CANADA FALLS IN OT TO FINLAND AT JUNIOR CAMP

WENDY GRAVES

PLYMOUTH, Mich. – Thanks to a first period goal from Travis Konecny (Clachan, Ont./Sarnia, OHL) Canada’s National Junior Team hopefuls led Finland 1-0 through 40 minutes, but the team surrendered the equalizer in the third before falling in overtime to the defending IIHF World Junior Championship gold medallist.

Kasper Bjorkqvist sent a centering pass from along the boards to Arttu Ruotsalainen, who tipped the puck into an open net only 1:22 into the extra period.

Connor Ingram (Imperial, Sask./Kamloops, WHL) and Evan Cormier (Bowmanville, Ont./Saginaw, OHL) shared time in net for Canada. Ingram started and stopped all 13 shots he faced. Cormier came in midway through the second period and faced seven shots.

Canada outshot Finland 35-20 for the game.

It was the first of three games Canada will play as part of its summer development camp. After opening camp in Toronto, the team is now in Plymouth, Mich., for an exhibition series against Finland, Sweden and the United States.

In a rematch from the quarter-finals of the 2016 World Juniors (a game won by the Finns), Canada had the early jump. Konecny got loose for a partial break in the opening minutes but was turned aside. A minute later Anthony Beauvillier (Sorel, Que./Shawinigan, QMJHL) hit the outside of the post.

Canada eventually scored the only goal of the opening period at the 14:53 mark. Off a turnover in the neutral zone, Lawson Crouse (Mt. Brydges, Ont./Kingston, OHL) fed Konecny along the wing and his soft shot from just outside the top of the face-off circle fooled Finnish goalie Veini Vehvillainen.

Brett Howden (Oakbank, Man./Moose Jaw, WHL) nearly doubled Canada’s lead in the last minute of the second period. The forward was left alone in the low slot, but Vehvillainen robbed the forward with a blocker save.

Canada again just missed increasing its lead with eight minutes to go in regulation. A shot from Thomas Chabot (Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce, Que./Saint John, QMJHL) from the blue-line hit the inside of the post but stayed out.

Finland drew even moments later. Eeli Tolvanen gloved down a bouncing puck near centre ice, got a step on the defence and beat Cormier glove side.

Canada’s next game is against Sweden; the teams square off on Friday, 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT, live on TSN.