GAUNCE SCORES WINNER, CANADA OPENS WITH WIN OVER FINNS

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Brendan Gaunce (Markham, Ont./Belleville, OHL) scored the game-winning goal midway through the third period to help Canada’s National Junior Team to a 5-3 win over Finland on Wednesday afternoon.

The game was the first of three for Canada as part of its summer development camp. The Canadians will face Sweden on Thursday (4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT) and the host United States on Saturday (1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT). The games are part of the Americans’ junior evaluation camp.

Gaunce, Hunter Shinkaruk (Calgary, Alta./Medicine Hat, WHL) and Félix Girard (Lévis, Que./Baie-Comeau, QMJHL) each had a goal and an assist for Canada, which scored three times in the third period to break open a 2-2 game.

Sam Reinhart (West Vancouver, B.C./Kootenay, WHL) and Frédérik Gauthier (Mascouche, Que./Rimouski, QMJHL) had the other Canadian goals, scoring 27 seconds apart midway through the first period to erase an early Finnish lead.

Anthony Mantha (Longueuil, Que./Val-d’Or, QMJHL) was the other Canadian skater to record multiple points, adding two assists.

After the Finns opened the scoring just 51 seconds in, Reinhart and Gauthier struck quickly to give Canada the lead heading to the intermission. Finland pulled even with the only goal of the second period, but Girard restored the Canadian advantage 3:40 into the third and Gaunce added the winner at 10:03 of the final frame.

The Finns got one back with five minutes left, but Shinkaruk clinched it with an empty net goal at 18:36.

Eric Comrie (Edmonton, Alta./Tri-City, WHL) was solid in the Canadian goal, finishing with 37 saves, including 17 in the third period. Finland outshot Canada 40-36.

All of Canada’s games from Lake Placid will be webcast live through usahockey.fasthockey.com for $7.99 per game.