TURRIS’ PAIR HELPS CANADA TO PRE-TOURNAMENT VICTORY IN AUSTRIA

SALZBURG, Austria – Canada’s speed and skill was too much for a willing Austrian side on Monday night as Canada trounced Red Bulls Salzburg 5-0 on the strength of a six-point effort from the line of Kyle Turris (New Westminster, BC/University of Wisconsin, WCHA), Brad Marchand (Hammonds Plains, NS/Val d’Or, QMJHL) and Claude Giroux (Ottawa, ON/Gatineau, QMJHL).

Canada’s National Junior Team has been in Austria since Saturday night, preparing for the upcoming 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic, and Monday’s game was the first of three pre-tournament games for the Canadians.

The Red Bulls Salzburg team was comprised of a number of players from their Division II team, as well as some of their top Under-20 players. The team included Lethbridge, AB native Jason Beckett, who attended a National Junior Team development camp in the summer of 1999.

Defensive breakdowns led to a 2-0 first period lead for Canada. Goals by Riley Holzapfel (Regina, SK/Moose Jaw, WHL) at 8:51 and by Turris just 39 seconds later both came at the tail-end of two-on-ones. A third breakdown led to a Shawn Matthias (Mississauga, ON/Belleville, OHL) scoring chance, but the big winger was unable to capitalize.

It was more of the same in the middle frame as Canada extended its lead to 4-0. Turris scored his second of the game on a perfect feed from Marchand – who was named Canada’s Player of the Game – and Luke Schenn (Saskatoon, SK/Kelowna, WHL) added a fourth marker for Canada on a shot from the point with Brandon Sutter (Red Deer, AB/Red Deer, WHL) causing havoc in front of Austrian netminder Thomas Höneckl.

Seventeen year olds combined on Canada’s fifth goal, as Steven Stamkos (Unionville, ON/Sarnia, OHL) scored on a power play, with an assist going to John Tavares (Oakville, ON/Oshawa, OHL).

Steve Mason (Oakville, ON/London, OHL) and Jonathan Bernier (Laval, QC/Lewiston, QMJHL) split time in the Canadian goal and faced just 18 shots between them as Canada held a commanding 37-18 advantage in shots on goal.

Canada will remain in Austria through Wednesday, when the team will depart for Slovakia after a final morning skate at the Red Bull hockey facility.