GAUTHIER GETS GAME-WINNER AS RED BEATS WHITE

WENDY GRAVES

TORONTO, Ont. – A goal from Julien Gauthier (Pointe-aux-Trembles, Que./Val-d’Or, QMJHL) with 2:12 remaining in the third period proved to be the winner as Red beat White 7-4 in the lone intrasquad game at Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp.

After a scoreless first period thanks to the work of starting goaltenders Evan Cormier (Bowmanville, Ont./Saginaw, OHL) and Zach Sawchenko (Calgary, Alta./Moose Jaw, WHL), the floodgates opened, as the teams combined for 11 goals over the final 40 minutes.

Mathieu Joseph (Chambly, Que./Saint John, QMJHL) opened the scoring early in the second period for Red, driving toward the net and getting just enough on the puck to go five-hole on Sawchenko.

A minute later Nicolas Roy (Amos, Que./Chicoutimi, QMJHL) fed Zach Senyshyn (Ottawa, Ont./Sault Ste. Marie, OHL) down low; Senyshyn roofed it to make it 2-0.

Twenty-two seconds after that Gauthier’s shot on the rush was saved, but a trailing Connor Hobbs (Saskatoon, Sask./Regina, WHL) put in the rebound.

Just past the midway mark of the second period, both teams brought in new goaltenders: Connor Ingram (Imperial, Sask./Kamloops, WHL) for Red, and Carter Hart (Sherwood Park, Alta./Everett, WHL) for White.

On the ensuing face-off, a point shot appeared to hit the post and Hart was unable to corral the puck. Mitchell Stephens (Peterborough, Ont./Saginaw, OHL), waiting on the doorstep, put the loose puck in the net.

Less than two minutes after that Anthony Cirelli (Woodbridge, Ont./Oshawa, OHL) deflected in a point shot to pull White within one.

The goals continued to come in bunches in the third period.

Dillon Dubé (Cochrane, Alta./Kelowna, WHL) flew down the wing and fed Stephens in front for an easy one-timer to draw White even 3-3 early in the final frame.

Red retook the lead just over five minutes later, when Pierre-Luc Dubois (Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Que./Cape Breton, QMJHL) roofed it far side from the bottom of the face-off circle.

After Gauthier made it 5-3 late in the third period, White responded by pulling its goalie and Travis Konecny (Clachan, Ont./Sarnia, OHL) quickly scored from down low.

Empty-net goals from Thomas Chabot (Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce, Que./Saint John, QMJHL) and Joseph in the final minute of regulation, though, sealed the deal for Red.

The players now head to Plymouth, Mich., to play a series of games against Finland, Sweden and the United States.