Former WHL Champion Thompson picks up win in Olympic debut, Canada stays undefeated in Milan
Milan, Italy.- 2016 WHL Champion Logan Thompson (Calgary, Alta. / Brandon Wheat Kings) steered aside 24 shots in his Olympic debut to backstop Canada to a 5-1 win over Switzerland on Friday afternoon.
“Getting that call was a dream come true,” Thompson told the WHL back in January after being named to the squad. “I’m really thankful again, and just really excited to get over there in any role that they want me to be. I’m just gonna be the best Logan Thompson I can be.”
Turns out, that Logan Thompson is pretty damn good in an all-WHL goaltending matchup.
The match kicked off with a bang as Portland Winterhawks graduate and Swiss flagbearer Nino Niederreiter burst into the Canadian zone on a three-on-one rush, only to find his shot denied by a stalwart Thompson.
A tripping call against Switzerland saw the lethal Canadian powerplay take quick advantage, with 2015 CHL Player of the Year and Edmonton Oil Kings captain Connor McDavid burying a wrister from 2013 Memorial Cup champion Nathan MacKinnon.
Swiss netminder Akira Schmid (Lethbridge Hurricanes) recovered with a sprawling scorpion save on the patented Sidney Crosby backhand as the Canadian Captain bore down on a breakaway minutes later.
Two-time OHL All-Star Thomas Harley doubled the lead with a perfectly-placed wrister off a sharp pass from McDavid.
Pius Suter slashed the lead in half on Switzerland’s first powerplay near the midway point of the first period, leaving Canada to nurse a 2-1 lead entering the middle frame.
San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini gave Canadians a chance to breathe a sigh of relief as he hammered a one-timer past Akira Schmid off a MacKinnon dish, setting up a winner-take-all third period.
Canada’s greats continued to pile on as Crosby and MacKinnon lit the lamp again, and Thompson held down the fort with three showstopping stops to keep the Swiss at bay on a third-period powerplay.
So what have the Canadians shown through two matches at the games?
“Just our speed and compete,” Thompson told sideline reporter Kyle Bukauskas postgame in the mixed zone. “We’re not going to go away. I think we keep raising a level every period and just getting better every game.”
The win seals a first-place finish for Canada in Group A.
Canada (2-0-0-0) is off on Saturday before returning to the ice on Sunday, February 15, to battle France (0-0-0-2) at 8:40 a.m. MST.
NOTES
2015 WHL Playoffs MVP and German flagbearer Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders, Kelowna Rockets) tallied a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over Denmark on Thursday… 2012 WHL Champion Martin Gernat (Edmonton Oil Kings) added an assist as Slovakia edged Italy 3-2… Former Regina Pat and Medicine Hat Tigers alternate captain Matt Bradley scored his second goal of the tournament for Italy in the loss… Saskatoon Blades alumnus Matej Stransky picked up a goal and an assist to help Czechia double up France 6-3.
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