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GAME SUMMARY
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CANADA ESCAPES WITH OT WIN OVER CZECH REPUBLIC AT WORLD UNDER-18 CHAMPIONSHIP
FARGO, N.D. – Canada faced its stiffest test Monday at the world under-18 hockey championship – and needed
some late-game heroics to pull out the win.
Brett Connolly of the WHL's Prince George Cougars scored 1:23 into overtime as the Canadians remained
unbeaten with a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Czech Republic. The victory earns Canada a berth in the
playoff round, and keeps alive their hopes of a first-round bye.
After erasing a 3-0 deficit with a dominant third period, Canada kept the pressure on in overtime.
It paid off, after Byron Froese carried the puck into the Czech zone and fired a shot that was stopped by
Czech netminder Filip Novotny.
Simon Déspres of the QMJHL's Saint John Sea Dogs scooped the rebound into Novotny, who lost the puck in his
equipment. Connolly found the loose puck and chipped it over a prone Novotny to complete the spirited
comeback.
Canadian head coach Mike Johnston said he expected a serious challenge from the Czechs.
“We knew coming in the Czechs were desperate,” said Johnston, the head coach of the WHL's Portland Winter
Hawks. “They played well ... they had good legs, good skating, and they played a very solid game
all-around.
“Early on we weren't sharp. Our puck movement wasn't good, and we didn't have our legs.”
Johnston said this game was by far the toughest Canada (3-0) has played so far.
“For sure,” said Johnston. “We had a really tough exhibition game against Finland, but that was early
on.”
By earning just two points for the overtime win rather than three points for a regulation victory, Canada
trails Sweden (3-0) by a single point atop the Pool A standings. The two teams face off Tuesday, with the
winner earning a bye in the first round of the playoffs.
The losing team will face the third-place finisher in Pool B in a quarter-final on Thursday.
Trailing 3-0 entering the third period, Canada erupted for three goals and could have had a fourth. John
McFarland of the OHL's Sudbury Wolves trimmed the lead at 2:06 of the third, and Ryan O'Reilly of the OHL's
Erie Otters made it 3-2 just 10 seconds later.
Novotny was handed a delay of game penalty at 5:04, and the Canadians completed the comeback just four
seconds later on a goal by Kingston Frontenacs blue-liner Eric Gudbranson.
Canada thought it had taken the lead at the eight-minute mark after Novotny gloved a shot dangerously close
to the goal-line. Officials ruled the puck didn't cross the line, and the score remained tied.
Novotny single-handedly kept the Czechs alive, stopping 20 shots in the third period and 47 in the game.
Despite the bloated saves total, Johnston was really only impressed with Novotny's third-period effort.
“I was disappointed in the lack of quality shots we were getting early,” said Johnston. “He was outstanding
in the third period, but other than that, I thought we should have done more against him.”
Needing a win to keep their second-place chances alive, the Czechs seized the upper hand at 15:35 of the
first period on a goal by Antonin Honejsek. They extended their lead at 12:27 of the second period, with
Michal Poletin beating Canada netminder Michael Zador. Roman Horak made it 3-0 just over four minutes
later.
The other Pool A game saw the Swedes crush Switzerland 11-0 at Moorhead, Minn.
In Pool B action Monday night, Finland (1-1) faced Norway (0-3) and the U.S. (2-0) battled Slovakia
(1-1). |
| Game Information/Reseignements sur
le match |
| Event/Événement |
2009 World U-18 Champ. |
Location/Emplacement |
Fargo, ND |
| Date |
Mon. Apr. 13, 2009 |
Arena/Aréna |
Urban Plains Center |
| Time/Heure |
16:00 CEN |
Attendance/Assistance |
-,--- |
| Round/Ronde |
Preliminary |
Game # |
14 |
| Box Score/Compte |
1 |
2 |
3 |
OT |
Final |
| CZE |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
| CAN |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
| Goals/Penalties |
| First Period/Première période |
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Goals/Buts:
15:35 CZE Antonin Honejsek (Michal Poletin)
Penalties/Punitions:
02:17 CAN Curtis Hamilton (Slashing/Coup de bâton)
06:41 CAN Kyle Clifford (Tripping/Faire trébucher)
10:20 CAN Ethan Werek (Interference/Obstruction)
15:59 CZE Jakub Jerabek (Checking to the Head/Mise en échec à la tête)
15:59 CZE Jakub Jerabek (Misconduct/Inconduite)
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| Second Period/Deuxième période |
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Goals/Buts:
12:27 CZE Michal Poletin (Antonin Honejsek, Robin Soudek)
16:44 CZE Roman Horak (Daniel Krejci)
Penalties/Punitions:
19:00 CZE Adam Polasek (Tripping/Faire trébucher)
20:00 CZE Radim Herman (Checking to the Head/Mise en échec à la tête)
20:00 CZE Radim Herman (Misconduct/Inconduite)
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| Third Period/Troisième période |
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Goals/Buts:
02:06 CAN John McFarland (Byron Froese)
02:16 CAN Ryan O’Reilly (Peter Holland, Erik Gudbranson)
05:08 CAN Erik Gudbranson (Brett Connolly) PP
Penalties/Punitions:
05:04 CZE Filip Novotny (Delay of Game/Retarder le match)
05:40 CAN Dylan Olsen (Interference/Obstruction)
05:40 CAN Dylan Olsen (Misconduct/Inconduite)
09:55 CZE Oldrich Horak (Cross-checking/Double-échec)
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| Overtime – Prolongation |
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Goals/Buts:
01:23 CAN Brett Connolly (Simon Déspres, Byron Froese)
Penalties/Punitions:
NONE / AUCUN
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| Goaltenders |
CZE |
Filip Novotny |
| Gardiens de but |
CAN |
Michael Zador |
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| Shots on Goal |
Team |
1 p |
2 p |
3 p |
Ttl |
| Shots on Goal |
CZE |
10 |
19 |
4 |
33 |
| Tirs au but |
CAN |
11 |
13 |
23 |
51 |
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| Referee/Arbitre |
Aleksi Rantala (FIN), Alexei Ravodin (RUS) |
| Linesmen/Juges des lignes |
Paul Carnathan (USA), Shinichi Takizawa
(JPN) |
For more information:
Brad Pascall Sr. Director, Men's National Teams | Premier directeur, équipes nationales masculines
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