KHATSEI GETS TYING GOAL, SHOOTOUT WINNER AS RUSSIANS TOP CANADA EAST LANGLEY, B.C. – Arseni Khatsei scored the tying goal midway through the second period and recorded the lone goal of the shootout as Russia closed Group B preliminary play at the 2011 World Junior A Challenge with a 3-2 win over Canada East on Wednesday afternoon. Despite the loss, Canada East claimed first place in the group and with it a bye directly into Friday’s semifinals. The Russians finished third in Group B and will take part in a Thursday quarter-final against a to-be-determined opponent. The Canadians held a 49-30 advantage in shots on goal through 65 minutes of hockey – including 18-3 in the third period – but were turned away time and time again by Russian netminder Andrei Vasilevski, who was brilliant, making 47 saves in regulation and overtime before stopping David Friedmann (Toronto, Ont./Toronto, OJHL), Devin Shore (Ajax, Ont./Whitby, OJHL) and Tylor Spink (Williamstown, Ont./Cornwall, CCHL) in the shootout. Ben Hutton (Prescott, Ont./Kemptville, CCHL) and Daniel Leavens (Thornhill, Ont./Newmarket, OJHL) scored power play goals for Canada East, which will meet the winner of the Thursday quarter-final between the Russians and the winner of Wednesday’s late game between Canada West and the United States. Vyacheslav Osnovin scored the other goal for the Russians, who beat Canada East for just the second time in five all-time meetings. |
