A late power-play proved to be the difference in the second game of the CHL’s Canada Russia Series Tuesday in Langley, B.C.
After falling 2-1 to Team WHL a night earlier in Kamloops, Stepan Starkov found the back of the net with less than two minutes to go on the man advantage to move Russia out in front for good as they picked up a 3-1 victory.
Ivan Muranov and Los Angeles Kings prospect Bulat Shafigullin also scored in the triumph, which saw Pyotr Kochetkov turn aside 33 shots.
Spokane Chiefs blueliner Ty Smith had the lone goal for Team WHL in the first period, while David Tendeck of the Vancouver Giants made 25 saves.
Prince Albert Raiders forwards Brett Leason and Parker Kelly did not record a point during the game, while Ian Scott served as the backup to Tendeck.
The Canada Russia series will resume Thursday in Sarnia, Ont. when the Ontario Hockey League’s top players will take to the ice.
World Under-17 Challenge Update
The playoffs are now set at the World Under-17 Challenge in Quispamsis and Saint John, N.B. following the conclusion of round-robin contests Tuesday.
Prince Albert Raiders forward Ozzy Wiesblatt scored his first goal of the tournament for Canada Black as they picked up a 5-4 win over the United States to finish second in Group A with a 2-1 mark and setup a quarter-final meeting with Sweden (1-2) on Thursday.
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds defenceman Ryan O’Rourke scored with 91 seconds left in regulation to complete a two-point night for his team, which matched the offensive output of Kyle Crnkovic of the Saskatoon Blades and Quinton Byfield of the Sudbury Wolves.
Tanner Latsch and Blake Biondi had a goal and an assist each for the United States, who finished up the round-robin with a 1-2 record.
Meanwhile, Raiders blueliner Kaiden Guhle recorded his second assist of the week on a goal by Owen Sound Attack defenceman Nolan Seed as Canada Red (2-1) wrapped up their round-robin slate with a 4-3 overtime triumph over Finland (1-2).
Portland Winterhawks forward Seth Jarvis scored late in the extra frame to put his team in second place in the Group B standings and earn them a matchup with the United States in the quarter-final round.
Finland will take on Canada White (3-0) on Thursday, while the other playoff matchup will see Russia (2-1) go up against the Czech Republic (0-3).
In Tuesday’s other round-robin games, Yaroslav Askarov made 22 saves to give Russia a 3-0 shutout win over Sweden, while Kootenay Ice forward Connor McClennon scored twice in Canada White’s 5-1 triumph over the Czech Republic.
The semifinal games will be held Friday with the bronze and gold medal affairs taking place Saturday.
All four of those matchups will be broadcast nationally on TSN.
Colliton named Blackhawks coach
Former Prince Albert Raiders captain Jeremy Colliton has become the youngest head coach in the National Hockey League.
On Tuesday, the 33-year-old was named as the new head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks after the team parted ways with Joel Quenneville.
Colliton, who had 176 points in 229 games with the Raiders from 2001 to 2005 and won a gold medal with Canada at the 2005 World Juniors, has spent the last two years as the bench boss for the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs.
He will face a tall task in replacing Quenneville, who had been the Blackhawks’ head coach since 2008 and won three Stanley Cups during his time with the team.
The Blackhawks are currently in sixth place in the Central Division with a 6-6-3 record and are two points out of a playoff spot.
Colliton’s first game in charge of the Blackhawks will take place on Thursday in Chicago against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Around the WHL
Spokane Chiefs captain Jaret Anderson-Dolan will be out of action for six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery for a broken bone in his wrist.
The 19-year-old forward had two goals in two games for the Chiefs after being reassigned to the team following a five-game stint to start the campaign with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.
Anderson-Dolan’s status for Hockey Canada’s selection camp for the 2019 World Juniors is now up in the air, as that gets underway in Victoria on Dec. 10.
Seattle Thunderbirds forward and 2019 NHL Draft prospect Dillon Hamaliuk was called up to Team WHL for Tuesday’s game to replace Moose Jaw Warriors forward Justin Almeida.
Almeida, a draft pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins, was injured during the first period of Monday’s game in Kamloops.
