Despite some bizarre circumstances, victory on Russian soil Saturday felt pretty sweet for the 20 BCHL players and their coaches competing in the four-team Russian invitational event in Podolsk.
Having dropped an exhibition game and their first round-robin game to the Russian Junior Selects by scores of 9-2 and 6-2, Canada broke through against the Russian National Junior side with a 5-3 win to even their record in the tournament.
A strange altercation in the third period saw, according to reports, a Russian fan scale the glass to get on the ice and begin mixing it up with Canadian defenceman Jayson Reardon. The fan is now in detention at a local jail.
Team Canada media relations co-ordinator Eddie Gregory's blog here
The Russians scored first on a goal by Ignat Zemchenko but goals 19 seconds apart by Devin Gannon and Mike Hammond, set up by Mitch Jones and RJay Berra respectively, put Canada ahead. Canada made it 3-1 just 21 seconds into the second on Gannon's second goal of the game but just over three minutes later, Aleksandr Gogolev got Russia back within one.
Jarryd Ten Vaanholt's unassisted goal put Canada up 4-2 and prompted the Russians to hook starting goalie Kirill Brashkin, who plays in the KHL, in favour of Sergei Kostenko. Just after the switch, Pavel Medvedev brought Russia back within one.
Head coach Tim Kehler opted, heading into the game, to split goal duties between starter Khaleed Devji and Kris Moore who took over at 10:20 of the second period and pitched a shutout the rest of the way. The Russians applied furious pressure late in the middle frame but couldn't equalize.
Ten Vaanholt scored his second of the game in the third period and Canada was able to kill a penalty taken by captain David Killip just prior to the incident with the fan. Canada was successful on the PK again in the late stages to preserve the win. Russia pulled their netminder with 1:40 left but couldn't muster another goal.
This Russian team, unlike the Russian Junior Selects, was made up exclusively of 18-year-old players. The win will go down as an all-time highlight for everyone involved, according to general manager Ronnie Paterson, who e-mailed the BCHL shortly after the game.
“… remarkable performance by everyone including the coaches,” said Paterson. “I am extremely proud of them… a hockey moment we will never forget.”
In other tournament action, the Russian Junior Selects – who appear to be the class of the tournament – routed the Slovakian national side 12-1.
Canada's final game is against the Slovakians Sunday at 2 a.m. Pacific. Canada is in second place currently with three points. Canada's goals-for/goals-against is 7/9. Russian Junior Selects are 2-0 and have six points to lead the event.
More Team Canada in Russia info at Prince George Spruce Kings media director Ron Gallo's blog here
