Seven OHL Players Win Gold with Canada at 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup
BRECLAV, Czech Republic – For the ninth time in 10 years Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team claimed gold at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup with a 4-1 win over the Czech Republic on Saturday.
Captain Joe Veleno (Saint John Sea Dogs), the first player to represent Canada twice at the tournament, scored the game-winner early in the second period, while Noah Dobson (Acadie-Bathurst Titan) and Akil Thomas (Niagara IceDogs) helped pace the offense with two assists each.
Jared McIsaac (Halifax Mooseheads) opened the scoring for Canada with the lone goal of the first period as the red and white held a decisive 19-4 shot advantage through 20 minutes of play.
Veleno’s goal doubled Canada’s lead at the 2:19 mark before Dominik Arnost put the Czechs on the board at 6:59. Defenceman Kevin Bahl (Ottawa 67’s) scored his first goal of the tournament in the final minute of the middle frame providing Canada with some insurance heading into the third.
Barrie Colts prospect Jack McBain finished the scoring in the third period completing a three-point effort when he capitalized off a rebound from a Ty Smith (Spokane Chiefs) shot at 7:53.
Olivier Rodrigue (Drummondville Voltigeurs) was solid in goal turning aside 18 as the Canadians dominated the shot clock 46-19.
Rodrigue led all tournament goaltenders with a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .942. Veleno led Canada’s tournament offense with seven points in five games, followed by Thomas, fellow forward Barrett Hayton (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds), and defencemen Calen Addison (Lethbridge Hurricanes), and Ryan Merkley (Guelph Storm) with six points each.
It is the 21st time in 27 summer U18 tournaments Canada has finished atop the podium, dating back to 1991.
In Saturday’s bronze medal contest, Sweden edged Russia 4-3 in overtime.
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.
Goaltenders:
Alexis Gravel (Halifax Mooseheads)
Olivier Rodrigue (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Defencemen:
Calen Addison (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Kevin Bahl (Ottawa 67’s)
Noah Dobson (Acadie-Bathurst Titan)
Jared McIsaac (Halifax Mooseheads)
Ryan Merkley (Guelph Storm)
Ty Smith (Spokane Chiefs)
Jett Woo (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Forwards:
Luka Burzan (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds)
Aidan Dudas (Owen Sound Attack)
Nolan Foote (Kelowna Rockets)
Gabriel Fortier (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Barrett Hayton (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Anderson MacDonald (Sherbrooke Phoenix)
Serron Noel (Oshawa Generals)
Benoit-Olivier Groulx (Halifax Mooseheads)
Jackson Shepard (Kamloops Blazers)
Akil Thomas (Niagara IceDogs)
Joe Veleno (Saint John Sea Dogs)
Congratulations @HC_Men! Canada is proud. ???? #HlinkaMemorial pic.twitter.com/izlcGVtWBo
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) August 12, 2017
The Canadians will try to make it 22 summer gold medals when the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup comes to home ice for the first time in 2018; Edmonton will host next August, the first time a major summer U18 tournament is played in Canada since the 1996 Air Canada Pacific Cup in Nelson and Castlegar, B.C.
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.
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