2019-20 National Men's U18 Team

CANADA DOWNS SLOVAKS FOR PRE-HLINKA WIN

JASON LA ROSE

PIESTANY, Slovakia – Jean-Luc Foudy (Scarborough, Ont./Windsor, OHL) had a goal and an assist, and Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team scored three times in 94 seconds late in the first period as part of a 4-1 win over Slovakia in pre-tournament action Saturday ahead of the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Jérémie Poirier (Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que./Saint John, QMJHL), Kaiden Guhle (Sherwood Park, Alta./Prince Albert, WHL) and Seth Jarvis (Winnipeg, Man./Portland, WHL) had the other goals for the Canadians, while Cole Perfetti (Whitby, Ont./Saginaw, OHL) chipped in two assists.

Canada held a one-sided 10-2 edge in shots on goal in the first period, but it took until the 15:47 mark for Poirier to open the scoring off a set-up from Foudy.

Foudy did the deed himself to make it 2-0 at 17:03, and Guhle extended the lead to three just 18 seconds after that.

Tristan Lennox (Cambridge, Ont./Saginaw, OHL) gave way to Dylan Garand (Victoria, B.C./Kamloops WHL) in the Canadian goal midway through the second period after turning aside all five shots he faced.

Oliver Fatul got the Slovaks on the board on the power play late in the second period but that would be the only puck to beat Garand, who finished with eight saves.

Jarvis capped the scoring early in the final period.

Canada finished with a 26-14 advantage in shots and killed five of six Slovak power plays.

In search of a 23rd gold medal in 29 summer U18 tournaments dating back to 1991, the Canadians open the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup on Monday against Finland (9:30 a.m. ET/6:30 a.m. PT, TSN).