lachaîne.

“But since we are a sports bar with all these events, winter is actually our busy season.”

Last year’s tournament brought unprecedented levels of excitement to the region, with the event being hosted in Moncton and Halifax. Those at the bar say they’re just as excited for this year’s World Juniors.

Halifax Mooseheads fans have an extra reason to cheer on Team Canada. The Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League team has three players on the Canadian roster – forward Jordan Dumais, starting goaltender Mathis Rousseau, and defenceman Jake Furlong from Upper Tantallon, N.S.

“We grow up watching Team Canada, and we are all fans of Team Canada,” says Mooseheads assistant coach Brad Mackenzie.

“Now to see a few of our own wear that crest, we know that they’re really honoured and we are honoured that we have a chance to work with those guys on a day-to-day basis throughout the year.”

It’s the first time all three have made the Canadian Junior National Team, after getting to watch the tournament in person last year in their own backyard.

Mackenzie says he is proud of his players, who he all have NHL aspirations. Before they make the jump to the big leagues, he hopes they can help the Mooseheads claim their first Memorial Cup title since 2013.

“It’s a great experience that they can go and hopefully win a gold medal and bring that winning pedigree back to us for hopefully a deep run for us,” Mackenzie says.

Canada plays its next game Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. against the host team Sweden.