|
QUICK START LEADS CANADA WEST TO WORLD JUNIOR A CHALLENGE
TITLE
Sunday, November 12, 2006 | Yorkton, SK | Box Score
Player of the Game Jordie Johnston (Rosetown, SK/La Ronge Ice Wolves, SJHL) scored the first two goals of
the game as Canada West jumped out to a 4-0 lead before holding off Canada East 4-3 to win the inaugural
World Junior A Challenge on Sunday night in Yorkton.
Tyler McNeely (Burnaby, BC/Burnaby Express) and Casey Pierro-Zabotel (Kamloops, BC/Merritt Centennials,
BCHL) also scored as Canada West became the first team to score more than once on Canada East goaltender
Cameron Talbot (Caledonia, ON/Hamilton Red Wings, OPJHL).
Canada West head coach Boris Rybalka said he knew his team would be up to the challenge heading into the
all-Canadian match-up.
“Our guys we were prepared. We made sure they were,” Rybalka said on the ice following his team’s win.
“Even after they (Canada East) came back, we knew what we needed to do, and we never quit. When you have that
maple leaf on your chest, you never quit.”
Kyle Turris (New Westminster, BC/Burnaby Express, BCHL) finished as the tournament’s high scorer with five
goals and six assists, and was rewarded for his efforts with the UnderArmour Undeniable MVP Award.
“I wasn’t too worried about my personal stats, or about winning any individual awards,” Turris said amidst
the celebration following the game. “Our goal was to win the tournament, and we did that. It’s going to be a
great night tonight.”
Turris has had quite a year, winning the RBC Royal Bank Cup with the Express in May, where he was named
tournament MVP, and following that up with a gold medal as a part of Canada’s National Under-18 Team at the
Junior World Cup in the Czech Republic in August.
“This is right up there with the rest,” he said of his successes this year. “It’s been one hell of a year,
that’s for sure.”
Rybalka said he could not have been more proud of the efforts of all 22 players in the Canada West
dressing room, and dreams of what could be.
“We (the coaching staff) believe this a great team, and a special group of young men,” Rybalka said. “We
can only imagine what it would be like to have a team like this together all season, and see what kind of
special things we could accomplish.”
Player of the Game David Kostuch (Richmond Hill, ON/Markham Waxers, OPJHL) scored twice for Canada East,
and finished as his team’s leading scorer for the event with five goals and one assist. Kostuch scored in all
seven of Canada East’s games, including exhibition.
Jeff Terminesi (Mississauga, ON/Brampton Capitals, OPJHL) also scored for Canada East.
Canada East head coach Jerome Dupont said his team gave it all they had, but came up just short.
“They (Canada West) played great,” Dupont said. “We came out flat, and they took advantage. Giving them
early powerplays certainly didn’t help us. We slowly but surely gained momentum, and definitely gave them a
run in the end.”
|
