HELSINKI - This has been the most trying experience of Jake Virtanen's career and he couldn't be happier.

Virtanen is one of four players returning from Canada's gold medal-winning junior team that won the world championship in Toronto last year. This year's team has struggled in the preliminary round of the tournament and on Saturday will face the heavily favoured host Finland in the quarter-finals.

"I think this is the most adversity I've ever had," said Virtanen who hasn't earned a point in four games. "It's pretty exciting, when you're the first time getting into a big adversity moment for yourself. As a team, it's pretty special."

Finland poses a particularly steep challenge. Forwards Jesse Puljujarvi, Sebastian Aho and Patrik Laine are the tournament's top three scorers, leading Finland to a 3-1 record to finish second in Group B.

"They've got a really good team over there, we know that," said Canadian forward Mitch Marner after practice on Friday. "That first line of theirs is dangerous on offence so we've got to shut them down but not focus on them too much because then you lose track of the middle lines.

"They've got a great four lines over there and we've got to be ready to play all of them."

Canada won in regulation, in the shootout and sustained two losses in the preliminary round at Helsinki Ice Hall, the smaller of the two venues hosting the world juniors. Although that 8,200-seat arena was near capacity with boisterous Canadian fans for all four games, it will be a different story on Saturday.

The quarter-final matchup will be in Hartwall Arena, home of the Kontinental Hockey League's Jokerit, which seats 13,349 fans, giving Finland strong home-ice advantage.

"It can't not be exciting," said Virtanen, when asked why he thought the daunting task was exciting. "I think it's a learning experience. When you're down as a team it's a learning experience. You build off of (adversity) as a team. Nothing bad can happen from that.

"Through the round robin I know it was tough losing a couple of games but now we're ready and it's going to count from here on out."

The biggest chink in Finland's armour is its goaltending.

Its team save percentage was second worst in the preliminary round of the tournament at .867. Finland's goals-against average was fifth worse at 3.27. Those struggles largely fall at the feet of Veini Vehvilainen, who has started three of Finland's games. He has a 3.36 GAA and .857 save percentage.

By comparison, Canada ??? which gave two starts to Mason McDonald and two to Mackenzie Blackwood ??? has a .880 team save percentage and a 2.97 GAA.

Finnish head coach Jukka Jalonen refused to underestimate Canada on Friday morning, however.

"I would say that Canada is never an underdog in these tournaments," said Jalonen as Canada practised at Hartwall Arena. "They're always favourites. I think it's the same situation now. We are underdogs, they are world champions from last season and a great team.

"We know we have a chance if we play well. When we play well."

In Canada's 5-2 loss to Sweden on Thursday discipline was the key issue with the Canadians taking 10 minor penalties, giving the Swedes three power-play goals. Head coach Dave Lowry is adamant that won't happen again.

"Discipline is going to be key for us," said Lowry. "If we're taking more than three minor penalties then we're putting ourselves in a really difficult position. You don't mind penalties that are preventing goals and that, but we just have to be mindful.

"I think by now we have a real good understanding what the (international) standards are and we can't put ourselves in those positions."

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