Winnipeg Jets: Cole Perfetti Picks up Three Assists in WJC Debut

Cole Perfetti, the Winnipeg Jets first round pick of the 2020 draft, made his World Juniors debut tonight for Canada in their win over Germany.

The first game featuring Team Canada in the IIHF World Junior Championship is always a highly anticipated contest. Here we get to see the brightest under-twenty hockey players that Canada has to offer. Canada’s roster is filled with players that have already been drafted by NHL teams and features Cole Perfetti who was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets as the tenth overall pick in October.

Perfetti who hails from Whitby, Ontario is the only Winnipeg Jets prospect on Team Canada and was handed his WJC debut against a struggling Germany squad.

For the second straight night, Germany only had 14 skaters dressed because of positive COVID-19 tests that forced some of their players to quarantine.

Canada exploited Germany’s fatigue and small squad the whole night, they played fast and physically and won 16-2. The goals came early and often for Canada.

Winnipeg Jets

Unfortunately for Perfetti, he could not get in on the scoring fun in the first. He was on the ice for Canada’s fifth goal, which was scored by Peyton Krebs in the final second of the first period. The goal was scored on the powerplay and Perfetti had no direct role in the goal. Canada went into the locker room up 4-1 at the end of one.

Canada exploded in the second period with seven goals. Perfetti finally got an assist on Canada’s eleventh goal, scored again by Krebs. There was a delayed penalty against Germany and Krebs slotted home a nice one-timer past the German goaltender.

Perfetti started the third the same way he ended the second, with an assist. He assisted on Dylan Cozens’ powerplay goal to give Canada a 12-1 lead. Perfetti gave Connor McMichael a great pass in the offensive zone who then gave a wide-open Cozens an even better pass on the back door. Cozens then redirected the puck into a wide-open net.

Perfetti picked up his third and final assist on Canada’s fifteenth goal. He was in the middle of the offensive zone on the right side with the puck and passed it to Thomas Harley, who was streaking down from the point. Harley ripped the puck over the left shoulder of the German netminder.

Perfetti finished the night with zero goals, three assists, six shots on goal, and a +2 plus/minus. It was a great showing from Canada in their first game of the tournament. Perfetti played well and looked good on the powerplay, but the opposition only gets tougher after today.

Perfetti and Canada will be looking to win their second game in as many days when they face off against Slovakia tomorrow evening. Puck drop is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Central Time.

Winnipeg Jets Fans: What did you think of Cole Perfetti’s performance against Germany? Leave your comments below!