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U.S. Junior Select Team Tops Canada East, 6-0, in Pre-Tournament Contest

By USA Hockey, 12/06/19, 12:45AM EST

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Team USA opens World Junior A Challenge Saturday against Canada West

Chetwynd, British Columbia – Led by a pair of multi-point efforts from Brendan Brisson (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and Ryder Rolston (Birmingham, Mich.), the U.S. Junior Select Team defeated Canada East, 6-0, in a pre-tournament tune up ahead of the World Junior A Challenge Thursday night at Chetwynd Rec Centre.

The U.S. opens 2019 World Junior A Challenge play Saturday against Canada West. Puck drop is slated for a 9 p.m. ET start and the game can be streamed live here.

“I think the first period was eye-opening, just seeing how high the level of competition is,” said head coach Anthony Noreen. “We played our best period of the night in the third, which was encouraging and was what we wanted to see. Really the key was a bunch of guys coming from being the best players on their teams and having to accept new rules and challenges and I think they did a good job with that.”

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After a quiet first period, the U.S. took a 1-0 lead two minutes into the middle frame when Brisson slotted a feed from Michael Koster (Chaska, Minn.) and Rolston past Canada East goaltender Devon Levi on a Team USA power play.

Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (East Greenwich, R.I.) doubled Team USA’s lead with 1:52 remaining in the second period, netting a pass from Brisson past Owen Say, who replaced Levi in net for Canada East.

Grant Silianoff (Edina, Minn.) scored an unassisted goal on the power play to extend the U.S. lead to 3-0 at the 5:05 minute mark of the final period. Just over five minutes later, at the 10:08 mark, Connor Caponi (Brookfield, Wis.) fired home a feed from Alex Laferriere (Chatham, N.J.) to put the U.S. up by four.

Team USA added two more goals off the sticks of Rolston and Kuntar in the final moments of the third period to secure a 6-0 victory over Canada East.

Ethan Haider (Maple Grove, Minn.) and Logan Stein (Suwanee, Ga.) each saw time in goal for the U.S., combining for 24 saves in the victory.

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NOTES: The U.S. outshot Canada East 26-24, capitalizing on 6 shots on goal … Brisson and Rolston led all U.S. skaters with two points each (1-1-2) … For full game stats, click here … Follow Team USA throughout the 2019 World Junior A Challenge here.  


U.S. Schedule

Date Opponent/Round Result Location Broadcast/Streaming U.S. Player of the Game
Thur., Dec. 5 Canada East
Pre-Tournament
W, 6-0
Chetwynd Rec Centre
Chetwynd, B.C.
Live Stream
Sat., Dec. 7 Canada West
Preliminary
W, 3-2
Encana Events Centre
Dawson Creek, B.C.
Live Stream
Brendan Brisson
Mon., Dec. 9 Czech Republic
Preliminary
OTW, 5-4
Encana Events Centre
Dawson Creek, B.C.
Live Stream
Gunnarwolfe Fontaine
Wed., Dec. 11 Canada East
Preliminary
W, 7-3 North Peace Arena
Fort St. John, B.C.
No Stream Brendan Brisson
Fri., Dec. 13 Russia
Preliminary
W, 7-2 Encana Events Centre
Dawson Creek, B.C.
Live Stream
Josh Lopina
Sat., Dec. 14 Canada East
Semifinals
SOL, 1-2
Encana Events Centre
Dawson Creek, B.C.
Live Stream
Logan Stein
Sun., Dec. 15 Czech Republic
Third-Place Game
OTW, 2-1
Encana Events Centre
Dawson Creek, B.C.
TSN Ethan Haider

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