CANADA DROPS WJC CAMP FINALE TO THE U.S.

WENDY GRAVES

PLYMOUTH, Mich. – Connor Ingram (Imperial, Sask./Kamloops, WHL) and Evan Cormier (Bowmanville, Ont./Saginaw, OHL) combined to make 31 saves, but Canada’s National Junior Team hopefuls lost 5-1 to the United States on Saturday in their third and final game at the Sport Chek Summer Development Camp.

Nicolas Roy (Amos, Que./Chicoutimi, QMJHL) scored Canada’s only goal.

Canada finished the exhibition series with the U.S., Finland and Sweden with a record of 0-3.

Offence was hard to come by at camp, as the team scored only three goals in its three games and couldn’t make good on any of its 12 power play opportunities.

Canada got down early against the Americans.

Christian Fischer backhanded a cross-crease feed to Jack Roslovic, who’s one-timer from down low beat Ingram only 2:19 into the game.

Canada outshot the U.S. 22-10 in the first period, and had several quality scoring chances among those attempts. Tyson Jost (Kelowna, B.C./Penticton, BCHL) drove to the net off a feed from Dante Fabbro (Coquitlam, B.C./Penticton, BCHL), but couldn’t squeeze the puck through short side on Tyler Parsons. The goaltender then robbed Brett Howden (Oakbank, Man./Moose Jaw, WHL) from point blank range with his glove.

The Americans made it 2-0 with just over a minute to go in the period. Jordan Greenway deflected a pass from the side boards high over Ingram.

Six minutes into the second period, Logan Brown made it 3-0. Off a turnover in the neutral zone, Brown cycled through the top of the Canadian zone; his wrist shot from the high slot beat Ingram low far side.

Canada continued to get its chances but just couldn’t convert. Dylan Strome (Mississauga, Ont./Erie, OHL) whiffed on Thomas Chabot’s (Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce, Que./Saint John, QMJHL) pass on a two-on-one midway through the period. And in the dying seconds, Mitchell Marner (Thornhill, Ont./London, OHL) was left alone in front but shot just wide of the open net.

The teams exchanged goals 13 minutes into the third.

Clayton Keller followed his own rebound and banked it in off of Cormier’s back.

Forty-one seconds later Roy’s backhand from the slot went five-hole on Parsons.

Brock Boeser wrapped up the scoring on the power play, going far side from the top of the face-off circle with 17 seconds left on the clock.