JUNIORS GUNNING TO MAKE TEAM
Players having an impact at junior camp
With this year’s world junior tournament reaping the benefits from the National Hockey League work-stoppage, it was clear Hockey Canada has plenty of talented players at their disposal.
Just ask any of the puck-starved, standing-room only crowd at WinSport’s facilities, catching Tuesday’s Red/White intra-squad game — they saw it too.
“It’s pretty attractive, isn’t it?” head coach Steve Spott was saying about their potential lineup. “There’s obviously a lot of skill out there, my lord ... we do have players that are going to have to play grittier and play tougher. But these Red/ White games are tough.
“They’ve all played together in the program of excellence. It’ll be nice (Wednesday) to have a different level of competition and allow the players that play a grittier style to play their game.”
Still, Tuesday’s 3-1 tightchecking win for Team Red — with all of the game’s goals scored in the last six minutes of action — left the brass with many tough decisions to make.
Chicago Blackhawks draft pick Phillip Danault finally broke the deadlock with 5:40 remaining in the third period, scoring from in the slot for Team Red. But Calgary kid Hunter Shinkaruk quickly got Team White back in it, showing some finish on Red goalie Laurent Brossoit with their side’s only goal.
“I thought I did my best,” said Shinkaruk, who was used sparingly but made the most of his icetime. “I didn’t do too much in the first two periods ... but I thought I picked up my game in the third.”
Team Red pulled ahead shortly after off a point shot from Frank Corrado that sailed by White goalie Malcolm Subban.
But, in this game, it wasn’t about the final score — it was more about who impressed and who didn’t.
Mathew Dumba, a late cut from last year’s camp, definitely turned heads. The Minnesota Wild draft pick looked composed and skated the puck out of trouble when he needed to.
“I was comfortable and as the game went on, I got more comfortable,” said the Red Deer Rebels defenceman. “Everything was happening fast. I feel like I played a solid game, well-rounded, advanced pucks up the ice well and made good passes.
“For sure I want to stand out and have my physical presence shown.”
Near the end of the opening period, Red Team defenceman Griffin Reinhart broke a stick trying to take a slap shot and turned over the puck. However, Dumba saved the day for the Reds and calmly dished the puck out of his zone.
He unleashed his powerful shot in the second period — unfortunately Boone Jenner got in the way — and, when he absorbed a hellacious hit from big white forward Brett Ritchie, he shook it off and jumped right back in the play.
Speaking of Ritchie, a sixfoot-four, 218-pounder from the Niagara Ice Dogs, he dominated and was the lone player to score in the first-period shootout — a hard wrister that beat Red goalie Jordan Binnington.
For many, it was about displaying a physical element — but keeping it in check, and not going all- “Brett Connolly” on anyone like last year’s world junior selection intra-squad game. (The Tampa Bay forward, on loan from the NHL, had nailed Moose Jaw Warriors forward Quinton Howden with a questionable hit during the 2012 camp, knocking him out with a concussion).
But what about Ryan Nugent-Hopkins? The lockedout NHLer was busy trying to find chemistry with leftwinger Huberdeau and centre-converted-right winger Mark Scheifele.
“Huberdeau, me, and Scheifele can all play low because we’ve all played centre before,” said Nugent-Hopkins. “A situation like that is not a huge deal.
“We only had a few opportunities tonight, but when we did, we were working the puck really well.”
Coaches shook up that line quickly, however, putting Huberdeau with Halifax Mooseheads superstar Nathan MacKinnon and undrafted 19-year-old JC Lipon of the Kamloops Blazers, and moved up the sublimely skilled Jonathan Drouin.
Nugent-Hopkins, technically playing on enemy territory as a member of the Edmonton Oilers in Calgary, was booed as he attempted a shootout (and missed). He also sealed the deal for Team Red — an empty-netter with 12.9 seconds remaining.
Meanwhile, as expected, the play of 17-year-olds MacKinnon and Drouin was out of this world. Moose Jaw Warriors smooth-skating defenceman Morgan Rielly was superb.
It also should be noted that Airdrie native Ty Rattie, Plymouth Whalers forward Tom Wilson, and Sault Ste. Marie’s Ryan Sproul had a lot of decent chances, but couldn’t connect. The returning six veterans including Jenner, Hamilton, and defenceman Scott Harrington, were also excellent.
Yes, Hockey Canada brass were definitely preparing for a sleepless night on Tuesday.
“The coffee’s on,” said Spott, who’ll evaluate his team again today against a collection of CIS players (1:30 p.m.; WinSport). “You saw the parity on that ice. It’s going to be tough.
“It’s easy, obviously, to pick the front-end players, the veteran guys. Now, the challenge is going to be to pick the depth in our lineup.” ICE CHIPS ... Flames forward Mike Cammalleri and Washington defenceman Karl Alzner were guest coaching on Tuesday.