2019 TELUS Cup

YOUNG NATS EDGE BUFFALOES FOR FIRST WIN

JASON LA ROSE

THUNDER BAY, Ont. – Sean Wu made 32 saves, Nathan Kellenberger had a goal and an assist and the Toronto Young Nationals held on in the third period to score a 3-1 win over the Calgary Buffaloes on Tuesday at the 2019 TELUS Cup.

Peter Stojcevski and Nolan Lowe, into an empty net, bookended the scoring for the Young Nationals, who avoided starting 0-2 for the second year in a row.

Justin Ross provided the goal for the Buffaloes, who were shut down offensively less than 24 hours after scoring seven times in a tournament-opening win over Thunder Bay.

Stojcevski had the lone goal in the first period, picking off an errant pass in the neutral zone and skating right up the middle before letting go a shot that eluded Calgary goaltender Garin Bjorklund.

Kellenberger doubled the lead six minutes into the second period when his shot from the left wing beat Bjorklund upstairs on the short side, but Calgary took advantage of a five-on-three power play and got back within one off the stick of Ross at 11:19.

Wu was at his busiest in the second period, making 13 of his 32 stops, but saved his best for the third period when the Buffaloes swarmed for the game-tying goal.

His biggest stop came with less than five minutes to go when he turned away Dylan James on a partial breakaway.

Bjorklund went to the bench for an extra attacker late, and Lowe found the open cage with 1:07 remaining.

Calgary finished with a 33-25 edge in shots on goal.

The Young Nationals see the ice next in an all-Ontario match-up with the Thunder Bay Kings on Wednesday night (7:30 p.m. ET), while the Buffaloes clash with the unbeaten Cantonniers de Magog earlier in the day (12 p.m. ET).