BEAUVILLIER GETS SHOOTOUT WINNER, CANADA EARNS PRE-U18 WORLDS WIN

JASON LA ROSE

ZUG, Switzerland – Anthony Beauvillier (Sorel, Que./Shawinigan, QMJHL) scored the lone goal in the shootout to help Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team hang on for a 6-5 extra-time win over Germany on Tuesday in its final pre-tournament game ahead of the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship.

The Canadians went 2-0 in exhibition play, including Monday’s 5-0 win over Slovakia.

Mathew Barzal (Coquitlam, B.C./Seattle, WHL) led the Canadian offence with two goals and two assists – all in the first period – as Canada opened up a 4-1 lead after one period and 5-1 after two before the Germans stormed back to force overtime.

Mitchell Stephens (Peterborough, Ont./Saginaw, OHL) also scored twice for Canada, while Jansen Harkins (North Vancouver, B.C./Prince George, WHL) added one.

The Canadians looked to be in control early, scoring on four of their eight shots in the first period – two each by Stephens and Barzal – to jump out to a 4-0 lead before the Germans got one back late in the opening frame.

Harkins made it a 5-1 game 12 minutes into the second period, during which the Canadians killed off four German power plays, including a 97-second two-man advantage.

After stopping 21 of 22 shots through 40 minutes, Evan Cormier (Bowmanville, Ont./Saginaw, OHL) gave way to Stuart Skinner (Edmonton, Alta./Lethbridge, WHL) to start the third, and Germany welcomed the new Canadian netminder with four goals in a span of 7:19 to pull even and push the game to an extra period.

A scoreless overtime gave way to a shootout, and after Skinner and German netminder Mirko Pantkowski traded saves through the first four shooters, Skinner turned away Mike Glamser to set up Beauvillier’s game-winner.

Germany finished with a 40-36 advantage in shots on goal, thanks in large part to seven Canadian penalties, but Canada was perfect on the penalty kill.

The Canadians open the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship on Tuesday against Latvia (9:30 a.m. ET/6:30 a.m. PT), a game that can be seen live on TSN.