OHL rallies for win over Russia

NEWS RELEASE

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE

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OHL stars rally for ADT Challenge win

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.

Wayne Simmonds of the Owen Sound Attack, Josh Bailey of the Windsor Spitfires and Cory Emmerton of the Kingston Frontenacs also scored for the OHL while league scoring leader John Tavares of the Oshawa Generals was the OHL’s player of the game after chipping in three assists in the win.

“It was definitely a team effort,” said Tavares, the OHL and CHL player of the year last season. “It seemed like every line chipped in and did their part. We had a bit of a slow start, we were a little nervous, but we got rolling and had a great third period.”

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.

The Russians opened the scoring early in the first period when Fakhrutdinov picked up a loose pick in the slot and slid it through the legs of London Knights’ goaltender Steve Mason. Korolev chipped in a powerplay marker to give the Russians a two-goal lead before the midway point of the opening period.

“They were definitely a little better than last year in this challenge,” Tavares said. “I think we were definitely a little surprised. They played hard all night and they got some good goaltending but we came back and we were able to get the win.”

Simmonds, on a powerplay, and Bailey replied for the OHL to tie the game before the first period was over.

Milekhin restored the Russian lead with a powerplay marker early in the second period before Emmerton countered with the Russians down two men late in the middle frame to tie the game at three.

Mitchell scored the game-winner approaching the midway point of the third period when he grabbed a loose puck in front of the net and wired a wrist shot over Russian goaltender Stanislav Galimov’s shoulder. Spaling converted a two-on-one with Tavares eluding a poke-check before backhanding the puck into an open net to give the OHL a two-goal advantage.

Mason made 15 saves in the win, including a point-blank save on Vadim Golubtsov to preserve the two-goal lead late in the third period. Galimov was his team’s star of the game turning aside 42 shots, including 16 of 17 in the second period to keep the game tied.

The series continues on Monday in Sudbury (7:00 p.m. Eastern on Rogers Sportsnet) with top rated NHL draft prospect Steven Stamkos of the Sarnia Sting in the lineup for Team OHL. The series concludes with games in Cranbrook, B.C. on November 28 and Medicine Hat, Alberta on November 29. All games will be shown nationally on Rogers Sportsnet.

Game Summary

OHL 5, Russian Selects 3

First period 1. Russia – Fakhrutdinov (Polukhin) 1:26 2. Russia – Korolev (Gordeev, Kalimulin) 8:23 PP 3. OHL – Simmonds (Couture, Del Zotto) 14:03 PP 4. OHL – Bailey (Tavares, MacLean) 17:19 Penalties: OHL – Azevedo (elbowing) 8:15; Russia – Fakhrutdinov (hooking) 12:32; OHL – Simmonds (tripping) 17:44

Second Period 5. Russia – Milekhin (Korolev, Seleznev) 7:30 PP 6. OHL – OHL – Emmerton (Tavares, Legein) 18:03 PP Penalties: OHL – Doughty (hooking) 1:24; Russia – Kalimulin (interference) 2:41; OHL – Corrente (high sticking) 5:54; OHL – Cuma (roughing) 7:14; Russia – Golubtsov (roughing) 7:14; Russia – Grishin (holding) 7:43; Russia – Sayustov (slashing) 8:02; Russia – Bench minor 17:55; Russia – Grishin (roughing) 17:55; Russia – Seleznev (roughing) 18:59; OHL – Legein (roughing) 18:59

Third Period 7. OHL –Mitchell (Caputi, Corrente) 8:27 8. OHL – Spaling (Tavares, Halischuk) 8:54 Penalties: Russia – Seleznev (slashing) 11:25; Russia – Kurbatov (hooking) 14:38; Russia – Seleznev (unsportsmanlike conduct) 15:53; OHL – Del Zotto (holding) 15:53; Russia – Kolesnikov (high sticking) 17:10; Russia – Lukjanchikov (cross checking) 18:58; OHL – Simmonds (roughing) 19:58

Goaltenders (Mins / GA / Saves) OHL – Mason W (60:00 / 3 / 15) Russia – Galimov L (60:00 / 5 / 42)

Shots by Period OHL – 14 18 15 - 47 Russia – 6 5 7 - 18

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