WJC: Makar, Timmins superb in win
The Canadian Avs prospects duo helped propel Canada to a berth in the semifinals at this year’s World Juniors.The 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo continued with the quarterfinal round. While the Czechs upset their Finnish counterparts, Canada didn’t allow any surprises and dominated Switzerland in the round’s second game, with Avalanche prospects Cale Makar and Conor Timmins playing a big part in their team’s blowout win.
Canada – Switzerland 8:2 (3:0, 3:1, 2:1)
1. Howden (Comtois, Makar), 9. Makar (Timmins, Comtois), 13. Batherson (Katchouk, Thomas), 27. Batherson, 28. Kyrou (Steel), 33. Timmins (Stennbergen), 52. Dube (Kyrou, Raddysh), 60. Comtois (Howden) – 29. Rohrbach, 51. Simic (Maillard)
The Canadians came flying right out of the gates, opening the score mere 48 seconds into the game, after Cale Makar’s breakout pass found Comtois, whose cross-ice tape-to-tape pass found Brett Howden to make it 1-0. Makar doubled Canada’s lead with a goal of his own after a blueline pass from fellow Avs prospect Conor Timmins. The Canadians made it a three-goal game before the end of the opening period. Their dominance continued in the second frame, with Drake Batherson and Jordan Kyrou scoring less than a minute apart to give goalie Philip Wuthrich the hook. Switzerland’s Dario Rohrbach finally got his team on the board, after his deflection hit the skate of Dante Fabbro and beat a surprised Carter Hart. Canada answered less than minutes later, with Timmins scoring his first international goal after skating into the slot. The Swiss struck first in the third period, as Axel Simic beat Hart on a shorthanded breakaway. Canada proceeded to put two more pucks past Matteo Ritz to seal the game and securing a berth in the semifinals.
With Montreal Canadiens defenseman Victor Mete out of the lineup, Cale Makar saw a significant increase in ice-time, finishing the game with a TOI of 18:14 and playing the bulk of his shifts with Conor Timmins, who had a TOI of 21:50, the second-highest ice-time behind fellow blue-liner Kale Clague. Both Avs prospects were terrific in the win, recording a goal and an assist, as well as four shots on goal each. Makar finished the game +4, while Timmins finished the night +6. Canada will face the Czech Republic in the semifinals tomorrow.
WJC: Makar scores yet again
Michal Hezely, Slovakia, hezely@eurolanche.com
03/01/2018 - 07:00
