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WHL Takes Game 5 of 2008 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge

Published on November 26, 2008 under Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Swift Current, SK - A potent power play helped propel Team WHL to a 5-0 win over the Russian Selects in Game 5 of the 2008 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge on Thursday night in Swift Current, SK.

Jordan Eberle of the Regina Pats scored twice and set up another while Team WHL captain Thomas Hickey of the Seattle Thunderbirds chipped in three assists as the WHL stars converted 4 of 8 power play chances in the victory before 2800 raucous fans at the Credit Union i-plex.

The win give the CHL a 4-1 lead over the Russian Selects through five games of the six-game ADT Canada-Russia Challenge. The Russians split a pair of games versus the QMJHL before dropping two games to the OHL in the first four contests of the series. The victory also improves the WHL to 12-1 all-time versus the Russians in the six-year history of the event.

"We got the two goals early, played them physical and got them to take some penalties," said Team WHL head coach Willie Desjardins, who saw his team outshoot the Russians 14-7 in the opening period and 40-16 in the contest.

"(Assistant coach) Don Nachbaur took on the power play, and they did a real good job," said Desjardins of his team's dominant power play performance. "He didn't overload them, but just let them play to their strengths and use their skill. I thought Eberle, (Brayden) Schenn and (Matt) Calvert had a really good game out there."

Eberle got Team WHL on the board first, banging home a rebound at 5:56 of the first period with his team on a 5-on-3 power play, while Zach Boychuk of the Lethbridge Hurricanes made it 2-0 less than a minute later, tipping home a slap pass from Thomas Hickey with Team WHL enjoying another two-man advantage.

Eberle potted his second goal of the game just over five minutes into the second period, converting on another Team WHL power play. The 18-year-old from Regina, SK, tapped in a cross-crease feed from Brandon Wheat Kings' star Brayden Schenn. Tyler Ennis made it 4-0 15:36 into the second frame with Team WHL's fourth power play marker of the night with Hickey picking up his third assist of the evening on the play.

Calvert put Team WHL up 5-0 under 30 second into the third period, but missed the opportunity to net his second of the contest when he failed to convert a penalty shot later in the frame.

Eberle, who was selected as the Player of the Game for Team WHL, said he was pleased with the way his game went, and was glad to win over some rival Swift Current Broncos fans with his performance.

"It was nice to finally get cheered for instead of getting booed out there," said Eberle. "It felt like we'd worked on our power play a lot today, and it was clicking out there tonight with the four goals."

Chet Pickard of the Tri-City Americans turned aside all 16 shots in a relatively easy night for the Nashville Predators prospect, facing his biggest test on a failed penalty shot attempt by Russia's Anatoly Nikonstev. Gayduchenko turned aside 35 of 40 shots for the Russians, who failed to convert on three power play opportunities of their own in the contest.

"I had a fairly easy night out there, and the guys did a great job of coming at them hard and played great in front of me," said Pickard. "We didn't give up too much, but when we did, I felt like I was ready to make the saves I needed to."

The 2008 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge concludes on Thursday, November 27th, with Team WHL taking on the Russian Selects in Prince Albert, SK.

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Western Hockey League Stories from November 26, 2008


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