2004 IIHF World Junior Championship

Canada 6 Austria 1

Exhibition Game
December 23, 2003
Helsinki , Finland

TEAM CANADA BEATS AUSTRIA 6-1 IN THEIR FINAL EXHIBTION GAME PRIOR TO 2004 WORLD JUNIORS

Team Canada’s defenseman Dion Phaneuf had a goal and two assists, while Tim Brent and Brent Burns added two goals a piece to pace Canada to a 6-1 victory over Austria on Tuesday.

The two teams played in a small, yet filled to capacity arena in Finland, with 478 fans attending the game. An interesting experience for Canada’s players was that their dressing room was in a separate building from that of the arena, so the players had to walk from their dressing room outside in the cold weather and then into the arena.

Phaneuf opened the scoring for Canada with a wrist shot from slot which beat the Austrian goalie.

Tim Brent got his first of two on a great individual effort while Team Canada was short handed to go up 2-0. Defenseman Kevin Klein scored late in the first period after forward and assistant captain Maxime Talbot intercepted an Austrian clearing pass, a put a wrist shot from slot behind the Austrian goalie to go up 3-0 after one period.

Brent added a goal for Canada in the only goal of the second period to go up 4-0, then forward Brent Burns scored two goals for Canada in the third period to go up 6-0.

At the 18:48 mark, Austria broke Canada’s shut out, as they put a shot past Team Canada’s Josh Harding.

Final shots on goal where 41 for Canada to 21 for Austria.

Canada will continue to prepare for the 2004 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship over the next two days with practices in Finland. The team will spend Christmas together at the hotel, and will open up the championship on Dec. 26 at 11am ET, live on TSN/RDS and CTV.