MATTHIAS’ TWO GOALS HELP CANADA TO SECOND STRAIGHT CONVINCING WIN

PUCHOV, Slovakia – Two games, two wins. It’s a good start for Canada’s National Junior Team on the road to the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Shawn Matthias (Mississauga, ON/Belleville, OHL) scored twice and John Tavares (Oakville, ON/Oshawa, OHL) added a goal and two helpers as Canada scored a 6-1 win over the Slovakians on Thursday night in front of 1,547 fans at Zimny Stadion in Puchov in their second pre-tournament game.

Just as they had three nights earlier in their pre-tournament opener against Red Bull Salzburg, the Canadians got on the board early, as Matthias finished off a two-on-one with Steven Stamkos (Unionville, ON/Sarnia, OHL) just 70 seconds after the opening face-off.

Another Mississauga native made it 2-0 past the seven-minute mark, as Matt Halischuk (Mississauga, ON/Kitchener, OHL) was the beneficiary of a good forecheck from Brad Marchand (Hammonds Plains, NS/Halifax, QMJHL), taking a pass in front and making no mistake for a two-goal lead, which Canada took into the intermission.

Despite holding a 2-0 lead, Canada was actually outshot by the Slovakians in the opening 20 minutes, 9-8, but goaltender Jonathan Bernier (Laval, QC/Lewiston,QMJHL) kept the hosts off the scoreboard.

Tavares connected on a Canadian powerplay early in the middle frame for a 3-0 lead, taking a pass from P.K. Subban (Rexdale, ON/Belleville, ON) and snapping a shot from the face-off circle that found the five-hole on Slovakian netminder Julius Hudacek.

The hosts scored the second period’s only other goal, as a point shot from Adam Bena hit a Canadian player in front and eluded Bernier on a powerplay, pulling the Slovakians to within two at 3-1 entering the second intermission.

But the three-time defending World Junior gold medalists made sure there would be no comeback, as Matthias, Stefan Legein (Oakville, ON/Niagara, OHL) and Josh Godfrey (Kingston, ON/Sault Ste. Marie, OHL) all put pucks past Slovakian goaltender Tomas Hiadlovsky in the final 20 minutes to provide the final margin for the Canadians.

Bernier finished with 23 saves as Canada held a 38-24 advantage in shots on goal. Canadian head coach Craig Hartsburg has said Steve Mason (Oakville, ON/London, ON) will get the call between the pipes for Sunday’s pre-tournament finale against Finland in Chrudin, Czech Republic (12:00 p.m. ET).

Canada opens the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, December 26th, when they face the host Czechs in Pardubice (2:00 p.m. ET).