(VICTORIA, BC) UNB Reds forward Kris Bennett scored a pair of goals to propel the U SPORTS All-Stars to a 5-1 win over Hockey Canada’s junior prospects on Friday, and take this year’s three game series two games to one.
It’s the second consecutive year that U SPORTS has won the series, having now won four of the past five head-to-head meetings with the Team Canada hopefuls.
“I am proud of our guys. They played three games in less than three days and it was gritty, you could tell our guys were grinding it out today,” said U SPORTS head coach Mark Howell, of the Calgary Dinos. “This was a really fun group. They were professional, respectful, and humble. There were no egos and they were all here for the team.”
Bennett became the first player to register a multi-goal performance in the 2018 series.
Calgary defenceman Dylan Busenius, Alberta Golden Bears blue-liner Jason Fram, and UNB’s Mark Simpson all had two assists, while Reds forward Chris Clapperton had a goal and an assist.
“Every year, we learn how to put this team together,” said Howell. “I think we selected the players that needed to be here. They all bought in and committed to what we wanted to do.”
It was a quiet first period until the final three minutes, when U SPORTS opened the scoring with a pair of late period goals.
First, it was Carson Stadnyk, from the Saskatchewan Huskies, who found himself in the right place at the right time as the puck deflected off him and into the net.
Just over two minutes later, Bennett doubled the lead with a deflection off a point shot by team captain Busenius.
After Mississauga Steelheads forward Owen Tippett put Team Canada on the board, the All-Stars took control of the game with three more goals in the middle frame.
Saskatchewan forward Colin Shirley wired a shot past Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds goaltender Matthew Villalta. That was followed minutes later by Bennett’s second goal of the game. With time winding down, Clapperton got behind the defence and scored a highlight-reel goal, cleaning up his own rebound with his back turned to the net.
Clapperton’s goal rounded out the scoring as Vancouver Canucks draft pick Michael DiPietro, dressing for U SPORTS, and Villalta closed the door in the third period. DiPietro played the entire game for U SPORTS and stopped 32 shots.
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ian Scott made 15 saves for Team Canada before Villalta came in and turned aside eight attempts.
The 2019 World Junior Hockey Championship begins on December 26th, in Vancouver and Victoria.
The Reds return to the Aitken Centre on December 29th, when they host the Lethbridge Pronghorns in the 2018 Peterbilt Atlantic Pete Kelly Cup.
The U SPORTS regular season resumes on January 2nd, with the Reds resuming their Atlantic University Sport schedule on January 4th, when they host the Saint Mary’s Huskies.
RECAP BY: U SPORTS
PHOTOS BY: Kevin Light/for U SPORTS