Monday was day one of the 2017 World Junior Championship’s being held in Toronto and Montreal, Canada. The final game of the first day featured Team Canada and Team Russia squaring off in Toronto. The game also featured Capitals prospect Ilya Samsonov starting in goal for Team Russia. 

Samsonov played fairly well considering the score. Team Russia’s defense was outmatched and outplayed for a majority of the game, as the score could have been much worse. Three of the goals allowed by Samsonov were power play goals. Team Canada outshot Team Russia 37-17.

FIRST PERIOD
Tyson Jost started the scoring for Team Canada on a rush from the bench, setup by a nice delayed pass from Philippe Myers at 3:11 of the opening frame.

Jost was trailing the play, entering the zone late as part of a line change, and the Russian defensemen were unable to pick him up until it was too late, leaving Samsonov alone to face Jost on the rush. Russia would tie the game on a snipe from Mikhail Sergachyev at 9:47 of the first period.

The period would end tied 1-1, with Team Canada leading in shots on goal 12-5 for the opening frame.

SECOND PERIOD
Dylan Strome would add a power play goal in the second period to give Team Canada a 2-1 lead at 13:15 of the middle frame.

Samsonov and the Russian defenders were caught off-guard by the quick weak-side pass, which left a shooting lane and open net for Strome.

Team Canada would stretch the lead to 3-1 on a goal by Nicolas Roy at the 17:08 mark of the middle frame. Samsonov was beaten by a low blocker-side wrister for the goal.

The period ended with Team Canada leading 3-1. Team Canada led in shots on goal 27-9 through two periods of play.

THIRD PERIOD
Team Canada would add another power play goal early in the third period to stretch their lead to 4-1 as Matt Barzal would knock one home at the 3:03 mark in the third period.

Team Russian would add a power play goal by Kirill Kaprizov at the 5:12 mark of the final frame, to close the gap to 4-2.

Team Canada would add another power play goal, this time by Dylan Strome at 9:09 of the third period, stretching Team Canada’s lead to 5-2.

Team Russia would not go away, adding another tally by Yegor Rykov at the 10:36 mark of the third period, closing the gap to 5-3. Team Canada would hold on for a 5-3 win.

By Jon Sorensen
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