Canada advances to semi-final with 6-1 win over host Slovakia
Bratislava, Slovakia – Canada’s National Summer Under-18 Team climbed out to a 4-0 lead against Slovakia and didn’t look back, wrapping up the preliminary round with a 2-0-1 record at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament with a 6-1 victory over the host team.
Barrett Hayton (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) impressed in a third straight game, registering two goals and an assist while Joe Veleno (Saint John Sea Dogs) and Anderson MacDonald (Sherbrooke Phoenix) each had a goal and a helper. Other Canadian goals came from Calen Addison (Lethbridge Hurricanes) and Gabriel Fortier (Baie-Comeau Drakkar) while goaltender Olivier Rodrigue (Drummondville Voltigeurs) turned aside nine of the 10 shots he faced.
Oliver Turan broke the offensive silence for Slovakia on the power play 5:27 into the third period.
Canada went 4-for-7 on the man advantage and outshot the Slovaks 25-10 before 1,974 at Slovnaft Arena.
Canada’s 2-0-1 mark is good for second place in Group B, one point behind first place Russia. They now face undefeated Sweden (3-0) in a semi-final matchup on Friday at 1:00pm ET. The winner will advance to play the winner of Russia and the Czech Republic in Saturday’s Gold Medal Game.
OTHER SCORES FROM DAY 3:
Sweden 4, Switzerland 2
Russia 3, Finland 1
Czech Republic 7, United States 3
Team Canada includes 21 players from the Canadian Hockey League including eight from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, seven from the Ontario Hockey League and six from the Western Hockey League.
For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca, or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hc_men.