Point & Team WHL Fall In A Shootout
(Story courtesy Marc Smith, DiscoverMooseJaw.com) Brayden Point got stronger as the game went on and so did Team WHL, but they couldn’t finish it off in the end.
The Russians out lasted a team of WHL all-stars during an 11-round shootout to take game one of the CHL Super Series, 3-2, on Monday night in Saskatoon.
Vladimir Bryukvin scored Team Russia’s fourth goal of the shootout to propel them to the win over Team WHL.
Point scored in the shootout and assisted on Team WHL’s second goal by Cole Ully late in the third period, which put them up 2-1 with 2:25 to go in the game.
“It was fun, it was a lot of fun,” said Point after the game. “When you’re playing with the kind of guys you’re playing with, it’s nothing but fun.
“It was cool to get on the score sheet and I was happy when I got my name called for the shootout because it’s fun to shoot in those.”
Point played right wing the majority of the night on a line with Nic Petan at centre and Ully at left wing. They provided a lot of speed and skill, and they started clicking more and more as the game moved on.
“It was tough to get the nerves out (on the first shift), playing wing is a little new to, but I thought I had a pretty good game after that first shift,” said the Warriors captain.
“It’s pretty easy playing with the kind of guys I was playing with, Ully and Petan, they’re really good players, so it’s pretty easy. It’s just a different game on the wing and I had to adjust to what I was doing in the D zone.”
The Super Series games are used by Hockey Canada to identify players for the World Junior team. With the depth that Canada has at centre this year with Sam Reinhart returning from the NHL, Point may have to look to the wing to crack the team.
“I’m not really thinking about that when I’m on the ice,” Point said. “Just trying to have some fun and enjoy the experience.”
Russia opened the scoring in the first minute of the game when Alexander Bryntsev got a point shot through on Tri-City goalie Eric Comrie. Team WHL answered back with 55 seconds to go in the opening frame when Jake Virtanen found the back of the net.
Team WHL had numerous chances to take the lead in the second and throughout much of the third period, but Igor Shetyorkin turned aside 34-of-36 shots in regulation.
After Ully gave Team WHL a 2-1 lead with under three minutes to go, Russia’s Konstantin Okulov responded with a game-tying goal just 1:08 later to even the score at 2-2 and forced the game into the shootout.
Point was the fourth shooter for Team WHL in the shootout and scored on a backhand to make it 2-1 in the shootout, but Russia’s Ivan Fishchenko scored on the next shot to tie before the eventual win six shooters later.
“They’re big and physical and they played us hard, but I thought we answered well,” said Point after Monday’s game. “A late goal is tough, but overall, I thought we had a pretty good game.”
The final game between the WHL and Russia goes on Tuesday in Brandon before the six-game series shifts over to the Ontario Hockey League.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun when we’re in Brandon, it’s supposed to be a sold out crowd, so it’s going to be good.”
The Warriors return to the ice on Wednesday against the Seattle Thunderbirds at Mosaic Place.
