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THE 2007 CANADA RUSSIA CHALLENGE
Before the start of the 2007 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge, the Russians promised to bring their most competitive team to the series to date. They weren’t kidding. The Russians exploded for three third period goals to give them a 6-4 win over Team QMJHL in the opening game of the series at Centre Georges Vezina in Chicoutimi. The QMJHL responded with shootout goals by Brad Marchand of the Val-d’Or Foreurs and Kevin Veilleux of the Victoriaville Tigres to settle Game 2 in Gatineau. The ADT Canada-Russia Challenge then moved to Ontario for a pair of games against Team OHL in Kitchener and Sudbury. Dale Mitchell and Nick Spaling of the hometown Rangers scored third period goals 27 seconds apart to pace the OHL to a 5-3 come from behind win in the first game and then Shawn Matthias of the Belleville Bulls scored a goal and an assist to lead his squad to a 4-2 win in Sudbury. The Russians stormed back with a 5-1 win over the Western Hockey League team in Cranbrook, B.C. before Ryan White of the Calgary Hitmen scored the winning goal and added an assist in the WHL’s 4-1 win in the series finale in Medicine Hat, AB. The CHL finished the series with a 4-2 record and 21 of the CHL players that participated in the series went on to help Canada win its fourth straight gold medal two months later at the World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic. WHL wraps up ADT Challenge with a win2007 Nov-30By: Aaron Bell Ryan White of the Calgary Hitmen scored the winning goal and added an assist on an insurance marker to pace the Western Hockey league to a 4-1 win over the Russian selects in the final game of the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge on Thursday in Medicine Hat, Alberta.
Russians romp to ADT Challenge win2007 Nov-29By: Aaron Bell Vadim Golubtsov scored two goals, including a powerplay marker in the third period to lead the Russian Selects to a 5-1 win over the Western Hockey league in Game 5 of the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge in Cranbrook, B.C. on Wednesday.
Dmitry Sayustov opened the scoring midway through the first period with Golubtsov and Alexander Polukhin also counting before the first period was over.
Luke Schenn of the Kelowna Rockets scored a powerplay goal late in the second period for the WHL before Golubtsov and Anton Korolev counted in the third to ice their first win in nine tries against the WHL over the five-year history of the tournament.
Vitali Karamnov of the Everett Silvertips joined the Russian squad for the WHL games and picked up an assist on Wednesday.
Russian goaltender Stanislav Galimov was outstanding in the game, turning aside 28 saves for the win.
“He played a good game,” Schenn said. “We threw a lot of pucks at him. We got off to a bit of a slow start and maybe got behind the eight ball but we kept getting on him and kept on firing pucks, unfortunately we couldn’t get any more by him.”
Tyson Sexsmith of the Vancouver Giants made 18 saves in the WHL net.
The Russians have obviously sent their best team ever for this event and improved to 2-2-0-1 while the WHL dropped to 0-1-0-0. The series concludes on Thursday in Medicine Hat, Alberta (11:30 p.m. Eastern on Rogers Sportsnet).
The WHL are hoping to get an emotional lift from what is expected to be a rambunctious crowd in Medicine Hat.
“They’re probably the loudest crowd in the Western Hockey league,” Schenn said. “It will be exciting for the guys to play there and hopefully it gives the boys an extra boost.” OHL claims second Canada-Russia win2007 Nov-27By: Aaron Bell Sudbury, ON - Shawn Matthias of the Belleville Bulls scored a goal and an assist to lead the Ontario Hockey League to a 4-2 win over Russia in Game 4 of the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge on Monday. OHL stars rally for ADT Challenge win2007 Nov-22By: Aaron Bell Dale Mitchell of the Oshawa Generals and Nick Spaling of the Kitchener Rangers scored third period goals 27 seconds apart to lift the Ontario Hockey League to a 5-3 come-from-behind win over Russia in Game 3 of the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge in Kitchener, Ontario on Thursday. Quebec evens ADT Challenge with shootout win2007 Nov-21By: Aaron Bell After dropping the opening game if the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge on Monday, Brad Marchand was determined not to let it happen again. WHL Announces Honourary Captains for ADT Canada Russia Challenge2007 Nov-21By: Aaron Bell Calgary , AB – The Western Hockey League today announced the Honourary Captains for Team WHL in the upcoming ADT Canada-Russia Challenge.
Former Kootenay Ice goaltender Dan Blackburn will serve as the Honourary Captain for the game held in Cranbrook, B.C. (Kootenay) on November 28 while Medicine Hat Tiger Alumnus Kelly Hrudey will in act in the same capacity for the game in Medicine Hat on November 29.
Blackburn played two seasons with the Kootenay Ice (1999-2001), posting an overall record of 67-22-9 and goals against average of 2.64. He led the Ice to a WHL Championship during his rookie tenure in 2000 and was named CHL and WHL Goaltender of the Year in 2001.
In June 2001 Blackburn was selected in the 1 st round – 10 th overall by the New York Rangers at the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. He went on to start 31 games, as an 18 year old, for the ‘blueshirts’ in his rookie NHL season and for his efforts was named to the 2002 NHL All Rookie Team. Blackburn started 32 games in his second year with the Rangers, before sustaining a nerve injury in his shoulder during the Rangers 2003 Training Camp which caused him to sit out the entire 2003-04 NHL season and eventually led to his retirement from the game in 2005.
Blackburn now lives in Dallas, Texas working in hockey as manager of business development for the Goaltender Development Institute (GDIhockey.com).
Kelly Hrudey played three seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers (1978-1981), posting an overall record of 69-76-12 and goals against average of 4.77 while playing over 9000 minutes. He went on to be drafted by the New York Islanders in the 2 nd round – 38 th overall at the 1980 NHL Entry Draft.
Hrudey went onto an illustrious 15 year career as an NHL goaltender with the New York Islanders, LA Kings, and San Jose Sharks. He compiled a record of 271-265-88 with a goals against average of 3.43, with 16 shutouts. He helped lead the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals where they were eventually defeated by the Montreal Canadians.
In July of 1998, Hrudey retired from the NHL and joined the cast of CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada as a full-time analyst.
Team WHL Roster Changes for ADT Canada Russia Challenge
The WHL also announced two roster changes for the ADT Canada Russia Challenge Series games in Cranbrook and Medicine Hat. Kootenay Ice forward Dustin Sylvester will replace injured teammate Ben Maxwell in the Team WHL line up for the game in Cranbrook on Wednesday, November 28 th. Meanwhile, due to the re-scheduling of the Vancouver Giants and Prince George Cougars game on Thursday, November 29 th, Saskatoon Blades Braden Holtby will replace the Giants’ Tyson Sexsmith as the back-up goaltender in the game Thursday, November 29 th in Medicine Hat. In addition, Swift Current Broncos General Manager and Head Coach Dean Chynoweth will replace Don Hay as an Assistant Coach for the game in Medicine Hat.
The second game of the ADT Canada Russia Challenge Series will be held tonight in Gatineau, QC as the Quebec Major Junior League tries to tie the series with the Russian National Junior Team. The series will then shift to the Ontario Hockey League with games between Team OHL and the Russians Thursday, November 22 nd in Kitchener and Monday, November 26 th in Sudbury. The ADT Canada Russia Series then moves west as Team WHL plays host to the Russians Wednesday, November 28 th in Cranbrook, B.C. and Thursday, November 29 th in Medicine Hat, AB.
Game tickets are available at the Kootenay Ice Office (250) 417-0322 and at the Medicine Hat Tigers Box Office ( 403) 527-8406 . |
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THE 2007 CANADA RUSSIA CHALLENGE
Before the start of the 2007 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge, the Russians promised to bring their most competitive team to the series to date. They weren’t kidding. The Russians exploded for three third period goals to give them a 6-4 win over Team QMJHL in the opening game of the series at Centre Georges Vezina in Chicoutimi. The QMJHL responded with shootout goals by Brad Marchand of the Val-d’Or Foreurs and Kevin Veilleux of the Victoriaville Tigres to settle Game 2 in Gatineau. The ADT Canada-Russia Challenge then moved to Ontario for a pair of games against Team OHL in Kitchener and Sudbury. Dale Mitchell and Nick Spaling of the hometown Rangers scored third period goals 27 seconds apart to pace the OHL to a 5-3 come from behind win in the first game and then Shawn Matthias of the Belleville Bulls scored a goal and an assist to lead his squad to a 4-2 win in Sudbury. The Russians stormed back with a 5-1 win over the Western Hockey League team in Cranbrook, B.C. before Ryan White of the Calgary Hitmen scored the winning goal and added an assist in the WHL’s 4-1 win in the series finale in Medicine Hat, AB. The CHL finished the series with a 4-2 record and 21 of the CHL players that participated in the series went on to help Canada win its fourth straight gold medal two months later at the World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic. |
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Alexander Vasyunov brought the Russians to within one goal when he scored late in the second period but Nick Spaling of the Kitchener Rangers iced the game with a marker late in the third period.
"A lot of these kids played a lot of hockey over the past four days and I thought they showed a lot of character," said OHL coach Craig Hartsburg of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, who will guide Team Canada for the second straight year at the World Junior Championships at Christmas. "It was a good solid effort. The Ontario kids did really great and we were really proud of them."
Anton Korolev had a goal and an assist while Marat Fakhrutdinov and Mikail Milekhin also scored for Russia, who dropped to 1-1-0-1 in the challenge after splitting their first two games against the QMJHL earlier this week.