Reimer solid against Belarus attack, faces 5 shots by Grabovski
IIHF World Hockey Championship - Canada Men's Team
Jordan Eberle scored two goals, with Jeff Skinner potting a goal and an assist and John Tavares chipping in the other tally while adding an assist himself.
Youth, speed, skill in abundance in 4-1 win
by ANDREW PODNIEKS, IIHF.com
KOSICE – Jordan Eberle and Jeff Skinner, not even 40 years old as a pair, led Canada to a 4-1 win over Belarus in Preliminary Round action at the lively Steel Arena tonight. Eberle had two goals while Skinner had a goal and an assist. John Tavares had the other goal for Canada.
Goalie James Reimer was excellent in goal, allowing only an Andrei Stepanov shot to elude him.
The win gives Canada three points and top spot in the Group B standings.
Canada got off to a fast start thanks to a veritable unknown and two fine rookies. Defenceman Mario Scalzo stopped a Belarus rush and moved the puck up to Evander Kane, and he went down the wing and behind Andrei Mezin’s goal. But before he went around, he slid the puck out front and Eberle was right there to smack it home.
The Canadians came at Belarus with size and tremendous speed, but as the period progressed Belarus gained confidence, especially after killing off a 5-on-3 for Canada. Near the end of the period Belarus had a power play which produced several great chances, but no goal. In the final minute, though, Luke Schenn was checked off the puck by Alexander Kitarov. He whipped the puck out front of Canada’s goal to Alexander Kulakov who made a sensational little pass to Andrei Stepanov, who merely redirected the puck into the back side to tie the game, 1-1.
The Canadians pulled ahead again midway through the second period on two great little plays. John Tavares had to puck in the slot and looked ready to shoot, but instead he passed it ahead just slightly to Skinner, and the 18-year-old roofed a shot over the glove of Mezin.
Despite being outplayed, Belarus still had its share of the play. Three times great rushes resulted in Canadian defencemen taking penalties, but each time the penalty killers were up to the task. When tested, Reimer was solid.
In the third, Tavares scored on a lovely shot from a bad angle after skating around a sliding defenceman, and Eberle added his second knocking a puck in from just outside the goal line. Mezin stopped Chris Stewart on a late penalty shot.
Canada next plays on May 1 against France while Belarus plays Switzerland also that night.
IIHF 2011 World Hockey website
Canada, U.S. add players; More NHLers on their way to Kosice
29-04-11 - KOSICE – Canada and the United States will soon welcome new players on the World Championship squads in Kosice.
Hockey Canada announced the addition to its roster of goalkeeper Jonathan Bernier (Los Angeles Kings), defencemen Carlo Colaiacovo (St. Louis Blues), Marc-André Gragnani (Buffalo Sabres) and Mario Scalzo (Adler Mannheim, GER), and forward James Neal (Pittsburgh Penguins). Of the player additions, only Scalzo is expected to be in Canada’s lineup against Belarus on April 29, as the four other players will be arriving over the coming two days.
This brings Canada’s official registered roster to 23 players, including three goalkeepers, seven defencemen and 13 forwards. An additional forward and 24th player, Antoine Vermette, is with the team, with an injury that will keep him on the sidelines until the end of the preliminary round. Vermette could be added to the roster after Canada’s third game, when the roster can be extended to 25 players.
USA Hockey announced that goaltender Jack Campbell (Windsor Spitfires, OHL) and forward Paul Gaustad (Buffalo Sabres) have been added to the roster.
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