Canada downs Finland in WJHC tune-up
Posted December 19, 2011 11:30 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
THE CANADIAN PRESS
CALGARY — Boone Jenner, Mark Stone and Brendan Gallagher scored for the Canadian junior men’s hockey team in a 3-1 win over Finland in Monday’s exhibition game.
Finland will be Canada’s first opponent when the 2012 world junior hockey championship opens Sunday in Edmonton and Calgary.
Mark Visentin of the Niagara IcDogs stopped 22 shots in Canada’s net for the win.
Teemu Pulkkinen scored the lone goal for Finland.
Christopher Gibson of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens played two periods in Finland’s net, making 21 saves.
The Los Angeles Kings prospect kept the score close as Canada generated more scoring chances than the Finns. Gibson was relieved for the third period by Sami Aittokallio, who turned away nine-of-10 shots.
Canada was without wingers Jonathan Huberdeau (foot) and Quinton Howden (concussion symptoms) and played with only 11 forwards.
The Canadian team returned to their training base in Banff, Alta., after the game for more practice and team building.
They travel to Red Deer, Alta., for a pre-tournament game Thursday against Switzerland, followed by a final warmup game Friday in Edmonton versus Sweden.
Gallagher, who plays for the Vancouver Giants, drove hard to the net to score at 18:21 of the third period.
After failing to bury scoring chances in the opening period, Canada got more shots away and put more pressure on Finland’s defence in the second. The hosts scored a pair of goals to take a 2-1 lead into the third.
Stone, a Brandon Wheat Kings forward, banged in his own rebound at 12:45. Jenner of the Oshawa Generals streaked down the wing and beat Gibson between the pads at 6:16.
Devante Smith-Pelly of the Anaheim Ducks is one of two NHL players on the Canadian roster along with Brett Connolly of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Toronto native made his presence felt with several big checks. Smith-Pelly used his power in the offensive zone, circling the net and creating space for his linemates.
Jenner, a Columbus Blue Jackets prospect, had three excellent scoring chances in addition to his goal.
Canada failed to convert good scoring opportunities in the first period and trailed 1-0 on Pulkkinen’s power-play goal at 14:22.
Rasmus Ristolainen dished the puck to Pulkkinen at the left face-off circle. Visentin got a piece of his glove on Pulkkinen’s low shot, but not enough to stop it.
Canada, Finland, the United States, the Czech Republic and Denmark play Pool B games in Edmonton.
Pool A games involving defending champion Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Latvia and Slovakia will be in Calgary, followed by medal-round and relegation games in that city.
Notes: No Canadian player wore the captain’s “C” on Monday. Smith-Pelly, Jaden Schwartz and Brandon Gormley all wore an assistant captain’s “A” … Germany and France earned promotion to the 2013 world junior hockey championship in Ufa, Russia, by winning the second-tier men’s junior championship. The countries ranked ninth and 10th in Alberta this year are relegated to that tournament.
