Jesse Puljujärvi joked – this is how Sidney Crosby is shut down in the World Championship semifinals

ZÜRICH. The buzz around the Lions rises before the World Cup semi-final against Canada on Saturday. One of Canada’s most followed superstars is, of course, NHL legend Sidney Crosby.

The Lions’ top scorer in the World Championship, Jesse Puljujärvi, who has 4+5 points in eight games, knows Crosby well from their time with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Finn has a clear vision of how to stop the 38-year-old superstar on Saturday.

– We need to keep Crosby in the defensive zone, Puljujärvi quipped after Friday’s practice, causing a burst of laughter among Finnish reporters.

Canada will skate into the semi-final without their top defender Evan Bouchard. The star of the Edmonton Oilers, who won the defensemen’s scoring race this NHL season with 95 points, suffered a concussion due to a hit from Ryan Lindgren during Thursday’s quarter-final match against the United States.

Puljujärvi was horrified by the injury suffered by his former teammate, which looked frightening on television.

– Yes, we watched it (on video) yesterday. It was a bad-looking and unfortunate situation. You don’t want that to happen to anyone. I hope everything is okay, Puljujärvi sends his regards to Bouchard.

For the Canada match on Saturday, Puljujärvi hopes for physicality and disciplined play from the Lions.

– We need to be physical. I want to bring hard skating and tough battles. That way we can frustrate Canada. That’s what I’m aiming for, and then I’ll be at the core of it, Puljujärvi outlined his role.

– Yes, we need to attack wisely because they have so much counterattack skill. We need to make sensible decisions with the puck, Puljujärvi continued, assessing the Lions’ recipe for success for Saturday.

The Lions will face Crosby and Canada, led by Macklin Celebrini, on Saturday at 21:00 in the World Cup semi-final.