2008-09 National Men's Under-18 Team

THIRD LINE LEADS CANADA TO WIN OVER SWEDES

PIESTANY, Slovakia – Two wins down, two to go for Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament.

Canada’s third line of Cody Eakin (Winnipeg, MB/Swift Current, WHL), Casey Cizikas (Mississauga, ON/Mississauga, OHL) and player of the game Garrett Mitchell (Regina, SK/Regina, WHL) accounted for three of the four goals in a 4-3 victory over Sweden, moving the Canadians to 2-0 in the preliminary round at the annual summer tournament.

A win by Switzerland over Slovakia later Wednesday would clinch a spot in the gold medal game for the Canadians ahead of their preliminary round finale against the Slovakians on Thursday (12:30 p.m. EDT).

Looking for revenge against a Swedish team that ended their quest for a fourth straight gold medal in 2007 the Canadians struck early, as Taylor Hall (Kingston, ON/Windsor, OHL) combined with captain Matthew Duchene (Haliburton, ON/Brampton, OHL) for the game’s opening goal just past the six-minute mark.

Sweden, despite being outshot 14-8 in the first period, sent the game to the intermission even at 1-1 after Patrik Cehlin beat Canadian goaltender Nathan Lieuwen (Abbotsford, BC/Westside, BCHL) on a Swedish powerplay.

The Swedes applied more pressure to open the middle frame, but Lieuwen stood tall, making the majority of his five second-period saves in the early minutes.

Cizikas restored the Canadian lead 14 minutes into the second period, as he took advantage of a Swedish turnover and converted a forehand-to-backhand breakaway move for a 2-1 lead.

Hard work by the Eakin-Cizikas-Mitchell line resulted in the third Canadian goal, as Eakin jammed the puck past Swedish netminder Robin Lehner after a battle in the corner and in front of the net.

Canada held a whopping 30-13 advantage in shots on goal through two periods, and outshot Sweden 51-23 overall.

After the Swedes pulled to within a goal just past the midway point of the final period, Canada’s big line went to work once again as Mitchell beat Lehner with a breakaway goal similar to Cizikas’ marker in the second period.

Magnus Pääjärvi scored for Sweden with just 86 seconds to go to once again cut the Canadian lead to a single goal, but the Scandinavians could not get the tying goal, as Lieuwen and the Canadian defense stood tall.

LISTEN! Player of the game Garrett Mitchell talks about Canada’s 4-3 win over Sweden

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Goals/Buts :
06:15 CAN Hall (Duchene, Leblanc)
17:03 SWE Cehlin (Erixon, Paajarvi)

Penalties/Pénalités :
01:00 SWE Myllari (Interference/Obstruction)
08:56 SWE Karlsson (Elbow/Donner du coude)
14:41 CAN Kane (Hooking/Accrocher)
15:01 CAN Labrie (Tripping/Trébucher)
18:33 SWE Erixon (Holding the Stick/Retenir le bâton)

Goals/Buts :
34:23 CAN Cizikas
38:21 CAN Eakin (Mitchell)

Penalties/Pénalités :
21:06 CAN Hall (Hooking/Accrocher)
24:56 SWE Bertilsson (Misconduct/Inconduite)
26:37 CAN Kassian (Misconduct/Inconduite)
29:50 CAN Glennie (Tripping/Trébucher)
31:48 SWE Ackered (Hooking/Accrocher)
35:30 SWE Almqvist (Slashing/Cingler)
39:37 SWE Josefson (Hooking/Accrocher)

Goals/Buts :
50:53 SWE Josefson (Cehlin, Bertilsson)
57:36 CAN Mitchell (Elliott)
58:34 SWE Paajarvi (Lander, Ekman)

Penalties/Pénalités :
45:34 SWE Myllari (Cross-checking/Double-échec)
46:51 SWE Erixon (Delay of Game/Arrête du match)
52:31 SWE Olsson (Hooking/Accrocher)
53:07 SWE Bertilsson (Slashing/Coupe de bâton)
56:58 SWE Klingberg (Roughing/Rudesse)
56:58 CAN Després (Slashing/Cingler)