Nolan Allan’s hopes of coming away with a gold medal from the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge came to an end Thursday night in Swift Current.
The Prince Albert Raiders rookie defender and his Canada Red squad fell 3-2 to Canada White in a quarter-final contest that went to overtime at the Innovation Credit Union iPlex.
“It’s always tough to lose like that,” Allan said to the media following the game. “It is disappointing but it’s definitely something we can use in our careers moving forward.”
Sudbury Wolves forward Chase Stillman was the hero for Canada White as he scored with just 28.1 seconds left to go in the extra frame.
With the win, Canada White has advanced to Friday’s semifinal and will play the United States at the Canalta Centre in Medicine Hat.
The Americans earned their berth in the medal round with an 8-4 win over Finland on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the other semifinal will be held in Swift Current Friday and will feature Russia and the Czech Republic.
Russia, who won last year’s tournament, picked up an 8-4 quarter-final triumph over Canada Black, while the Czechs moved on with a stunning 5-1 triumph over Sweden.
Allan, who has yet to record a point at the tournament, has a chance to end the tournament on a winning note as Canada Red will face Sweden in the fifth place game Saturday in Swift Current.
Around the WHL
Two days after trading their leading scorer Joona Kiviniemi to the Vancouver Giants, the Swift Current Broncos have dealt their second highest point producer this season.
Seventeen-year-old forward Ben King was moved to the Red Deer Rebels on Thursday night in exchange for 17-year-old forward Jordan Borysiuk, 17-year-old forward Cohner Saleski, unsigned 15-year-old forward prospect Parker Lalonde and a third round pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft.
King, who is from Vernon, B.C. and was the 13th overall pick by the Broncos two years ago, has eight points in 16 games this season and had 26 points in 48 games during his rookie campaign.
Borysiuk, who calls Mannville, Alta. home, had two points in nine games over the last three years with the Rebels after he was chosen by them in the third round of the 2017 Bantam Draft.
The Saskatoon born Saleski had an assist in five games for Red Deer after he was dealt by the Prince Albert Raiders on Oct. 1.
Lalonde, who is from Aberdeen, Sask. and was a sixth round pick by the Rebels in May’s Bantam Draft, has five points in 10 games this year for the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League’s Saskatoon Contacts.
As a result of this week’s trades, 17-year-old Finnish rookie blueliner Kasper Puutio leads the Broncos in scoring with eight points.
Pre-Game Notes
Friday’s meeting at the Art Hauser Centre between the Prince Albert Raiders and the Brandon Wheat Kings will be the first of the 2019-20 campaign between the East Division sides.
Prince Albert took four out of six meetings from Brandon last season, with the most recent matchup seeing the Raiders cruise to a 7-1 home win on Feb. 23.
After a 5-2 home win over the Red Deer Rebels on Tuesday, the 8-10 Wheat Kings sit in fourth place in the East Division and are one point ahead of the Moose Jaw Warriors for the second and final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Overage import netminder and Vegas Golden Knights draft pick Jiri Patera was back on the ice for practice with the team this week after he had been sidelined with an ankle issue that he suffered in an Oct. 6 contest with the Saskatoon Blades.
Golden Knights prospect Marcus Kallionkieli has yet to play with the Wheat Kings this year as the Finnish forward continues to recover from an undisclosed injury.
Prince Albert product Braden Schneider, who will also be in town next Thursday night for the Canada Russia Series, leads all Brandon blueliners in scoring with nine points in 17 games.
Friday’s Schedule
- Winnipeg vs. Moose Jaw – 7 p.m.
- Brandon vs. Prince Albert – 7 p.m.
- Swift Current vs. Regina – 7 p.m.
- Red Deer vs. Saskatoon – 7 p.m.
- Tri-City vs. Calgary – 8 p.m.
- Edmonton vs. Lethbridge – 8 p.m.
- Victoria vs. Prince George – 9 p.m.
- Medicine Hat vs. Kelowna – 9 p.m.
- Everett vs. Spokane – 9 p.m.
- Portland vs. Vancouver – 9:30 p.m.
- Kamloops vs. Seattle – 9:30 p.m.
