OHL Kingston Frontenacs

Emmerton and Shutron help Canada pound Norway 9-2 at World U18

Published on April 13, 2006 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kingston Frontenacs News Release


HALMSTEAD, Sweden (CP) - Canada's power play was running full throttle at the world men's under-18 hockey championship Thursday.

The Canadians scored five goals with a man advantage en route to a 9-2 thumping of Norway.

Canada (2-0) takes on host Sweden on Saturday before winding up Pool B play against Finland on Monday.

The top team in each of the two pools earns a semifinal berth while the second and third seeds in each pool must cross over to meet in the quarter-finals. The final is April 22.

Canada wore down the Norwegians, who resorted to stick infractions to impede their opposition and paid the price. When a team is thrown together just prior to a tournament, special teams usually suffer at the outset as players need time to get accustomed to a new coach's systems.

But Canada got the chance to air out its power play and made the most of it.

"That's a real positive sign for us," Canadian head coach Greg Gilbert said. "They're going through a tough situation in the fact that they're all coming from playing different styles and different setups.

"But they've really put a lot of commitment and work into learning how to execute not only the breakouts, but the end-zone stuff and obviously the work is starting to pay off."

Kootenay Ice forward Ben Maxwell is the quarterback of Canada's top power-play unit and he generated a lot of offence from the point with a goal and five assists.

The line of Justin Azevedo of the Kitchener Rangers, Francois Bouchard of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Jamie McGinn of the Ottawa 67's continued to demonstrate the chemistry and cohesion it had in Canada's opening 3-1 win over Slovakia on Wednesday.

Azevedo scored three power-play goals, Bouchard had a goal and three assists and McGinn contributed an assist.

Bouchard had never played with Azevedo and McGinn before this tournament.

"It's working very well," Bouchard said. "We do our jobs and pass the puck and we capitalize."

Defenceman Logan Pyett of the Regina Pats contributed a goal and a pair of assists.

Kingston Frontenacs' Cory Emmerton (assisted by OHL teammate Ben Shutron and Generals' John Tavares), Kamloops Blazers defenceman Victor Bartley and 15-year-old John Tavares also scored for the Canadians, who outshot Norway 36-13.

Goaltender Jonathan Bernier of the Lewiston Maineiacs picked up his second win of the tournament with 13 saves.

Peter Rohn and Robin Dahlstrom scored for Norway.

Canada started slowly as it did against Slovakia and spotted Norway a 1-0 lead five minutes into the game.

Canada led 3-1 early in the second period and Norway scored to draw within a goal, but the Canadians then pulled away.

This is the fifth year that Hockey Canada has entered a team in the world under-18 men's hockey championship. Canada won it in 2003, finished second last year and off the podium the other two years.

This team is comprised of Canadian players born in 1988 or later and of players whose major junior club teams either did not reach the post-season or lost in the first round of playoffs.

A Canadian under-18 men's team has played in an international annual summer tournament held in Europe and Canada has won that tournament nine of 10 times.

This Canadian team has nine players from the squad that won the Junior World Cup last summer and that has helped this team develop chemistry quickly, said Gilbert.

"They bring some stability and leadership to the dressing room," he said. "The big test is going to be if we face any adversity. That's when usually you see cracks in the block, but I think these kids have jelled very well to this point.".

Check out the Kingston Frontenacs Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Ontario Hockey League Stories from April 13, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central