FOUR UNANSWERED GOALS GIVE RED SPLIT AT NJT CAMP

SASKATOON, Sask. – Team Red erased a 3-1 second-period deficit on Sunday night, scoring the game’s final four goals to post a 5-3 win over Team White and earn a split of the intersquad games at the National Junior Team development camp.

It was White who struck first very late in the first period, as Ryan O’Reilly (Varna, Ont./Erie, OHL) cashed in after a scramble in front of Red netminder Matt Hackett with just 20 seconds remaining in the opening period and White enjoying a late power play.

O’Reilly’s goal would not have been the game’s first if not for strong goaltending on both sides – White’s Jake Allen made great saves on both Nazem Kadri and Josh Brittain, while Hackett turned away Jordan Eberle and Matt Duchene, all in the first 20 minutes.
Offence was back in vogue for the second frame as the teams combined for six goals. After a Cameron Gaunce goal for White, Brandon Kozun closed the gap for the Red side, tipping a Patrick Wiercioch wrist shot past Allen. Luke Adam restored White’s two-goal advantage, though, ripping a wrist shot over Hackett’s shoulder, giving White a 3-1 lead.

Hackett gave way to Martin Jones for Red at the midway point of the second, while Allen was replaced by Olivier Bellavance-Roy in the White goal. Hackett made 12 saves on 15 shots, while Allen stopped five of six shots.

Bellavance-Roy was in for a rude welcoming from Red, who beat him on three occasions in a span of just over four minutes to take a 4-3 lead.

After Cody Eakin scored to close the gap to one goal, defenceman Shawn Lalonde scored two in a row, both on slapshots, as Red pulled ahead 4-3, taking its first lead since the 48-second mark of the first period in Saturday’s first game.

White pressed for the equalizer throughout the third period but couldn’t find the mark, and Joe Colborne ended any chance for White, rounding out the scoring into an empty net with two seconds to go.

Bellavance-Roy finished with 18 saves, on 22 shots, while Jones was perfect, stopping all 17 shots he faced. Overall, White outshot Red 32-28.

Players and staff will return home on Monday morning.