QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — Two power plays goal early in the third period led Team Canada to victory against Team Russia to open their 2011 World Junior Tournament.
With one power play goal in ten opportunities who would believe that a power play goal would come to play key role in Canada opening game against Russia?
With the score tied 3-3 after forty minutes, Ryan Johanen gave the lead for the third time to Team Canada at 3:46 of the third period with Canada fourth goals in the game during a penalty to Sergei Kalinin for tripping. Unable to keep the rebound from Jaden Schwartz’s shot Russian goaltender Igor Bobkov saw Johansen hit the puck in the air to beat Russian netminder.
“The puck was bouncing all over the place and I took a whack at it,” the young 18 year old Portland Winter Hawks said to Slam Sports. “I could feel it hit the top of my stick, and luckily it went in.
Brayden Schenn came less than three minutes later with Canada’s fifth goal and the second power play goal of the third period at 6:14. Vladislav Kartayev was in the penalty box for slashing at 4:51.
Curtis Hamilton hit the last nail in Team Russia coffin with Canada sixth goals with twenty-six seconds remaining in the game.
“I told you guys. I don’t lie to you,” said Ryan Ellis the Windsor Spitfires stars to Slam Sports after the Canadian power play finished 3-for-5. “Our power play came through when we needed it the most.”
Team Canada didn’t use fancy play to get their first victory in the 2011 World Junior Championship, instead they let the blue collar players do the work. Whether they bulldozed the puck down the crease with guys like Zack Kassian and Marcus Foligno or let Ellis (Ryan) used his precise slap shot from the blue line counting on some of his teammates to screen the goaltender to complete the job.
Team Russia was the first one to launch the hostility by scoring the first goal of the game. Maxim Kitsin beat Olivier Roy 3:57 into the opening period, Yuri Urichev and Dimitri Orlov got the helpers. Marcus Foligno tied the score at 17:55 completing the great effort by Louis Leblanc and Calvin de Haan.
Teams traded goals in middle frame scoring twice each. Ryan Ellis gave lead to Canada for the first time in the game at 10:35. Russian team came back 1:16 seconds later with the tying goal Nikita Dvurechensky got the goal Artyom Voronin and Dimitry Orlov got the assists.
Erik Gudbranson gave a 3-2 lead to team Canada at 15:15 but before the serein sound announced the end of second period the Russian came back tying the score 3-3 with Daniil Sobchenko power play goal at 16:31.
Canada will return in action on Tuesday December 28th in the afternoon 16:00 (EDT) facing the Czech Republic.
Team Russia will face Sweden also on Tuesday at 19:00 (EDT).
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
