PARDUBICE, Czech Republic - Only three years ago, when he was 16, Steve Mason was with the Grimsby Jr. C Peach Kings of the Niagara Junior C Hockey League in Ontario, treading water as a hockey player and not sure he was going anywhere.

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The year before, he wasn't picked by the London Knights until the 11th round of the Ontario Hockey League draft (201st overall). So he didn't know he was even going to make it there, either.

This afternoon, Mason, 19, will lead Team Canada into the medal round of the world junior hockey championship, against Finland (2-2) in the first quarter-final game.

It doesn't get any more Canadian than that. Before you know it, he'll be in a Tim Hortons commercial. Now all he has to do is that other Canadian thing: win.

"I think about that all the time," Mason said of his days with Grimsby. "It kind of humbles you. You can't get too full of yourself.

"It's kind of funny. I was kind of a nobody back then, always the underdog. And I kind of used that underdog thing as a little motivation.

"Coming into (Team Canada) camp, I was probably the lowest kid drafted (by the Columbus Blue Jackets, 67th overall), so I don't think many people picked me to come out on top."

That Mason got the nod will make for some crowded living rooms in Oakville, Ont., where his parents - Bill and Donna, who couldn't make the trip to the Czech Republic - and his extended family will be watching.

Russia (3-1) plays the Czech Republic (2-2) in the other quarter-final.

The Swedes (4-0) and the United States (4-0) have byes into the semifinals on Friday

The winner of the Canada-Finland game will play the U.S. in one semifinal, while the winner of the Czech-Russia game will play the Swedes in the other.

The bronze- and gold-medal games are Saturday.

To win its fourth straight gold medal at this tournament, Canada has to win three games in four days, something it has done only once before, in 1997.

Team Canada coach Craig Hartsburg said he would have been comfortable picking either Mason or Jonathan Bernier of the QMJHL's Lewiston Maineiacs. Mason was the top goalie in the round-robin with a save percentage of .974. Bernier was second at .948.

Bernier's Waterloo might have been the four third-period goals he allowed to Sweden in a 4-3 loss on Saturday, though Hartsburg refused to blame him.

"There's nothing Jonathan did wrong," said Hartsburg. "We just feel (Mason) is the guy for us. He was outstanding against the Finns in the (pre-championship) exhibition game. I feel bad for Jonathan. He's a character kid and a great goaltender. But we all feel confident Mase is the guy."

Mason won two games in the round robin, 2-0 over Slovakia and 4-1 over Denmark, and he beat Finland 4-2 in an exhibition game in Chrudim, three days before the championship started.

That was a factor, as well as Mason's size - he's six-foot-three and 190 pounds - and his ability to handle the puck. Mason said he's just trying to be like his favourite player, New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, considered the best stickhandler among goaltenders in the NHL.