WEST ENDS LOSING STREAK, CLAIMS NINTH WITH VICTORY OVER SLOVAKS

VICTORIAVILLE, Que. – Josh Uhrich (Rosetown, Sask./Moose Jaw, WHL) scored the game-winner midway through the first period as West beat Slovakia 4-1 on Thursday afternoon, taking ninth place at the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

The victory ends a 10-game losing streak for West, dating back to a 4-1 win over the Slovaks at the 2011 tournament in Winnipeg, Man., and ensures it won’t be the first Canadian team to finish last at back-to-back events.

Haydn Fleury (Carlyle, Sask./Red Deer, WHL), Rhett Gardner (Moose Jaw, Sask./Moose Jaw, SMAAAHL) and Reid Gardiner (Humboldt, Sask./Prince Albert, WHL) scored the other goals for West, which beat the Slovaks for the second time this week, having earned a 5-2 win in pre-tournament action last Saturday.

Adam Hascic had the lone goal for Slovakia, which has finished 10th in three of its last four appearances at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, and has never finished higher than eighth.

Rylan Parenteau (Saskatoon, Sask./Saskatoon, SMAAAHL) needed to make just 15 saves to pick up the win in the West goal, while his Slovak counterpart, Stanislav Skorvanek, made 29 saves in a losing cause.