Canadian NJT hopefuls split decisions with CIS All-Stars
Monday December 14, 2015
The vision was to enhance the competition at Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp this year, and a CIS All-Stars squad drawing from the top university hockey talent across the nation did just that over the weekend in Toronto, ON.
Canadian National Junior Team hopefuls split decisions against the CIS All-Stars at the MasterCard Centre before trimming their roster down to 27 on Sunday, announcing that Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen will be added to the team.
The two fast paced games gave Hockey Canada brass a good look at what Canada’s National Junior Team will have to offer in Helsinki, Finland at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.
The CIS All-Stars, who featured a total of 20 CHL graduates currently playing at universities across the country, proved to be a worthy opponent for Canada’s top young major junior aged competitors.
Here’s a look at how each game unfolded.
SATURDAY DECEMBER 12 – CIS ALL-STARS 5 CANADA 4 SO
Erie Otters graduate Spencer Abraham (Queen’s) scored the lone shootout marker, lifting a backhand past goalie Mason McDonald (Charlottetown Islanders) to give the CIS a 5-4 victory.
CIS goaltender Kevin Bailie (London Knights/Queen’s) made 40 saves to record the win as Canada outshot their opponent 44-31.
Canada jumped out to a 2-0 lead as Mitchell Stephens (Saginaw Spirit) and Travis Dermott (Erie Otters) found the back of the net. The CIS All-Stars would reply with two goals in 15 seconds though, with Eric Locke (Saginaw Spirit/St. Fx) and Olivier Hinse (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada/Concordia) drawing the score even at two headed into the second.
Alex Saulnier (Moncton Wildcats/Moncton) and Julien Gauthier (Val’d’Or Foreurs) swapped goals in the second as the two teams were tied at three after 40 minutes.
Locke gave the CIS All-Stars the lead 7:22 into the third period before a late Anthony Beauvillier (Shawinigan Cataractes) marker with 2:23 left on the clock knotted things at four, setting the stage for overtime.
Mathew Barzal (Seattle Thunderbirds), Beauvillier and Brendan Perlini (Niagara IceDogs) were unable to solve Bailie in the shootout as Abraham’s winner sealed the deal in a 5-4 decision.
SUNDAY DECEMBER 13 – CANADA 5 CIS ALL-STARS 0
Goaltender Samuel Montembeault (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada) was perfect on Sunday, turning aside all 32 shots he faced as Canada cruised to a 5-0 win over the CIS All-Stars.
Anthony Beauvillier continued his strong weekend, scoring with 3:54 remaining in the first period before Canada unloaded for four more in the second.
Beauvillier would score two more to complete the hat-trick while Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles) and Travis Konecny (Ottawa 67’s) also scored to give Canada a 5-0 lead, one they would ride out until the final buzzer.
Canada outshot the CIS All-Stars 38-32 in the win.
Canada’s National Junior Team heads to Finland for pre-tournament games on December 19, 20 and 23 before kicking off the tournament on December 26 against the United States at 2:00pm ET on TSN and RDS.
For more information on Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp please visit hockeycanada.ca.
