2008-09 National Men's Under-18 Team

POWERPLAY POWERS CANADA TO SECOND PRE-TOURNAMENT WIN

BRECLAV, Czech Republic – Talk about putting the power in powerplay.

Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team scored three goals with the man advantage en route to a 4-2 win over Czech Republic on Sunday in its final exhibition game in preparation for the 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament.

Brayden Schenn (Saskatoon, SK/Brandon, WHL) opened the scoring for Canada in the first period when he scooped up a loose and fired it past Czech netminder Filip Novotny.

The goal was the first of two on the night for Schenn, both of which came on the powerplay.

Canada scored two powerplay goals in one minute in the second period to take a 3-0 lead. At 3:46, Ryan Ellis (Hamilton, ON/Windsor, OHL) took a shot from the point and, after Matthew Duchene (Haliburton, ON/Brampton, OHL) took a whack at the puck, Louis Leblanc (Kirkland, QC/Lac St-Louis, LHMAAAQ) finished the play by putting the puck in the net. Sixty seconds later, Schenn made his way to the right circle and snapped a shot past Novotny for his second man-advantage marker of the contest.

Canada went 3-for-8 on the powerplay on Sunday night and is now 6-for-14 after two exhibition games, including a 6-4 win over the United States on Saturday.

Nathan Lieuwen (Abbotsford, BC/Westside, BCHL) was strong in the Canadian net, making several key stops to keep Canada out front. One of Lieuwen’s best stops came during the first minute of the second when, with the Czechs on a powerplay, Lieuwen stoned Oldrich Horak in close.

Canada led 3-0 until 14:33 of the third, when Jakub Smid ended Lieuwen’s shutout bid. Just 18 seconds later, though, Ryan O’Reilly (Seaforth, ON/Erie, OHL) restored the three-goal lead at 4-1.

The Czechs rounded out the scoring with a late powerplay goal on their own.

Evander Kane (Vancouver, BC/Vancouver, WHL) and Ellis each had two assists for Canada.

Canada will hit the ice for practice on Monday in Piestany, Slovakia before beginning the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament on Tuesday versus Switzerland (3 p.m. local time, 9 a.m. EDT).

Canada is in Pool B with Switzerland, Sweden and Slovakia. Pool A is made up of Czech Republic, Finland, Russia and USA.

1

2

3

Final

1

2

1

4

-

-

2

2

Goals/Buts :
CAN – Brayden Schenn (Evander Kane) 8:44 PP

Penalties/Pénalités :
CAN – Taylor Doherty (Holding) 3:08
CZE – Roman Chlouba (Slashing) 4:04
CZE – Daniel Skalicky (Hooking) 7:16
CAN – Bench (Too Many Men) 13:22
CZE – Filip Novotny (Interference) 13:46
CAN – Louis Leblanc (Tripping) 14:56

Goals/Buts :
CAN – Louis Leblanc (Matthew Duchene, Ryan Ellis) 3:46 PP
CAN – Brayden Schenn 2 (Evander Kane, Ryan Ellis) 4:46 PP

Penalties/Pénalités :
CAN – Brayden Schenn (High Sticking) 0:32
CZE – Jakub Smid (Interference) 2:14
CZE – Lukas Matejka (Delay of Game) 2:55
CAN – Taylor Doherty (Hooking) 5:50
CAN – Garrett Mitchell (Cross Checking) 8:20
CAN – Simon Després (Roughing) 11:52
CZE – Bench (Too Many Men) 13:28

Goals/Buts :
CZE – Jakub Smid 14:33
CAN – Ryan O’Reilly (Garrett Mitchell) 14:51
CZE – Daniel Skalicky (Roman Chlouba) 17:37 PP

Penalties/Pénalités :
CZE – Roman Chlouba (Interference) 3:46
CAN – Louis Leblanc (Charging) 11:11
CAN – Carter Ashton (Slashing) 15:27
CAN – Casey Cizikas (Interference) 15:41