2015-16 National Men's Under-18 Team

THREE-GOAL SECOND PERIOD PUSHES CANADA PAST SLOVAKS

JASON LA ROSE

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Tyson Jost (Kelowna, B.C./Penticton, BCHL) set up two of the three goals in the decisive second period, leading Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team to a 3-1 win over Slovakia on Monday at the 2016 IIHF U18 World Championship.

The Canadians improved to 3-0 in Group B, setting up a winner-take-all scenario in the preliminary-round finale Tuesday against fellow unbeaten Finland (4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT).

David Quenneville (Edmonton, Alta./Medicine Hat, WHL), Brett Howden (Oakbank, Man./Moose Jaw, WHL), and Boris Katchouk (Waterloo, Ont./Sault Ste. Marie, OHL) scored the Canadian goals.

Stuart Skinner (Edmonton, Alta./Lethbridge, WHL) made it two wins in as many starts, making 26 saves.

Canada had the edge in the first period, outshooting Slovakia 11-6, but couldn’t find a way past goaltender Roman Durny, who kept the game goalless heading to the first intermission.

But Quenneville finally started the scoring at 3:50 of the second, taking a pass from Jost and showing tremendous patience, carrying the puck all the way to the net before tucking it around Durny.

Howden doubled the Canadian advantage at 8:16, one-timing a pass from Moose Jaw Warriors teammate Noah Gregor (Beaumont, Alta./Moose Jaw, WHL) past Durny for his third goal in two games.

Katchouk benefitted from tic-tac-toe passing in the last minute of the middle frame; Jost carried the puck into the Slovak zone before going cross-ice to Will Bitten (Ottawa, Ont./Flint, OHL), who quickly laid a pass onto the stick of Katchouk in the slot for the 3-0 goal.

Durny once again stood tall in the third period, stopping all 18 Canadian shots, but Slovakia could manage only a single goal, a shorthanded marker by Samuel Bucek after a defensive-zone turnover by Canada.

Overall, the Canadians held a 48-27 advantage in shots on goal.