PACIFIC STILL PERFECT AFTER SURVIVING CZECHS

by Ashley Wiebe

WINNIPEG, Man. – Pacific continued its hot start to the 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge on Thursday, beating the Czech Republic 3-2 and staying atop Group B with a perfect 2-0 record.

Despite the Canadian side controlling the play early, it was the Czechs who hit the board first thanks to a lucky bounce – goaltender Mackenzie Skapski easily blockered aside a shot from Dominik Volek, only to seethe puck ricochet off a Pacific defender and in for a 1-0 lead.

Brandon Magee scored Pacific’s first goal late in the opening period, dancing through the Czech defence and snapping a shot past netminder David Gaba, with assists going to Ryan Olsen and Steven Hodges.

The teams once again traded goals in a chippy second period, with Troy Bourke converting a picture-perfect goalmouth feed from Hunter Shinkaruk for the Pacific goal, and Pavel Sedlacek replying for the Czechs, who held a 27-25 advantage in shots after 40 minutes.

The set-up man in the second period, Shinkaruk was the sniper in the third, beating Gaba at the 5:42 mark for a one-goal lead that Pacific would not relinquish.

Skapski finished with 30 saves, while Gaba had 31 in a Player of the Game performance. Defenceman Matt Dumba took home the honour for Pacific.

Pacific looks to move to 3-0 when they travel to Portage la Prairie to meet Slovakia in the 3 p.m. CT game on Friday, while the Czechs will remain in Winnipeg and meet West in the New Year’s Eve nightcap (7 p.m. CT) at the MTS Iceplex.