Godfrey scores, assists in Canada pre-tourney win

NEWS RELEASE

HOCKEY CANADA

*********************** Matthias’ Two Goals Help Canada To Second Straight Convincing Win

PUCHOV, Slovakia – Two games, two wins. It’s a good start for Canada’s National Junior Team on the road to the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Shawn Matthias (Mississauga, ON/Belleville, OHL) scored twice and John Tavares (Oakville, ON/Oshawa, OHL) added a goal and two helpers as Canada scored a 6-1 win over the Slovakians on Thursday night in front of 1,547 fans at Zimny Stadion in Puchov in their second pre-tournament game.

Just as they had three nights earlier in their pre-tournament opener against Red Bull Salzburg, the Canadians got on the board early, as Matthias finished off a two-on-one with Steven Stamkos (Unionville, ON/Sarnia, OHL) just 70 seconds after the opening face-off.

Another Mississauga native made it 2-0 past the seven-minute mark, as Matt Halischuk (Mississauga, ON/Kitchener, OHL) was the beneficiary of a good forecheck from Brad Marchand (Hammonds Plains, NS/Halifax, QMJHL), taking a pass in front and making no mistake for a two-goal lead, which Canada took into the intermission.

Despite holding a 2-0 lead, Canada was actually outshot by the Slovakians in the opening 20 minutes, 9-8, but goaltender Jonathan Bernier (Laval, QC/Lewiston,QMJHL) kept the hosts off the scoreboard.

Tavares connected on a Canadian powerplay early in the middle frame for a 3-0 lead, taking a pass from P.K. Subban (Rexdale, ON/Belleville, ON) and snapping a shot from the face-off circle that found the five-hole on Slovakian netminder Julius Hudacek.

The hosts scored the second period’s only other goal, as a point shot from Adam Bena hit a Canadian player in front and eluded Bernier on a powerplay, pulling the Slovakians to within two at 3-1 entering the second intermission.

But the three-time defending World Junior gold medalists made sure there would be no comeback, as Matthias, Stefan Legein (Oakville, ON/Niagara, OHL) and Josh Godfrey (Kingston, ON/Sault Ste. Marie, OHL) all put pucks past Slovakian goaltender Tomas Hiadlovsky in the final 20 minutes to provide the final margin for the Canadians.

Bernier finished with 23 saves as Canada held a 38-24 advantage in shots on goal. Canadian head coach Craig Hartsburg has said Steve Mason (Oakville, ON/London, ON) will get the call between the pipes for Sunday’s pre-tournament finale against Finland in Chrudin, Czech Republic (12:00 p.m. ET).

Canada opens the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, December 26th, when they face the host Czechs in Pardubice (2:00 p.m. ET). *** GAME SUMMARY:

First Period Goals: 01:10 CAN 22 Shawn Matthias (10 Steven Stamkos) 7:07 CAN 32 Matt Halischuk (17 Brad Marchand, 4 Thomas Hickey)

Penalties 1:31 CAN 22 Shawn Matthias Hooking 3:47 CAN 15 Luke Schenn Cross Checking 7:55 CAN 7 Stefan Legein Elbowing 12:31 CAN 23 P.K. Subban Roughing 12:31 SVK 29 Július Šinkovič Roughing 14:44 SVK 12 Ivan Roháč Interference Second Period Goals: 6:39 CAN John Tavares ( P.K. Subban, 4 Thomas Hickey) PP 10:48 SVK 17 Adam Beňa (19 Dávid Skokan) PP

Penalties: 3:27 CAN 19 Kyle Turris Hooking 4:56 CAN 15 Luke Schenn 10 Minute 4:56 CAN 18 Colton Gillies Roughing 4:56 SVK 6 Tomáš Marcinko Roughin 6:14 SVK 24 Rastislav Konečný Cross Checking 8:30 CAN Kyle Turris Elbowing 9:49 CAN Too Many Men 15:13 SVK Milan Bališ Kneeing 18:24 CAN Wayne Simmonds Slashing 19:15 CAN Stefan Legein Delay Of Game Third Period Goals: 2:07 CAN 7 Stefan Legein (28 Claude Giroux) SH 4:46 CAN 20 John Tavares (2 Josh Godfrey) PP 7:22 CAN 2 Josh Godfrey (8 Drew Doughty, 20 John Tavares) PP

Penalties: 0:38 CAN Too Many Men 4:34 SVK Too Many Men 5:24 SVK 4 Michal Kozák Tripping 6:06 SVK 4 Michal Kozák Tripping 8:56 CAN 7 Stefan Legein Boarding 10:21 SVK Too Many Men 15:22 CAN 28 Claude Giroux Charging 19:14 CAN 18 Colton Gillies Charging 19:14 CAN 18 Colton Gillies 10 Minute Goaltenders CAN Jonathan Bernier

Shots on Goal CAN 8-15-15-38 SVK 9-9-6-24

Referee - Konc Daniel, Grečko Pete Linesmen - Mášik Milan, Novák Milan

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