Team Canada head coach Brent Sutter calls plays during team practice at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in Malmo, Sweden on Friday December 27, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Frank Gunn
December 27, 2013 - 6:42 AM
MALMO, Sweden - Defenceman Matt Dumba missed Friday's practice with an illness but is expected to be able to play in Canada's next game at the world junior hockey championship.
Coach Brent Sutter said Dumba is already feeling better and should play Saturday when Canada (1-0) faces the Czech Republic (0-1).
"He's just got a little bit of a virus so we're keeping him off the ice," said Sutter. "It's something that started (Thursday) night and he was a little better this morning, so he'll be fine. He was up all night."
Dumba, loaned to the team by the Minnesota Wild, skated the puck into the attacking zone to set up Canada's first goal in a tournament-opening 7-2 win over Germany.
Sutter also said that Jake Paterson will start again in goal.
The Saginaw Spirit goalie won the job with two strong starts in pre-tournament exhibition games, relegating Zach Fucale of the Halifax Mooseheads to a backup role. However, Sutter said Fucale should see some action before the tournament ends.
As for Paterson, he said: "He didn't have a lot of work (against Germany), but outside of that first goal, he made some key saves for us. He was there when he needed to be, so he'll get another shot.
"He has to continue to take the ball and run with it. I'm not a believer in rotating goalies in this tournament. You want to go with someone who's riding the hot hand. We went with the 19-year-old to start the tournament, but you still have to assume that at some point, Fucale's going to get that opportunity because we play a lot of games here in a short period of time."
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013