SOCHI, Russia – Ottawa Capitals goaltender Gabriel Carriere (Kanata Lasers) was unbeatable in overtime and the shootout while Ashton Fry (Kemptville 73’s) and Ryland Mosley (Carleton Place Canadians) both connected in extra shots to help lead their club to a narrow 2-1 triumph over Red Bull Salzburg of Austria Sunday in the bronze medal game of the Junior Club Sirius World Cup in Sochi, Russia.
Both teams came out skating in the opening minutes of the contest that saw end-to-end rushes in either direction.
However, the first frame would finish scoreless thanks to the efforts of netminders Carriere and Salzburg starter Leevi Laakso.
Moving on to the second stanza, the tight-checking affair remained without a goal through 40 minutes as each team could not break through offensively thanks in part to quality netminding, when called upon, along with solid defensive play supplied by both sides.
The battle of attrition would eventually see a goal scored in the third as Salzburg’s Oliver Nordberg skated out of the corner towards the slot where he wired one high, blocker side, on Carriere at 5:40.
Battling back a few minutes later, the Canadian contingent drew level when Liam Markhauser (Kanata Lasers) fired the puck from the right point towards the net where it was tipped by Brendan Browne (Pembroke Lumber Kings) and eventually found its way to a waiting Benjamin Tupker (Carleton Place Canadians) at the side of the net as he stuffed in the equalizer.
Heading to overtime, the Austrian side had the better of the chances in the 10-minute session, but Carriere stood tall between the pipes.
After that 10-minute period solved nothing, it would take a shootout to determine a winner.
There Carriere was flawless while Fry went top right hand corner with his attempt while Mosley ended it by snapping one left side on Laakso to give the Capitals, representing the Canadian Junior Hockey League, Central Canada Hockey League and Hockey Canada, the bronze.
Photo credit: JCWC Images