BRITTAIN EARNS SHUTOUT AS BUFFALOES ROUT THRASHERS

SELKIRK, Man. – There will be no second chance at gold for the Winnipeg Thrashers at the TELUS Cup.

Sam Brittain stopped all 38 shots he faced for the first shutout at this year’s National Midget Championship – including a crucial second-period penalty shot – as the Calgary Buffaloes routed the host Thrashers 7-0 in Saturday semifinal action, advancing to Sunday’s gold medal game.

The line of Dylan Nowakowski, Joel Lowry and Brett Pinder combined for eight points as the Buffaloes handed Winnipeg the most lopsided semifinal loss at the tournament since Prince Albert beat Châteauguay 8-0 in 2006 en route to gold.

Nowakowski opened the scoring in the final minute of the first period and gave Calgary some insurance in the dying seconds of the second, while Lowry, Drydn Dow, Greg Lamoureux, Doug Jones and Cody Irving also put their names on the scoresheet.

Dow’s goal came just minutes after Brittain stoned Craig Scott on a penalty shot after Dow was caught closing his hand on the puck in the crease. Scott faked on the forehand and tried to lift a backhand over Brittain, but the sprawling netminder got his right pad on the puck to preserve the Calgary lead.

The Buffaloes will face the Notre Dame Hounds on Sunday night (5 p.m. CT) with the national championship on the line. Calgary is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its 1989 national title, and will look to add a second gold to their collection on Sunday.

The Thrashers, who won silver at the 2008 TELUS Cup in Arnprior, Ont., will face the Rousseau Sports de Laval-Bourassa for bronze on Sunday morning (11 a.m. CT).