Day 2 at WU17 Recap
(Photo: Bruce Smith/Hockey Canada Images)
Sarnia, ON – Day two of the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge didn’t disappoint as two games required extra time and a pair of Canadian teams pulled out victories. The United States kept up its hot offensive pace while Finland and Russia took things to a shootout.
Here’s a look at Monday’s action.
FINLAND 5 — RUSSIA 4 – SO
The Russians gave them a scare, but Finland managed to hold on for a 5-4 shootout victory at the RBC Centre in Sarnia on Monday afternoon. After taking a 4-0 lead, Finland proceeded to surrender four goals in the third period as a dangerous offensively gifted Russian squad pushed the game into overtime.
After a scoreless extra frame, the two clubs dueled it out in a shootout with Finland’s Aapeli Räsänen scoring the only marker in the fourth round to secure a 5-4 Finland victory.
Otto Somppi was a force for Finland, scoring twice while Markus Niemeläinen and Jan Kluuskeri also tallied.
Russian goals came from Mikhail Sergachyov, Dmitri Sokolov and the similarly named Nikita A. Popugayev and Nikita O. Popugayev.
Finland remains undefeated at 2-0 as they head into the final day of the preliminary round on Tuesday.
Full recap at HockeyCanada.ca.
UNITED STATES 7 — SLOVAKIA 1
Another two goal effort from Nick Pastujov powered the United States to a 7-1 win over Slovakia at The Shores Recreation Centre. Windsor Spitfires draftee Clayton Keller and Michigan product William Lockwood also had two goal efforts for the Americans, who outshot Slovakia 37-21.
The United States went 4 for 8 on the man advantage and head into Tuesday’s matchup against Canada Red with a 2-0 record.
Full recap at HockeyCanada.ca.
CANADA WHITE 5 — CANADA BLACK 4 – OT
Mississauga Steelheads draft pick Nicolas Hague (Kitchener Jr. B, GOJHL) displayed his big point shot for all to see on Tuesday evening at the RBC Centre, giving Canada White a 5-4 overtime win over Canada Black with 2:18 remaining on the clock.
Big winger Zach Poirier (North Bay Battalion) scored his first of two on the evening at 7:13 of the opening frame to give Canada Black a 1-0 lead. Fellow darkshirt Tyler Benson (Vancouver Giants) would extend that lead to 2-0 moments later at 11:35. Canada White answered back quickly when Anthony Salinitri (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) tallied and teammate Travis Barron (Ottawa 67’s) followed up at 14:08 to knot the score at two. Canada White rounded out the first period with a 3-2 lead as Tanner Kaspick (Brandon Wheat Kings) scored just over a minute later at 15:28.
Scoring three goals in under five minutes to close out the first, Canada White kept on rolling into the second as Jonathan Ang (Peterborough Petes) found his first of the tournament at 3:43 with assists to Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting) and defenceman Luke Green (Saint John Sea Dogs).
Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles) got the ship righted for Canada Black midway through the second with help from Pascal Laberge (Gatineau Olympiques) and Jake Bean (Calgary Hitmen), getting his club to within one.
Canada Black drew even early in the third period as Poirier’s second of the evening gave the team a boost. Poirier’s goal knotted the score 4-4 as he received assists from Nolan Volcan (Seattle Thunderbirds) and Brandon Saigeon (Belleville Bulls).
Canada White carried the bulk of the play in overtime, taking the shooting column 4-1 for a game total of 33-27. With 2:18 to play on the clock, Hague took a feed from Brett Howden (Moose Jaw Warriors) to beat Canada Black goaltender Reilly Pickard (Baie-Comeau Drakkar) high over the shoulder for the exciting finish.
Canada White’s 5-4 win sees them bounce back from a disappointing loss on Monday.
Full recap at HockeyCanada.ca.
CANADA RED 4 — SWEDEN 2
Like Finland earlier in the day, Canada Red established a lead, only to allow their opposition to chip away and make things interesting into the third period. A Logan Brown (Windsor Spitfires) powerplay marker at 9:59 got things off on the right foot before Adam Mascherin (Kitchener Rangers) scored just 1:31 later to make it 2-0. Jake Kryski (Kamloops Blazers) collected another powerplay goal with assists to Brown and Sean Day (Mississauga Steelheads) at the 14-minute mark. Sweden would close out the first with a goal from Jesper Bratt as Canada led 3-1 at the intermission.
A relatively quiet second period saw its silence broken in the final three minutes as Sweden converted on the powerplay to make it a one goal game. Adam Thilander found the back of the net with assists to Bratt and Jacob Moverare at 18:48.
With their lead at just 3-2, Canada Red did an effective job smothering any offense the Swedes could muster up as they surrendered just three shots in the final frame. William Bitten (Plymouth Whalers) put the final nail in the Swedish coffin with 24 seconds to play in the third period as Canada Red prevailed 4-2.
The Canadians controlled the shooting column by a tally of 31-18. Goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick (Sherbrooke Phoenix) made 16 saves for Canada Red while Swedish netminder Filip Gustavsson provided several big saves to keep his team in the game.
Full recap at HockeyCanada.ca.
TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE
Sweden vs. Slovakia – 3:00pm (The Shores Rec. Centre – Lambton Shores)
Canada Black vs. Finland – 7:00pm (Sarnia Arena – Sarnia)
Russia vs. Canada White – 7:00pm (RBC Centre – Sarnia)
United States vs. Canada Red – 7:00pm (The Shores Rec. Centre – Lambton Shores)
For information on schedules, scores and how to purchase tickets, visit HockeyCanada.ca.