Lightning prospects shine for Canada in quarterfinal win at World Juniors

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
January 2, 2017

Cause for concern regarding Canada chimed through Bell Centre on Monday.

The quarterfinal matchup against Czech Republic pitted the Canadians in an elimination game on home ice. And when the home team headed to the locker room trailing by a goal, the boo birds rained down as Canada exited the ice.

That’s when a pair of Lightning prospects rose to the occasion.

Mitchell Stephens, who missed the previous two games with an ankle injury, returned to the lineup and put on a show in the second period while working on a line with fellow Lightning prospect Anthony Cirelli. In a span of 13 minutes, the line accounted for three to wipe out that first period deficit and help lead Canada to a 5-3 victory.

Goaltender Connor Ingram got the call and picked up the victory, making 16 saves to help guarantee Canada will play for a medal, advancing to the semifinal against Sweden on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The U.S. will face Russia in the other semifinal at 3 p.m., also on Wednesday. Both games will be held at Bell Centre in Montreal.

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After falling behind in the first period on a fluky goal – a point shot deflected off a Canadian player and the puck was heading wide until it hit an official off to the side, falling right on to the stick of David Kase at 16:49 of the opening period.

But Canada came out surging to start the second period and just 3:45 in after Mathieu Joseph – another Lightning prospect – stole a puck up high in the zone to find Stephens along the wall who fed a prefect pass ti birthday boy Blake Speers in front of the net for the tying goal. Less than four minutes later, Cirelli won a faceoff clean back to Stephens, who quickly fired a puck past Czech goaltender Jakub Skarek

The Czech Republic would tie the game, getting a 2-on-1 chance for their first shot on goal of the period, at 8:53.

But Cirelli and Stephens went back to work, picking up assists on the go-ahead goal by Thomas Chabot 4:39 later to put Canada in front for good.

Stephens finished the game with a goal and two assists while Cirrelli picked up two assists and won key faceoffs down the stretch as the Canadians protected the lead. Joseph picked up the one assist while Taylor Raddysh, who scored four goals against Latvia in the preliminary round, was held without a shot on goal in 15:18 of ice time.

After the game, Canada head coach was non-committal about starting Ingram for the semifinal game against Sweden.

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