2016 WU17 Hockey Challenge: Quarter-Final Recap
Team Canada White and Team Canada Black both punched their ticket to Friday’s Semi-Finals with victories in Quarter-Final action on Thursday. Russia and Sweden were also victorious, setting the stage for what’s sure to be an intense day of competition on Friday.
CANADA WHITE 3 CANADA RED 2
Olivier Rodrigue (Chicoutimi Sagueneens) came up big, turning aside 30 shots to back Team Canada White to a 3-2 victory over Team Canada Red. Canada White advanced to Friday’s Semi-Finals behind a late game winner from blueliner Jett Woo (Moose Jaw Warriors), who beat Canada Red’s Carl Stankowski (Seattle Thunderbirds) through traffic with just 1:29 left in the third period. Canada White claimed victory despite being outshot 32-21 as Akil Thomas (Niagara IceDogs) and Elijah Brown (Seattle Thunderbirds) also had goals in the win. Riley Damiani (Kitchener Rangers) and Shawn Element (Baie-Comeau Drakkar) responded for Canada Red, who is eliminated from medal contention and will play in Friday’s fifth-place game against the United States at 12:00pm. Canada White lives to play another day, squaring off against Sweden at 3:30pm on Friday.
GAME SUMMARY
CANADA BLACK 3 FINLAND 1
Luka Burzan (Moose Jaw Warriors), Dawson Baker (Sudbury Wolves) and Aidan Dudas (Owen Sound Attack) had goals as Team Canada Black advanced to Friday’s Semi-Finals with a 3-1 win over Finland. Jacob Ingham (Mississauga Steelheads) made 29 saves in goal, being beaten just once on a late goal by Finland’s Niklas Nordgren. Canada Black outshot Finland 35-30 and now prepares for a matchup against Russia at 7:30pm on Friday. Finland will square off against the Czech Republic to play for seventh place at 6:00pm.
GAME SUMMARY
SWEDEN 4 UNITED STATES 3
For the second year in a row, Sweden topped the United States in Quarter-Final action at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, hanging on for a 4-3 win behind a 32-save effort from goaltender Olof Lindblom. Carl Jakobsson and Jacob Olofsson scored early in the third to put Sweden up 4-0 before the Americans charged back for three goals, falling just short as time expired on their comeback effort. David Gustafsson and Jonatan Berggren also scored for the Swedes while Erik Middendorf, Bode Wilde and Joel Farabee replied for the United States. Sweden takes on Canada White in Quarter-Final action at 3:30pm on Friday while the Americans play for fifth place against Team Canada Red at 12:00pm.
GAME SUMMARY
RUSSIA 3 CZECH REPUBLIC 1
Andrey Svechnikov scored twice to lead Russia past the Czech Republic 3-1. The Russians advance to Friday’s Semi-Final where they’ll face Team Canada Black at 7:30pm. Alexander Khovanov also scored for Russia while goaltender Amir Miftakhov turned aside 28 shots. The Czechs will face Finland on Friday in a game for seventh place at 6:00pm.
GAME SUMMARY
For more information on the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, please visit hockeycanada.ca.