SOCHI, Russia – The Ottawa Capitals, representing the Canadian Junior Hockey League, Central Canada Hockey League and Hockey Canada, picked up a pair of goals from Konnor MacCormick (Cornwall Colts) while Darcy Walsh (Ottawa Jr. A Senators) doled out three assists to help lead their team to a 7-2 victory vs. Kunlun Red Star Heilongjiang of China Thursday in the final day of round robin action at the Junior Club Sirius World Cup in Sochi, Russia.
With the triumph, the Canadian contingent earns themselves a berth to the semifinals in the eight-team event where they will meet a yet to be determined opponent Saturday at 8 a.m. ET.
The Capitals were quick to open the day’s scoring as MacCormick banked an attempt off a Kunlun defender and in eluding Red Star starting netminder Kevin Qaio 2:13 into the contest.
They added another five and a half minutes in with Ryland Mosley (Carleton Place Canadians) feeding Ashton Fry (Kemptville 73’s) in the slot who quickly blasted one high on Qaio to make it 2-0 early.
Battling back, Kunlun got themselves on the board in the latter stages of the stanza with Jing Wang firing a low shot towards the net from the left boards that found its way underneath Ottawa starter Gabriel Carriere (Kanta Lasers) to pull them to within one after one period of play.
Shorthanded early in the middle stanza, the Capitals’ Justin McRae (Cornwall Colts) swiped a clearing attempt by the Kunlun netminder from behind the net and was left with a backhander into the open side to make it 3:1 at 4:22.
Later in the second period, Red Star Heilongjiang, coached by former NHLer Steve Kasper, forced a turnover in their opponents’ zone, just inside the blueline, that allowed Denis Kazakov to dart in alone on Carriere where the forward made no mistake as he lifted his chance high left side from close range.
However, Ottawa came right back moments later to restore their two-tally cushion with Brendan Browne (Pembroke Lumber Kings) setting up Mosley in close who made a quick deke to his right and slid the puck into the back of the net.
Heading into the final frame, the CCHLers extended the lead quickly as Zachary Tupker (Carleton Place Canadians) banged in a rebound from close range with twin brother Benjamin Tupker (Carleton Place Canadians) close by.
They then capped off the win with quick markers from MacCormick and Peyton Francis (Carleton Place Canadians) to wrap things up offensively for the Capitals.
Photo credit: JCWC Images