McKenna has six points as Canada thumps Kazakhstan at U18s
VANTAA, Finland
Gavin McKenna had two goals and four assists, team captain Porter Martone had a goal and four assists and Canada ended group-stage play with an 11-3 rout of Kazakhstan on Tuesday at the world men’s under-18 hockey championship.
Canada finished as the top team in Group B, winning its four groupstage games by a combined score of 31-7.
McKenna, who now leads the team in scoring and sits second in the tournament, has 14 points through four games, just one shy of the all-time Team Canada record. There are still three possible games to go.
The 16-year-old Medicine Hat Tiger has found instant chemistry playing alongside Martone, with the pair combing for 11 points Tuesday.
“I think we look for each other when our line gets called,” McKenna said. “We find ways to get open and Porter is an unbelievable player. There’s a reason he was chosen to wear the ‘C’, he’s a great team guy and I love playing with him.
“I wish I could play with him more after this tournament; sadly I can’t, but maybe in the future though.”
Martone plays with the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League, so the pair might just have to wait until a U20 camp invite to do so, but the still have a medal round to worry about.
The Canadians will play Latvia, the fourthplace team in Group A, in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
“It’s going to be the biggest game of our tournament so far,” McKenna said. “We’re just going to come out strong, make sure we’re ready, hydrated and getting the rest we need. There are no days off and no easy games, and we know it will be a battle against them. We’ll be ready to give it our all.”
Liam Greentree, Tij Iginla, Maxim Masse, Cole Beaudoin, Henry Mews, Caleb Desnoyers, Frankie Marrelli and Harrison Brunicke scored for Canada in Tuesday’s drubbing of Kazakhstan.
Assanali Sarkenov had all three goals for the losing squad, which finished fifth in Group B and missed the playoffs with one point from an overtime loss over four games.
Carter George made 13 saves to earn the win for Canada, which outshot Kazakhstan 66-16.
Kazakhstan starter Tanirkhan Alpysbayev made 26 saves on 33 shots before being pulled midway through the second period.
Danil Lytkin stopped 29 of 33 shots in relief.
The 16-year-old McKenna, who won’t be eligible for the NHL draft until 2026, finished group-stage play second in scoring with 14 points (six goals, eight assists), two points behind leader James Hagens of the United States.
Martone was third with 13 points (four goals, nine assists).
The U.S. faces Switzerland, Finland meets Sweden and Czechia takes on Slovakia in the other quarterfinals.
-- with files from the Medicine Hat News