Author: Dominic Tiano

Canada has taken a giant step towards Buffalo, naming the 22 players who will wear red and white.

Source: Canadian roster set for 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship

Eighteen.

That’s the number of consecutive games the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds had won heading into last nights’ action. Their opponent was none other than the Kitchener Rangers, the team that currently holds the record of consecutive games won at twenty-five, who accomplished the feat from January 11 to March 24, 1984.

But two other win streaks stand between the Greyhounds and the Rangers’ record. The Barrie Colts strung together twenty-two victories from October 14 to December 9, 2009. Most recently. The London Knights knocked on the Rangers’ door when they put together 24 wins from November 2, to December 31, 2012.

Last night it looked as though the streak might come to an end. The Rangers dominated territorial play and were it not for some spectacular saves by Matthew Villalta, the Rangers could have held a lead after one period. Instead, they finished the frame scoreless. The Greyhounds had trouble with the Rangers’ speed, forecheck and their cycle game and the 8-7 shot advantage held in the period was not indicative of the play.

The second period started with more of the same. Adam Mascherin finally put the Rangers on the board one second shy of the eight-minute mark of the second. Just over a minute later, the Rangers would go on the first powerplay of the night. While on that powerplay, Greg Meireles would go in on a partial breakaway and get taken down and would be awarded a penalty shot. Meireles went in with speed, and just as he was about to go on his backhand, the puck hopped over his stick and he lost control.

However, just fifty seconds after the missed penalty shot, Rickard Hogg would put the Rangers up 2-0. They seemed in control and it was their game to lose at that point.

Despite missing Boris Katchouk and Conor Timmins who were at Team Canada’s camp (and named to the final roster last night), the Greyhounds are still a dangerous team and you should never count them out.

Just over four minutes after Hugg’s goal, The Greyhounds got on the board on a Noah Carroll goal. It took just fifty-five seconds for the Rangers to restore their two-goal lead as Connor Bunnaman scored one what was somewhat of a fluky goal. But they all count.

Again, never count the Greyhounds out. With a minute-ten remaining in the frame, Keeghan Howdeshell pulled the Greyhounds back within one and the period would end with the Rangers up 3-2.

In the third period, you could sense some urgency in the Greyhounds’ game and the Rangers departed from their game plan that got them ahead. They seemed at times to sit back and wait for the Greyhounds to come at them, sometimes not sending a forechecker in and waiting in the neutral zone.

At 13:50 of the third, Mac Hollowell scored a controversial goal as the referee’s missed a high sticking penalty and the Greyhounds would capitalize.

Just as it looked like we were heading to overtime, Howdeshell scored his second of the game with just 2.9 seconds remaining on the clock.

That now leaves the Greyhounds needing six victories to tie the longest winning steak in Ontario Hockey League history. So, what is next? Here’s a look at the Greyhounds six next opponents:

December 16 at Guelph Storm

December 28 at Saginaw Spirit

December 29 versus Flint Firebirds

December 30 versus Guelph Storm

January 4 at Mississauga Steelheads

January 5 at Oshawa Generals

And should they win those six games, the potential record breaking game would be January 7, 2018 versus the Storm in Guelph.

Good luck to the Soo Greyhounds.

National Junior Team hopefuls look to represent Canada in Buffalo, N.Y. 

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada moved one step closer to finding out who will wear the red-and-white at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, as 32 players earned an invitation to Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp in St. Catharines, Ont., Dec. 12-15. 

The selection camp roster includes four goaltenders, 10 defencemen and 18 forwards. The process of evaluating and selecting the players was led by Brad McEwen, Hockey Canada’s head scout, in consultation with Joël Bouchard from the Program of Excellence management group.

Among the 32 players are seven returnees from last year’s silver-medal team: goaltender Carter Hart (Sherwood Park, Alta./Everett, WHL); defencemen Jake Bean (Calgary/Calgary, WHL), Kale Clague (Lloydminster, Alta./Brandon, WHL), and Dante Fabbro (Coquitlam, B.C./Boston University, HE); and forwards Dillon Dubé (Cochrane, Alta./Kelowna, WHL), Michael McLeod (Mississauga, Ont./Mississauga, OHL), and Taylor Raddysh (Caledon, Ont./Erie, OHL).

CHL players invited to Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp:

Goaltenders:

Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)

Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)

Samuel Harvey (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)

Defencemen:

Jake Bean (Calgary Hitmen)

Dennis Cholowski (Prince George Cougars)

Kale Clague (Brandon Wheat Kings)

Cal Foote (Kelowna Rockets)

Josh Mahura (Regina Pats)

Logan Stanley (Kitchener Rangers)

Conor Timmins (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

Forwards:

Jonathan Ang (Peterborough Petes)

Drake Batherson (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)

Maxime Comtois (Victoriaville Tigres)

Dillon Dube (Kelowna Rockets)

Alex Formenton (London Knights)

Jonah Gadjovich (Owen Sound Attack)

Cody Glass (Portland Winterhawks)

Brett Howden (Moose Jaw Warriors)

Tanner Kaspick (Brandon Wheat Kings)

Boris Katchouk (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)

Kole Lind (Kelowna Rockets)

Michael McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads)

Taylor Raddysh (Erie Otters)

Sam Steel (Regina Pats)

Tyler Steenbergen (Swift Current Broncos)

Nick Suzuki (Owen Sound Attack)

Robert Thomas (London Knights)

“Hockey at all levels across the country continues to produce talented and elite-level hockey players that makes our evaluation and selection process a difficult one,” said Shawn Bullock, Hockey Canada’s senior manager of hockey operations and men’s national teams. “With a talent pool as deep as we have in this country, we believe the 22 players eventually selected from camp will give us the best chance at bringing home a gold medal. We couldn’t be more excited for our staff and players to get together in St. Catharines and begin the journey.”

Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp will be held at the Meridian Centre, the home of the Ontario Hockey League’s Niagara Ice Dogs, and feature a trio of games – two against a U SPORTS team on Dec. 13 and 14, and a game against Denmark on Dec. 15.

Following the four-day camp, Canada will pare down its roster to the final group of 22 players that will proudly wear the Canadian jersey in Buffalo, Dec. 26-Jan. 5, as they seek to win the nation’s 16th World Juniors gold medal.

Pre-tournament game

Prior to the official puck drop on this year’s tournament, Canada will make its final preparations with a pair of pre-tournament games. On Dec. 20, Canada will face the Czech Republic in London, Ont., where a select number of tickets are available online, by phone at 1.866.455.2849, or in-person at the box office at Budweiser Gardens. On Dec. 22, the match-up features Canada taking on Switzerland at FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton with tickets available for purchase at Ticketmaster.ca, by phone at 905.529.8500 and at the Dan Lawrie Insurance Box Office.

Canada’s quest for gold officially begins on Boxing Day against Finland at 4 p.m. ET. Canada will face its U.S. rivals when they take to the outdoors on Dec. 29 at the home of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, New Era Field in Orchard Park, N.Y., at 3 p.m. ET. 

TSN and RDS, the official broadcasters of Hockey Canada, will once again provide wall-to-wall game coverage and analysis throughout the tournament, including Canada’s two pre-tournament games; check local listings for details.