| PLAYED AT: Rogers Place Date: Aug 7, 2018 GAME NOTES: CANADA HOLDS OFF SLOVAK COMEBACK, EARN SEMIFINAL BERTH JASON LA ROSE EDMONTON, Alta. – Alexis Lafrenière (St-Eustache, Que./Rimouski, QMJHL) and Josh Williams (Langley, B.C./Medicine Hat, WHL) had a goal and an assist each, sending Canada into the semifinals at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup with a 4-2 win over Slovakia on Tuesday night. The Canadians controlled the puck for long stretches, finishing with a massive 58-19 advantage in shots on goal, but struggled to put pucks behind Slovak netminder David Borak, who was absolutely spectacular in a 54-save performance. Kirby Dach (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta./Saskatoon, WHL) had the best opportunity in a scoreless first period, hitting the post behind Borak late in the opening frame. Lafrenière didn’t waste any time once the puck dropped to start the second; cutting onto the left wing, the Canadian captain snapped home the 1-0 goal after his first shot hit a Slovak stick and dropped back at his feet. Dylan Holloway (Bragg Creek, Alta./Okotoks, AJHL) extended the lead to two late in the middle frame, jumping on the rebound of a Williams shot and going five-hole on Borak. After Graeme Clarke (Ottawa, Ont./Ottawa, OHL) roofed a pretty pass from Dach to make it 3-0 on the power play just 78 seconds into the third period, the Canadians looked to be in complete control. But Andrej Golian had his shot deflect off a Canadian stick and past goaltender Taylor Gauthier (Calgary, Alta./Prince George, WHL) at 5:33, and Artur Turansky chipped a power-play marker up and over Gauthier four minutes later to make it a one-goal game. Canada kept its foot on the gas, though, and Jamieson Rees (Hamilton, Ont./Sarnia, OHL) went cross-crease to Williams at 12:12 for a two-goal advantage and a little bit of breathing room. Justin Barron (Halifax, N.S./Halifax, QMJHL) added two more assists for the Canadians; the blue-liner has a tournament-leading four helpers through two games. The win means the Canadians will take on Sweden for first place in Group A in the preliminary-round finale Wedensday night (7 p.m. MT), while the Slovaks will meet Switzerland in a match-up of winless teams (3 p.m. MT). |
Visiting Team: Slovakia Head Coach: Viliam Cacho Assistant Coach: Richard Kapus Assistant Coach: Robert Rehak |
Home Team: Canada Head Coach: André Tourigny Assistant Coach: Mitch Love Assistant Coach: Ryan Oulahen |
| SLOVAKIA LINEUP | ||
| Pos | No. | Name |
| G | 1 | Kozel, Patrik |
| G | 30 | Borak, David |
| 3 | Beno, Michal | |
| 4 | Ilencik, Matej | |
| 6 | Hudik, Damian | |
| 7 | Sojka, Dominik | |
| 8 | Valigura, Adrian | |
| 10 | Hascak, Jozef | |
| 11 | Volko, Martin | |
| 13 | Kormuth, Adam | |
| 14 | Jendek, Dominik | |
| 16 | Skultety, Andrej | |
| 17 | Turansky, Artur | |
| 18 | Takac, Samuel | |
| 19 | Elias, Juraj | |
| 21 | Hatina, Viktor | |
| 22 | Knazko, Samuel | |
| 23 | Turan, Oliver | |
| 24 | Golian, Andrej | |
| 25 | Mrazik, Michal | |
| 26 | Gajdos, Frantisek | |
| 27 | Cajkovic, Maxim | |
| SLOVAKIA PENALTIES | ||||||||
| Per. | No. | Min | Offence | Off | PP | PS | Start | On |
| 1st | 22 | 2:00 | Interference | 3:44 | 3:44 | 5:44 | ||
| 2nd | 27 | 2:00 | Roughing | 14:43 | 1 | 14:43 | 16:43 | |
| 3rd | 17 | 2:00 | Hooking | 1:18 | 1 | 1:18 | 2:09 | |
| 3rd | 27 | 2:00 | Slashing | 2:56 | 1 | 2:56 | 4:56 | |
| CANADA LINEUP | ||
| Pos | No. | Name |
| G | 1 | Gauthier, Taylor |
| G | 30 | Maier, Nolan |
| 2 | Barron, Justin | |
| 3 | Robertson, Matthew | |
| 4 | Byram, Bowen | |
| 5 | Vukojevic, Michael | |
| 6 | Korczak, Kaedan | |
| 7 | Schneider, Braden | |
| 8 | Guenette, Maxence | |
| 9 | Clarke, Graeme | |
| 10 | Rees, Jamieson | |
| 11 | Lafreniere, Alexis | |
| 12 | Pelletier, Jakob | |
| 14 | Mutala, Sasha | |
| 15 | Williams, Josh | |
| 16 | Suzuki, Ryan | |
| 17 | Dach, Kirby | |
| 18 | Krebs, Peyton | |
| 19 | Poulin, Samuel | |
| 20 | Holloway, Dylan | |
| 22 | Cozens, Dylan | |
| 24 | Parent, Xavier | |
| CANADA PENALTIES | ||||||||
| Per. | No. | Min | Offence | Off | PP | PS | Start | On |
| 1st | 4 | 2:00 | Goaltender Interference | 4:47 | 1 | 4:47 | 6:47 | |
| 1st | 11 | 2:00 | High-Sticking | 10:31 | 1 | 10:31 | 12:31 | |
| 1st | 6 | 2:00 | Delay of Game | 12:12 | 1 | 12:12 | 14:12 | |
| 3rd | 14 | 2:00 | Tripping | 8:29 | 1 | 8:29 | 9:32 | |
