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Canada vs. Slovakia result: Devon Levi shines in net as Canadians hold on for 3-1 win – Sporting News

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Canada’s Boxing Day 16-2 drubbing of Germany was pretty much expected. The question entering Sunday’s 2021 IIHF World Juniro ChampioHow will the Canadians follow it up?

The team hits the ice Sunday for Game 2 of its 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship against a much more formidable foe and will do so without two players: Braden Schneider (suspension) and Dylan Holloway (upper-body injury). As for Slovakia, unlike the Germans (through no fault of their own), it has a full roster and will not be playing on the second day of a back-to-back. The Slovaks also have a deep roster.

Between the pipes will be Samuel Hlavaj, who posted an impressive .915 save percentage and a league-best 2.25 GAA in 39 games for Sherbrooke (QMJHL) last season. While he didn’t have the best showing the last two tournaments (.861 save percentage in 2020, .872 in 2019), the 6-3 goalie covers a lot of net with his quick reflexes and is coming off a year he helped the Phoenix win the Jean Rougeau Trophy (most points in the QMJHL).

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Anchoring the Slovakian defense is Blue Jackets 2020 third-rounder Samuel Knazko and a couple of players who would have been playing in the CHL if not for COVID-19 (Marko Stacha with Vancouver of the WHL and David Mudrak with Oshawa of the OHL). Slovakia may have won its opener against Switzerland just 1-0, but it put 32 shots on net and has players up front who can bury the puck, including Kings prospect Martin Chromiak, who suited up for Kingston (OHL) last year.

As for the Canadians, they’ll look to replicate Saturday’s offensive output, with 17 of 20 skaters getting on the score sheet and all four lines rolling. While head coach Andre Tourigny believes his team has a few things it can work on — he specifically mentioned net presence and faceoff routes during Sunday’s availability — it doesn’t hurt that a few of the players know a thing or two about Slovakia’s goalie. Jakob Pelletier (two assists), Dawson Mercer (one goal), Jordan Spence and Justin Barron have all faced him in the QMJHL. Spence will draw into the lineup on Sunday after Schneider was handed a one-game suspension for a hit to the head of Germany’s Jan-Luca Schumacher.

Devon Levi, who turns 19 on Sunday, will be between the pipes again. He got some rest Saturday when he was pulled after two periods to give Dylan Garand some minutes. Garand will serve as the backup again as Canada goes for its 14th straight win against Slovakia.

Sporting News had all the action as Canada secured win No. 2 at the 2021 IIHF World Junior championship.

(All times Eastern)

Canada vs. Slovakia score, highlights from 2021 World Juniors preliminary game

Final score: Canada 3, Slovakia 1

Final shots on net: Canada 23, Slovakia 18

Third period: Canada 3, Slovakia 1

8:17 p.m. — GOAL. Jack Quinn capitalizes on the misplayed puck at the blue line and scores an empty-net goal. Canada leads 3-1.

8:15 p.m. — GOAL. Not long after the penalty ends, and with an extra attacker, Martin Chromiak skates into the left circle and rips it over the glove of Levi. Canada leads 2-1.

8:12 p.m. — Dawson Mercer gets called for hooking with just over three minutes left in the game.

8:10 p.m. — GOAL. Canada gets a must-needed insurance goal. Dylan Cozens with the poke-check and then headman’s the puck to a streaking Philip Tomasino. The Predators prospect skates in, cuts to the middle and after getting bumped by a defenseman coming back goes top shelf. Canada leads 2-0.

8:08 p.m. — Levi coming up big on the penalty kill and in the seconds following the power play. Great stuff from the Northeastern netminder.

8:06 p.m. — Under seven minutes left in the game and Peyton Krebs called for holding (FYI — Tourigny did not agree with the call). 

8:04 p.m. — Connor McMichael with another good shot on net and Samuel Hlavaj with another good stop.

7:59 p.m. — At the other end Levi makes another quality stop as he fights through the traffic to see the puck and get into position.

7:59 p.m. — Canadians swarming the net but can’t bury the puck. That top line of Perfetti, McMichael and Krebs is putting in some work in the third period.

7:55 p.m. — Devon Levi makes a stop on a save up high to keep Slovakia off the board.

7:53 p.m. — Connor McMichael. My goodness.

7:49 p.m. — Third period is a go.

Second period: Canada 1, Slovakia 0

Some stats —  Shots total (second period): Canada 16 (7), Slovakia 8 (4).

7:29 p.m. — Great save by Devon Levi with just 10 seconds left in the period. Canada turns the puck over in their own end and Juraj Slafkovksy (who is just 16) fires the puck from the slot. Levi stones him as he reads it perfectly and comes out to make the save at the top of the crease.

7:24 p.m. — Samuel Knazko takes a high-sticking penalty as he hits Dylan Cozens in the visor. Canada back to the power play and after all is said and done they miss the net a few times and end up with one shot on net with the man advantage.

7:23 p.m. — Slovakia with a 2-on-1 and it looks like Devon Levi just got a piece of the shot from the right circle. Canada counters with some good work deep in the Slovakia zone.

7:21 p.m. — Canada can’t get anything going with the man advantage — zero shots — as they struggle with zone entries, getting set-up and making poor passing choices in the offensive zone.

7:19 p.m. — Canada gets a power play as Jack Quinn is pulled down while skating into the offensive zone.

7:16 p.m. — Jakob Pelletier with a good chance short-side. The Flames prospect has been flying in this one. He’s looked good with Quinton Byfield and fellow Calagry draftee Connor Zary.

7:11 p.m. — We’re halfway through the second period and the shots in the frame are: 1 for Slovakia, 1 for Canada. The Canadians got their shot at 9:57.

7:03 p.m. — Martin Chromiak (LAK) with a nifty move by the corner and tries to go high, short side but shoots it over the net.

7:00 p.m. — Not a good start to the period as the Slovaks sustain pressure. Cole Perfetti (WPG) called for tripping. Slovakia would not score with the man advantage.

6:58 p.m. —  The second period is underway. Against Germany, Canada scored seven in the middle frame.

First period: Canada 1, Slovakia 0

Some stats — Shots: Canada 9, Slovakia 4. Blocked shots: Canada 2, Slovakia 8.

Thomas Harley (DAL) led everyone with 9:22 of ice time. Jordan Spence skated the fewest minutes (1:56) but made it count the most with the goal.

6:39 p.m. — Canada breaks out after Thomas Harley (DAL) blocks a shot but Jack Quinn (BUF) can’t finish right before the buzzer on the cross-slot pass from Dylan Cozens (BUF).

6:33 p.m. — It’s a much different game tonight. Against Germany it seemed as if every shot went in; Hlavaj is a much more formidable foe.

6:27 p.m. —  Slovakia’s Robert Petrovicky seems like a very talkative coach on the bench. The ex-NHLer played 208 games (27 goals, 38 assists) between 1992-01 for the Whalers, Stars, Blues Lightning and Islanders. He wrapped up his career in 2016 after a number of seasons playing in Europe and his son Rayen is on the junior team.

6:18 p.m. — Almost six minutes in and Slovakia gets their first shot on net as Levi with the stop through traffic. Canada outshooting Slovakia 7-1.

6:14 p.m. — GOAL. Hlavaj makes a good stop but the rebound jumps out to defenseman Jordan Spence who buries it into the open net. The Kings prospect taking full advantage of the opportunity to get into the lineup as he scores in his first world juniors game.  Canada leads 1-0.

6:08 p.m. — Game on. I believe the referee said “Shake and bake.” Fantastic.

Pregame

5:51 p.m. — Dylan Cozens gets the “C” tonight. Bowen Byram and Connor McMichael are the assistant captains.

5:42 p.m. — The birthday boy getting ready.

5:15 p.m. — Canada will only have 12 forwards for the game due to the Holloway injury. Jack Quinn moves up to take his spot on the second line while Connor Zary slots in with Quinton Byfield and fellow Flames prospect Jakob Pelletier. Dawson Mercer moves up from the extra forward spot that he started in for Game 1 to the fourth line with Ryan Suzuki and Philip Tomasino. 

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Sault duo celebrates historic perfect season for university hockey team – SooToday

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With some help from a pair of Sault products, the University of New Brunswick Reds men’s hockey team capped off a historic perfect season over the weekend with a national championship.

For Cole MacKay and Camaryn Baber, a pair of childhood friends from the Sault who joined UNB’s team last season, it’s their second consecutive national championship.

UNB capped off the USPORTS national championship win on Sunday with a 4-0 win over UQTR.

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In Sunday’s win, MacKay had four shots on goal for the Reds while Baber was busy in the faceoff circle, taking 19 draws and winning eight of them.

UNB went 3-0 in the national championship tournament.

The Reds advanced to Sunday’s final by winning their semi-final game on Saturday by a 7-0 margin over Toronto Metropolitan. Baber had a goal in the win while MacKay had seven shots on goal.

UNB opened the tournament on Thursday with a 4-0 win over the Brock Badgers in quarterfinal play.

UNB won the Atlantic University Sport playoff title by running the table, first sweeping Saint Mary’s in a best-of-five semi-final series and then sweeping Moncton in a best-of-three championship series.

The Reds went 30-0 in regular season play and 38 straight including the playoffs and national championship tournament. The school’s winning streak dates back to last season’s AUS championship series when the team dropped a double-overtime decision in game two against Moncton.

UNB’s winning streak currently stands at 42 games. The team also won five exhibition games this season.

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Sean Martin takes closer look at what makes Scottie Scheffler's PLAYERS win so special – PGA TOUR – PGA TOUR

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Four of the five hardest par 4s on Sunday were on the back nine (Nos. 14, 10, 18 and 15, in order of difficulty). But the back nine also had three of Sunday’s four easiest holes (Nos. 11, 16 and 12, in order of ease). At last year’s PLAYERS, Scottie pulled five ahead by making five straight birdies on Nos. 8-12. He birdied four of those holes (Nos. 8-9, 11-12) on Sunday to tie the lead. It was almost six in a row. He missed a 12-footer for birdie on 10 and a 5-footer on 13.

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Wayne Simmonds Announces His Retirement from the National Hockey League | Philadelphia Flyers – NHL.com

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Former Philadelphia Flyer Wayne Simmonds today announced his retirement from the National Hockey League (NHL). In honor of his retirement, the Philadelphia Flyers will sign Simmonds to a one-day contract and honor his career on Saturday, April 13 when the Flyers host the New Jersey Devils at Wells Fargo Center (5 p.m. ET).

“It’s hard to describe my emotions on a day like this, but one of my very first thoughts as I look back is my life in Philadelphia and playing for the Flyers,” said Simmonds. “Taking the ice in a Flyers sweater is a special feeling and it’s one that I’m truly proud of. The history of this franchise and standard of being a Flyer that was set is unique and one that I hold in the highest regard. Perhaps the biggest reason for that is the way the fans embrace this team. It was a thrill to play for you all these years, and you mean so much to me. I’d like to thank Dan Hilferty, Keith Jones and Danny Briere for making this a special day and the fans for all their support throughout the years for me and my family.”

“I want to congratulate Wayne on an exceptional career. He was as tough and fierce of a competitor as they come. No one could ever question his commitment to his team and doing whatever it took to win, whether it was scoring goals, blocking shots, sticking up for a teammate or teaching them how to be a true professional on and off the ice,” said Chairman & CEO of Comcast Spectacor Dan Hilferty. “If there was anything that stood out more than Wayne’s dedication on the ice, it was his passion for giving back to the community. Wayne’s impact on both this city and his hometown of Scarborough through his charitable work is immeasurable and continues to be felt to this day. Simply put, Wayne Simmonds was born to be a Philadelphia Flyer and I am very proud to welcome him back.”

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“Wayne has had a tremendous career, on and off the ice, and to celebrate him and his accomplishments with the Philadelphia organization and fans on April 13 is not only fitting, but right,” said Flyers President of Hockey Operations Keith Jones. “Wayne is a special member of the Flyers family and an icon for our surrounding Philadelphia communities. It was an honor to cover his career and watch him grow into the person that he is today. Congratulations to him and his family on his well-deserved retirement from the NHL.”

“It is a privilege to congratulate Wayne on his retirement from the NHL and I look forward to celebrating his career on April 13 with our great fans,” said Flyers General Manager Daniel Briere. “He was an excellent teammate, a leader in the locker room and a class act for the Philadelphia community. He had such passion for this city and team that it was an honor to witness it all and play alongside him. I wish him all the happiness and success to him and his family as he embarks on this new chapter.”

Simmonds, 35 (8/26/88), skated in eight of his 15 NHL seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers (2011-19). The native of Scarborough, Ontario, collected 378 points (203-175=378), 91 power-play goals, 34 game-winning goals and 786 penalty minutes in 584 games. He ranks second in franchise history in hits (1,108), T-3rd in game-deciding goals (4), sixth in shootout goals (7), seventh in PPG, T-13th in GWG and 14th in goals. The right-shot winger set career highs in scoring twice with 60 points each during the 2013-14 and 2015-16 campaigns. He led the Flyers during the 2015-16 season with a career-high 32 goals and led the team and ranked T-6th in the NHL in PPG (13) that season. Simmonds also collected 15 playoff points (5-10=15) in 30 contests with the Flyers.

Simmonds was acquired by Philadelphia on June 23, 2011 from Los Angeles along with Brayden Schenn and a second-round pick (DAL, 61st overall – Devin Shore) in the 2012 NHL Draft in exchange for Mike Richards and Rob Bordson. Simmonds represented the Flyers at the 2017 NHL All-Star Game and was named the All-Star Game MVP. He won the 2011-12 Gene Hart Memorial Award, 2015-16 Yanick Dupre Class Guy Memorial Award and the 2016-17 Bobby Clarke Trophy and Toyota Cup.

Simmonds was a finalist for the 2017-18 Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award and won the award in 2018-19 with Philadelphia and Nashville. The award is presented annually to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey. During his tenure with the Flyers, Simmonds hosted “Wayne’s Warriors,” an in-game initiative in which he purchased a full season suite and donated every game to local military members. He served as a board member of the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation and was active with Make-A-Wish Foundation and March of Dimes. Throughout the course of his NHL career, Simmonds also founded “Wayne’s Road Hockey Warriors” which was a summer ball hockey tournament hosted in his hometown of Scarborough that allowed children to experience the game who otherwise would not be able to do so due to a lack of resources.

Simmonds registered 526 career points (263-263=526) in 1,037 NHL regular season games in 15 seasons with Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Nashville, New Jersey, Buffalo and Toronto (2008-23). He recorded 22 playoff points (8-14=22) in 53 career Stanley Cup Playoff contests with the Kings, Flyers, Predators and Maple Leafs. He skated in his 1,000th NHL regular season game on March 5, 2022 with Toronto and was originally selected by Los Angeles in the second round (61st overall) of the 2007 NHL Draft.

Internationally, Simmonds represented Canada at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship (gold) and at the 2013 and 2017 (silver) IIHF World Championships.

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