DUKE’S PAIR LEADS OFFENCE AS CANADA BLANKS AUSTRIANS

INNSBRUCK, Austria – Reid Duke (Calgary, Alta./Calgary Royals, AMHL) scored twice and 13 of Canada’s 15 skaters had at least one point as the Canadians blanked host Austria 9-0 Tuesday at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

The win clinches a semifinal spot for Canada and eliminates the Austrians from final-four contention.

“Good win today, we just need to keep going with our game the rest of the way,” Canadian defenceman Ryan Pilon (Duck Lake, Sask./Beardy’s, SMAAAHL) said to iihf.com. “We came out strong from the wins today and against the States and we want to carry it over against Finland next.”

Adam Brooks (Winnipeg, Man./Winnipeg Thrashers, MMAAAHL), Ryan Burton (Thunder Bay, Ont./Thunder Bay, Minor Midget), Ryan Gropp (Kamloops, B.C./Okanagan Hockey Academy, Midget AAA) and Eric Cornel (Kemptville, Ont./Upper Canada, OEMHL) had first-period goals as Canada scored on its first two shots to take an early lead.

Reid Gardiner(Humboldt, Sask./Saskatoon Contacts, SMAAAHL) and Garrett James (Stratford, Ont./Huron-Perth, Alliance) added second period goals before Pilon and Duke, with his pair, rounded out the scoring in the third.

Brycen Martin (Calgary, Alta./Calgary Buffaloes, AMHL) finished with three assists, joining Gropp, who had a goal and two helpers, as Canada’s leading scorers in the game. Only captain Joe Hicketts (Kamloops, B.C./Okanagan Hockey Academy, Midget AAA) and blue-liner Brendan Nickerson (Shelburne, N.S./South Shore, NSMMHL) failed to put their names on the scoresheet.

Sam Walsh (Elliotvale, P.E.I./Charlottetown, NBPEIMMHL) made 16 saves for the shutout as Canada outshot Austria 44-16.

Canada wraps up the preliminary round on Wednesday against Finland (10:45 a.m. ET/7:45 a.m. PT) ahead of Friday’s semifinals.  

Goals/Buts : 
00:40 CAN Adam Brooks (Nicolas Hébert, Brycen Martin)
02:16 CAN Ryan Burton (Nathan Yetman, Jarrett Crossman)
06:15 CAN Ryan Gropp (Eric Cornel) PP/AN
12:07 CAN Eric Cornel (Ryan Gropp)

Penalties/Pénalités : 
04:57 AUT Nikolaus Kraus (Hooking/Accrocher)
10:37 CAN Adam Brooks (Roughing/Rudesse)
10:37 AUT Lukas Telsnig (Roughing/Rudesse)

Goals/Buts : 
01:42 CAN Reid Gardiner (Ryan Gropp)
09:35 CAN Garrett James

Penalties/Pénalités : 
02:19 CAN Ryan Pilon (Hooking/Accrocher)
05:19 AUT Sandro Seifried (Slashing/Coup de bâton)
06:48 CAN Josh Carrick (Hooking/Accrocher)

Goals/Buts : 
08:31 CAN Reid Duke (Brycen Martin, Adam Brooks) PP/AN
10:14 CAN Ryan Pilon
11:24 CAN Reid Duke (Brycen Martin, Josh Carrick)

Penalties/Pénalités : 
01:48 AUT Fabian Kau (Hooking/Accrocher)
06:47 AUT Dominic Zwerger (Tripping/Faire trébucher)