Monday, December 14, 2009

White defeats Red

Press Release

REGINA – Stefan Della Rovere of the Barrie Colts and Greg Nemisz of the Windsor Spitfires scored in the third period to lead the White team over the Reds 3-2 in an intrasquad game Sunday night at the Canadian junior team selection camp.

Cody Eakin of the Swift Current Broncos also scored for the Whites while Jordan Caron of the Rimouski Oceanic, with a goal and an assist, and defenceman Colten Teubert of Regina Pats replied for the Reds. Luke Adam of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles and Shawn Lalonde of the Bellevile Bulls each had two assists for Team White before a sparse crowd of 1,729.

A second intrasquad game is scheduled for Monday night at the Brandt Centre.

The White team featured top NHL draft prospects Taylor Hall of the Spitfires and Tyler Seguin of the Plymouth Whalers, who each had good chances but failed to convert. Goalie Olivier Roy was just able to close the pads on a Hall backhander on one third period rush.

The first whistle of the game came on the opening goal at the 2:53 mark as a point shot went in off Eakin to give the Whites the lead.

The Reds didn't get a shot on the net, despite some good pressure by Patrice Cormier's line with Caron and two blasts just wide by Jordan Eberle of the Pats, until Nicolas Deslauriers of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies got one at the 10:12 mark.

But the Reds tied the score less than two minutes later on a tic-tac-toe play from Alex Pietrangelo of the St. Louis Blues to Brandon MacMillan of the Kelowna Rockets to Caron.

Della Rovere lifted a rebound in only 23 seconds into the third period, and Nemisz, a force all night with his physical play and forechecking, made it 3-1 when he jammed a puck past Roy at the side of the net at 13:46.

The teams played four skaters per side for the final five minutes and Teubert scored on a shot from in front that changed direction off a leg at 17:17.

The teams held a shootout competition after the game, which was good practice for a tournament in which key games often go to overtime.

The Canadian team will be cut on Wednesday to the 22 players who will play for Canada at the world junior championship Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Regina and Saskatoon.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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