Domi and Duclair lead Canada over Sweden
Sunday December 21, 2014
Ottawa, ON – Arizona Coyotes prospect Max Domi (London Knights) and New York Rangers forward Anthony Duclair (Quebec Remparts) combined their elite speed and skill on Sunday night in Ottawa as each had a goal and assist in a 5-2 Team Canada win over Sweden. Canada’s second 2015 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship pre-tournament game saw the team rebound after a tight 2-1 Friday night overtime loss to Russia in Toronto.
With Canada’s roster for the 2015 tournament announced on Saturday afternoon, the 22-man crew was able to focus solely on the task at hand Sunday evening in the nation’s capital against the reigning silver medalists from Sweden featuring Toronto Maple Leafs first round draft pick William Nylander in the lineup.
Canada’s offensive prowess was on full display early in front of a big crowd as the powerplay got to work just 2:26 into the first period. Able to outnumber Sweden in the goalmouth, Max Domi (London Knights) gobbled up a loose puck to the right of sprawling Swedish goaltender Samuel Ward to make the score 1-0 early. Domi’s goal came with assists from Anthony Duclair (New York Rangers/Quebec Remparts) and defenceman Joe Hicketts (Victoria Royals).
Defenceman Josh Morrissey (Kelowna Rockets) put Canada ahead with his second goal in as many pre-tournament games at 8:23, beating Ward on a slapshot from the blueline that navigated its way into the back of the net through traffic. Canada led Sweden 2-0 after one period, outshooting them 17-5.
The Swedes would answer back 7:06 into the second period on a powerplay of their own. Vancouver Canucks prospect Gustav Forsling got behind a slapshot from the point that beat Eric Comrie (Tri-City Americans) through a crowd with assists from Nylander and Adrian Kempe.
Sweden’s wave of momentum would be shortlived though. Duclair collected his second point of the game with a goal just 3:08 later. The Swedish goaltender Ward was unable to handle a dump-in on goal off the stick of Hicketts, as the rebound bounded dangerously into the slot where an oncoming Duclair converted to give Canada a 3-1 lead.
Though Canada carried a two goal edge into the third, the Swedes controlled the shooting column 9-4 in the second as Comrie was ready when called upon, and closed out the second with a strong lateral save off Swedish defenceman Sebastian Aho.
After a successful penalty kill to start the third, Connor McDavid (Erie Otters) brought the Ottawa fans out of their seats, flashing his signature playmaking abilities in his first action since November 11. McDavid carried the puck into the zone before dropping to a trailing Shea Theodore (Seattle Thunderbirds) who put his own rebound over the shoulder of Ward at 6:44 to make it 4-1 Canada.
Sam Reinhart (Kootenay Ice) would connect with Joe Hicketts (Victoria Royals) on a give-and-go at 13:16 to beat Ward on the short side before Sweden’s William Nylander would bring his club a little closer on a penalty shot to make the final 5-2 in favour of Canada.
Canada outshot Sweden 33-19 in the game as Eric Comrie (Tri-City Americans) turned aside 17 shots for the win.
Elsewhere in pre-tournament action on Sunday, Slovakia defeated Switzerland 3-2 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre, the United States defeated Germany 5-2 in Kingston, ON and Finland edged Russia 3-2 in a shootout in Oshawa, ON.
In upcoming pre-tournament matchups, the Czech Republic battles Slovakia on Tuesday in Peterborough, ON, Sweden takes on the United States in Kingston, ON, and Denmark faces Germany in Blainville, QC. All games begin at 7:00pm ET.
Team Canada returns to action in one final pre-tournament tune up against Switzerland on Tuesday in Montreal at 7:00pm.
For more information on Hockey Canada, Canada’s National Junior Team and the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca, www.hockeycanada.ca/2015juniors, or follow on social media at www.facebook.com/worldjuniors, www.twitter.com/hw_wjc and www.twitter.com/hc_men.
