Russia earns split with Team WHL

Late power-play goal lifts Russians to 3-1 win

LANGLEY — Stepan Starkov scored the go-ahead goal at 18:18 of the third period while on the power play as Russia downed Team WHL 3-1 on Tuesday night in the Canada-Russia Series.

Bulat Shafigullin scored late in the first for the Russians, and Ivan Muranov added an empty-netter less than a minute after Starkov’s winner. Pyotr Kochetkov made 33 saves for the victory.

Ty Smith found the back of the net for the Western Hockey League squad to open the scoring in the first period. David Tendeck stopped 25-of-27 shots in a losing cause.

Team WHL downed Russia in the series opener on Monday 2-1 in Kamloops, with Jordy Bellerive and Dylan Cozens supplying the offence and Ian Scott backstopping that win with 27 saves.

The Canada-Russia Series started in 2003 and consists of six games against the Russian junior national team. Each of the three leagues making up the Canadian Hockey League — the WHL, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League — play Russia twice.

The series now shifts to Ontario for two games on Thursday and next Monday. The series wraps up with two games against the QMJHL on Nov. 13 and Nov. 15.

CHL teams have played to an overall record of 62-23-7, with the WHL’s record falling to 21-8-3 after splitting this year’s two-game set.

Canada White finishes round robin undefeated at World U17 Challenge

SAINT JOHN, N.B. — Connor McClennon had a pair of goals as Canada White downed the Czech Republic 5-1 on Tuesday to finish undefeated in the preliminary round of the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Tristan Lennox made 24 saves for the win, while Dylan Robinson, Charlie DesRoches and Jeremy Poirier rounded out the Canada White offence with a goal apiece.

Jan Cikhart broke Lennox’s shutout bid late in the third with a power-play goal for the Czechs. Jan Bednar gave up four goals on 10 shots for the loss.

Canada White won all three of its round-robin games and will play Finland in Thursday’s quarterfinals.