Canada battles hard but falls 2-0 to Russian Super league club in Polese Cup
GOMEL, Belarus - Canada rebounded well after its exhibition loss to Belarus club team Gomel HC but dropped a
2-0 decision to Salavat Yulaev on Friday, a top club in the Russian Super League.
The Canadian player of the game and best player on the ice, goaltender Chad Vizzutti, was outstanding,
shutting out the Russians for almost 42 minutes. Russia was shutout in 5-on-5 play, scoring 4-on-4 and on a
powerplay. Canada, which is being represented by the Powell River Regals, was unable to capitalize on its
numerous chances and power-play opportunities in its first round-robin game of the Polese Cup, also known as
the Belarus Cup.
Canada started out well with the first scoring chance on a shot by Matt Dzieduszycki. The teams then traded
short powerplays before Canada took five consecutive penalties. In the last five minutes of the period, Mike
MacKay missed on a breakaway. The first period ended scoreless.
Canada started the second shorthanded, but continued its strong penalty killing. Russia then took consecutive
penalties but, with many quality chances, Canada was unable to capitalize. Canada received a scare at the
18:29 mark as Vizzutti stayed down for several minutes following a goal mouth scramble, but remained in the
game. The Russians found themselves on the other end of the penalty calls in the middle frame, receiving four
penalties to Canada's three.
A scoreless game saw the third period begin with a lot of emotion and a bad note for Canada as captain
Glendon Cominetti was assessed a five-minute major for high sticking and a game misconduct on a marginal
call. Twenty-three seconds later, Canada's John Murgatroyd fought Russia's Boykov. Russia scored the first
goal of the game less than two minutes in. The penalty-filled period saw the teams exchange power
plays.
Russia was later awarded a penalty shot on a partial breakaway. Vizzutti stopped the shot with a blocker
save. Russia made it a two-goal game on a 4-on-3 man advantage a few minutes later.
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