2015-16 National Junior Team

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2016 IIHF World Junior Championship
Game #4
Final
December 26, 2015 1:00 pm EST
Helsinki Ice Hall
Helsinki, FIN

Scoring

Teams
1st
2nd
3rd
Final
Teams
1
2
3
F
0
1
1
2
0
1
3
4

Shots on Goal

1st
2nd
3rd
Final
1
2
3
F
5
10
12
27
4
10
11
25

Statistics

PP
PIM
1 / 2
4
1 / 2
17

Game Story

CANADA FALLS TO U.S. IN WORLD JUNIORS OPENER

DAVID BRIEN

HELSINKI, Finland – Mathew Barzal (Coquitlam, B.C./Seattle, WHL) and Dylan Strome (Mississauga, Ont./Erie, OHL) scored goals, but Canada’s National Junior Team dropped a 4-2 decision to the United States in the first preliminary round game for both Saturday at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship.

It’s the first time Canada has lost its tournament opener since 1998, also in Helsinki.

Mason McDonald (Halifax, N.S./Charlottetown, QMJHL) finished with 21 saves in goal for the Canadians, who outshot the Americans 27-25 but lost in regulation in the preliminary round for the first time since 2008.

After a quiet first period that included only nine shots in total (5-4 in favour of Canada), Barzal needed just 5:06 of the second to get the scoring started; Julien Gauthier (Pointe-aux-Trembles, Que./Val-d’Or, QMJHL) made a pretty pass from his knees, and Barzal picked the top corner for a 1-0 Canadian lead.

Colin White tied the game late in the middle frame, taking advantage of a bounce off the end-boards and beating McDonald for a tap-in goal, sending the game to the intermission even at 1-1.

The U.S. took its first lead of the game 7:22 into the third period when Werenski fired a point shot on the power play that made its way through a screen and beat McDonald, but Strome would make it 2-2 with a power play goal of his own just three minutes later, snapping a shot past U.S. netminder Alex Nedeljkovic.

A carbon copy of the Americans’ second goal would make it 3-2, but this time it was Louie Belpedio’s shot from the point that made its way through a screen with 3:18 left in the game.

Matthews clinched the win just 41 seconds later, poking in a loose puck to make it 4-2.

White, Werenski and Matthews all had a goal and an assist in the U.S. win. After a day off, Canada will try again for its first win on Monday, taking on Denmark (1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT).

Play-by-Play

Team
Description
Time
1st Period
PENALTY
Penalty: Dylan Strome
Slashing minor (2:00)
01:34
PENALTY
Penalty: Alex Debrincat (Served by Sonny Milano)
Spearing major (5:00)
17:20
PENALTY
Penalty: Alex Debrincat
Spearing game misconduct (10:00)
17:20
2nd Period
GOAL
Goal: Mathew Barzal

Assists: Julien Gauthier, Rourke Chartier
05:06
GOAL
Goal: Colin White

Assists: Sonny Milano, Christian Dvorak
16:33
3rd Period
PENALTY
Penalty: John Quenneville
(auto) Goaltender Interference minor (2:00)
06:54
GOAL (POWER PLAY)
Goal: Zach Werenski

Assists: Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk
07:22
PENALTY
Penalty: Zach Werenski
Slashing minor (2:00)
09:35
GOAL (POWER PLAY)
Goal: Dylan Strome

Assists: Mitchell Marner, Travis Dermott
10:45
GOAL
Goal: Louie Belpedio

Assists: Will Borgen, Colin White
16:42
GOAL
Goal: Auston Matthews

Assists: Zach Werenski, Matthew Tkachuk
17:23

Goaltenders

Name Team Mins SA SVS GA SV%
Mason McDonald CAN 58 25 21 4 0.840
Alex Nedeljkovic USA 60 27 25 2 0.926

Game Leaders

Goals 1 - Assists 0 - Points 1
G 1 - A 0 - P 1
Goals 1 - Assists 1 - Points 2
G 1 - A 1 - P 2
Goals 1 - Assists 0 - Points 1
G 1 - A 0 - P 1
Goals 1 - Assists 1 - Points 2
G 1 - A 1 - P 2
Goals 0 - Assists 1 - Points 1
G 0 - A 1 - P 1
Goals 1 - Assists 1 - Points 2
G 1 - A 1 - P 2

Previous Games

5 - 6 L @ FinlandFIN
Jan 2, 2016
8 - 3 W @ SwedenSWE
Jan 5, 2016
2 - 5 L vs. SwedenSWE
Dec 31, 2015
1 - 2 L @ RussiaRUS
Jan 4, 2016
3 - 2 W @ SwitzerlandSUI
Dec 29, 2015
7 - 0 W vs. Czech RepublicCZE
Jan 2, 2016
Videos
Photos
TELUS: REG 6 – STR 3 (Bronze Medal)
Miller and Woods had three points apiece to lead the Pat Canadians over the Bisons for bronze.
TELUS: TOR - CHA (Gold Medal)
Bonsteel scored twice and Ewing made 35 saves, leading the Young Nationals to their first TELUS Cup title.
TELUS: TOR 3 – REG 1 (Semifinal)
Regan got the winner seven minutes into the third period to send the Young Nationals to the final.
TELUS: CHA 7 – STR 1 (Semifinal)
The Grenadiers scored the game’s final seven goals to beat the Bisons and return to the gold medal game.
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