Yukon’s Gavin McKenna says all the penalties his team has been racking up at the world junior hockey championships have been frustrating, as he and the rest of the team prepare to take on Czech Republic Thursday night.

“We dominate when it’s five on five, we just need to stay out of the box and stop taking dumb penalties,” he said.

Canada’s head coach Dave Cameron agrees.

Following Canada’s 4-1 loss to the United States on New Year’s Eve, Cameron held a meeting with the team to talk about the lack of discipline. Canada is leading the tournament in penalties: the team has taken 29 through four games.

“The good thing about the penalties is that they’re so obvious there’s no denying them,” said Cameron.

The Canadian bench boss said Thursday night’s game will show if his message to the team has been heard.

Something else that may be fuelling the frustration around Canada’s camp could be the lack of offence. The team has scored just 10 times, and two of those goals have come into an empty net.

Team Canada’s head coach, Dave Cameron, says Thursday night’s game will show whether his message to the team about their lack of discipline has sunk in. (George Maratos/CBC)

McKenna, the youngest player on Team Canada, is one of the athletes who has been snake bitten. After scoring the first goal for Canada against Finland — the game winner — the 17-year-old has been held scoreless.

That’s unfamiliar territory for a player leading the Canadian Hockey League in scoring this season.

“I think I’m generating quite a bit, but until I start putting the puck in the back of the net and helping the team out, it’s not been great,” said McKenna. He entered the tournament averaging two points a game in the Western Hockey League.

“It’s been tough, but I think once I get the monkey off my back, things will start going my way.”

That monkey needs to jump off quick if Canada wants its tournament to continue. Canada and Czech Republic face off at 5:30 MT Thursday. If Team Canada loses, their tournament is over.