Photo credit: Robert Lefebvre, icelevel.com
CORNWALL, Ont. – Ryan O’Hara (Oakville Blades, OJHL) continued to shine as his overtime goal gave Team Red a 3-2 decision over Team White Thursday afternoon in Day 2 play at the Canada East Selection Camp at Benson Centre.
The victory gave Team Red their third straight narrow triumph at the event after earlier one-goal wins by counts of 3-2 and 4-3, in a shootout.
Special teams helped Red strike first in this one as Etienne Caron (Braves de Valleyfield, LHJAAAQ) connected 5:48 in.
Team White answered with two tallies later in the first of two 30-minute sessions to first tie it, then go in front.
Giordano Biondi (Rayside-Balfour Canadians, NOJHL) drew his side level before teammate Kobe Seguin (Soo Thunderbirds, NOJHL) made it 2-1 White at 18:52.
Answering back 4:49 into the second stanza, Red battled back to force extra time on Finn Brown’s (St. Michael’s Buzzers, OJHL) equalizer.
Then coming off a two-goal, one-assist effort along with the deciding marker in the shootout earlier in the day, O’Hara buried the game-winner in OT to help Team Red continue their winning ways.
Devon Levi (Carleton Place Canadians, CCHL) was spotless, handling all 20 shots he faced, to record the win while starter Tristan Gray (Campbellton Tigers, MHL) stopped 13 of 15 in 30 minutes of work.
Sebastian Lebora (St. Michael’s Buzzers, OJHL) started for Team White and made 15 saves on 16 attempts with Cyrus Martin (Rockland Nationals, CCHL) suffering the narrow defeat as he gave up two against while facing 19 shots.
The camp, featuring 44 prospects from the five eastern-based leagues within the Canadian Junior Hockey League, is 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.
A total of 44 players are attending the three-day event, which wraps up Friday at 9 a.m. with the fourth and final inter-squad contest.
Canada East Selection Camp
Inter–squad game schedule
Wednesday, Aug. 7
Red 3 White 2
Thursday, Aug. 8
Red 4 White 3 (SO)
Red 3 White 2 (OT)
Friday, Aug. 9
White vs. Red 9 a.m.