Photo credit: Robert Lefebvre, icelevel.com
CORNWALL, Ont. – Team Red wrapped up the Canada East Selection Camp in Cornwall Friday morning with a fourth consecutive victory in the final inter-squad match-up by defeating Team White 4-1 at Benson Centre.
Down a skater early on, the Reds struck shorthanded off the stick of Ryan Alexander (St. Michael’s Buzzers, OJHL) to open the day’s scoring.
They then added one at even strength at 9:37 with Owen Cole (Ottawa Jr. A Senators, CCHL) extending the cushion.
Team White got one back six and a half minutes later on a Kyle Petton (Campbellton Tigers, MHL) marker.
However, the Red squad got that back before the opening frame was complete as Simon Labelle (Rockland Nationals, CCHL) found the back of the net.
Moving on to the final stanza, in the two-30-minute-period affair, Cole collected his second goal of the game 83 seconds into the last session to round out the scoring.
Zachary Leclerc (Forts de Chambly, LHJAAAQ) chipped in with two assists to aid the Team Red offensive cause.
Shots on goal also favoured the winners, by a 36-29 count.
Devon Levi (Carleton Place Canadians, CCHL) started for Team Red and picked up the win making 13 saves on 14 shots while teammate Tristan Gray turned aside all 15 attempts he faced in getting the nod to commence the second stanza.
Cyrus Martin (Rockland Nationals, CCHL) suffered the setback in goal for Team White allowing three against on 20 chances with Sebastian Lebora (St. Michael’s Buzzers, OJHL) finishing up with 15 stops on the 16 shots he saw fired his way.
A total of 44 players attended the three-day event, from the five eastern-based leagues within the Canadian Junior Hockey League.
The camp was part of the process to help formulate the Canada East roster that will compete in the 2019 World Junior A Challenge, December 7-15, in Dawson Creek, B.C.
Canada East Selection Camp
Inter-squad game results
Wednesday, Aug. 7
Red 3 White 2
Thursday, Aug. 8
Red 4 White 3 (SO)
Red 3 White 2 (OT)
Friday, Aug. 9
Red 4 White 1