2015 IIHF World Junior Championship

Day in Review: Montreal

Saturday, August 9
RUSSIA 5, SWEDEN 4 (SO)

Turning Point: Down 4-1 with less than 13 minutes left, the Russia comeback began thanks to Valentin Zykov, who took a cross-ice feed from Vladislav Gavrikov and rifled a wrist shot past the Swedish netminder to make it a two-goal game. The Russians would score twice more to tie the game before earning a shootout victory.

First Star: Ivan Barbashev was everywhere for the Russians on Saturday, scoring his team’s first goal and adding a pair of assists during Russia’s third-period comeback. He got to show off his skills with the teams at three-on-three in overtime, and scored in the shootout to help Russia to the win.

Goal of the Night: Carl Dahlstrom streaked into the Russian zone before dropping a between-the-legs pass to Alex Holmstrom. He did the rest, cutting towards the net, faking to the backhand, slamming on the brakes and tucking the puck in a small gap underneath the short-side crossbar to extend the Swedish lead to 2-0.

What’s Next: That’s it for summer camp; next up is the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship in December.


Friday, August 8
CZECH REPUBLIC 5, CANADA 2

Turning Point: There’s an old hockey saying that goals in the first and last minute of a period are killers. Canada did both on Friday, giving up a power play marker to Tomas Dvorak with 38 seconds left in the first period, and another to David Kampf just 46 seconds into the second, putting the Canadians in a 3-0 hole they could not get out of.

First Star: Miroslav Svoboda was a wall in the Czech goal, finishing with 33 saves against a line-up that included nine first-round NHL draft picks, and another who will go high in the 2015 draft. Svoboda’s best save came midway through the second period with the Czechs holding a two-goal lead, when he poke-checked Robby Fabbri on a breakaway opportunity.

Goal of the Night: With his team down 3-0, Connor McDavid picked up the puck in the neutral zone, made his way around a Czech defenceman and found himself all alone with Miroslav Svoboda. After a sensational backhand-to-forehand deke, McDavid had nothing to do but slide the puck in behind a sprawling Svoboda.

What’s Next: The 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, this December. Summer camp is done for both teams, with the Canadians posting three wins in four games, and the Czechs earning a single victory in three chances.


Thursday, August 7
CANADA 6, RUSSIA 3

Turning Point: After struggling to score early in its past two games, Canada got on the board first thanks to a lucky bounce off an opposing defender; Curtis Lazar took advantage, converting a shorthanded breakaway with a perfectly-placed wrist shot.

First Star: Who else could it be? Curtis Lazar opened and closed the scoring, both shorthanded, and added another goal, plus an assist, in between. The Vernon, B.C., native wore the ‘C’ on Thursday and led by example, starring in every situation – he picked up points at even strength, on the power play and shorthanded.

Goal of the Night: With Canada just having taken back its lead at 2-1, Sam Bennett break-out pass sprung Anthony Duclair, who broke in on a two-on-one with Sam Reinhart. Duclair showed impressive poise with the puck, waiting for the Russian defenceman to drop to the ice before lofting a pass over the prone defender and onto the stick of Reinhart, who hammered it home for the Canadians’ first two-goal lead.

What’s Next: Canada will head back to Montreal for a Friday matiness, taking on the Czech Republic at noon ET at Ed Meagher Arena on the campus of Concordia University. Russia, meanwhile, doesn’t see the ice again until Saturday night (7 p.m. ET), when it meets Sweden in Sherbrooke.


Wednesday, August 6
CANADA 5, RUSSIA 2

Turning Point: After allowing the Russians to get within a goal, Canada took back the momentum with a pair of quick goals late in the second period. Bo Horvat restored the two-goal Canadian lead at 3-1, and Zach Nastasiuk redirected a Michael Dal Colle feed just 25 seconds later to put Canada in control for good.

First Star: Robby Fabbri got the Canadian offence going early in the second period, scoring the game’s first goal and setting up Nick Ritchie for the 2-0 goal. Fabbri got Canada on the board at the 2:31 mark of the middle frame, intercepting an opposing pass and storming in all alone in the offensive zone. He made no mistake, beating Timur Bilyalov with a perfectly-placed wrist shot under the crossbar.

Goal of the Night: With Canada leading 1-0 just past the midway point of the second period, Connor McDavid rushed into the offensive zone. After fending off a Russian defenceman behind the net, McDavid flicked a pass in front to Robby Fabbri, who barely took a second to look up before redirected McDavid’s pass to Nick Ritchie, who had a wide open net to double the Canadian lead.

What’s Next: Same time, same place, same teams. Canada and Russia return to the ice at Palais des Sports Léopold-Drolet in Sherbrooke on Thursday night, with puck drop set for 7 p.m. ET.


Tuesday, August 5
CANADA 6, CZECH REPUBLIC 2

Turning Point: Jakub Vrana cut the Canadian lead to one just past the game’s midway point, beating goaltender Tristan Jarry on the first shot he faced. But Curtis Lazar answered for Canada just over five minutes later, converting on the power play to restore the two-goal lead and send the Canadians to victory in their summer camp opener.

First Star: He made a pretty pass on Canada’s first goal and did it all on the second; Anthony Duclair showcased the skills that made him a 50-goal scorer in the QMJHL last season, but also proved he could play a two-way game, and was solid on the penalty kill.

Goal of the Night: Duclair’s 2-0 goal was a breathtaking one. After picking up a loose puck outside of his own zone, Duclair stormed through the middle like a racehorse. As he entered Czech territory, the Laval, Que., native dragged the puck from behind and pulled it through his legs before cutting towards the net and sliding a shot through Czech goaltender Vitek Vanecek.

What’s Next: The Canadians face Russia on Wednesday night (7 p.m. ET) at Sherbrooke’s Palais des Sports Léopold-Drolet, while the Czechs have two days off before another meeting with Canada on Friday (12 p.m. ET) again at Concordia University.


Monday, August 4
RUSSIA 5, CZECH REPUBLIC 0

Turning Point: The Russians started off undisciplined, taking four penalties in the opening period before taking control, scoring three unanswered goals in the second to shift the momentum and cruise to a shutout victory.

First Star: Ilya Sorokin didn’t have to be spectacular, but he was there when called upon, stopping everything thrown his way. The Russian goaltender was especially good early, when the Russians played most of the first period shorthanded, and showed off his puck-handling skills as well.

Goal of the Night: Ivan Barbashev’s first goal was spectacular. With under two minutes left in the second period, Barbashev and Rushan Rafikov broke in on a two-on-one opportunity. Rafikov lifted a beautiful saucer pass over the stick of the Czech defender before Barbashev batted down it, deked the goaltender and roofed a backhand.

What’s Next: The Czechs are back on the ice at Concordia University on Tuesday, facing the host Canadians (7 p.m. ET), while Russia will take on Canada on Wednesday night (7 p.m. ET) in Sherbrooke, Que.

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