Matt Caria scored a pair of goals and Brandon MacLean scored three times and added an assist, leading Canada to a 9-0 rout over Slovenia Thursday to open the World University Games in Erzurum, Turkey.
Caria, a second-year forward with the Lakehead Thunderwolves, netted Canada’s second goal on the power play, beating Slovenian goalie Jurie Verlic.
He replied again in the third, putting the Canadian squad up 8-0 with seven minutes to play.
Jean-Michel Rizk, Kyle Sonnenburg, Chris Ray and Keaton Turkiewicz also scored for Canada.
“It was nice to get out there and play the first game. It’s been a long time coming,” Lakehead’s Jordan Smith tells the OUA's official website.
“Everybody was excited. We’d walk around the locker room and see our Team Canada jerseys. It definitely brought chills to you. We have to be happy with the result. We stuck to the game plan and just did what we had to do, and in the end it showed on the scoreboard.”
Canada takes on Belarus at 1 p.m. EST on Saturday.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Canada, Turkiewicz 1 (Methot), 8:53. 2. Canada, Caria 1 (unassisted), 14:38 pp. 3. Canada, Ray 1 (Yashar Farmanara), 15:32. Penalties: Vossen CAN (high sticking) 0:12, Ejup SLO (roughing) 2:05, Priamo CAN (delay of game) 9:45, Ahacic SLO (holding) 14:38, Miljus SLO (tripping) 16:08.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 4. Canada, Rizk 1 (Maclean, Baker) 1:07. 5. Canada, MacLean 1 (Baker, Rizk) 5:45. Penalties: Bench minor CAN (too many men) 1:41, Kuzman SLO (slashing) 6:27, Langelier-Parent CAN (interference) 11:27, Sodrznik SOL (interference) 12:50, Langelier-Parent CAN (slashing), Zupnac SLO (checking to the head, misconduct) 19:52.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 6. Canada, MacLean 2 (unassisted) 1:04. 7. Canada, Sonnenburg 1 (unassisted) 2:35 PP. 8. Canada, Caria 2 (unassisted) 13:05. 9. Canada MacLean 3 (Baker) 15:17. Penalties: Ulaga SLO (hooking) 1:26, Ograjensek SLO (game misconduct) 13:05, Kuzman SLO (slashing) 16:53, Pihler SLO (hooking) 19:59.
Game Data – SOG – Canada 14-15-18-47, Slovenia 7-8-7-22; Power plays (goals-chances) – Canada (2-8) Slovenia (0-4); Goaltenders – Canada: Anthony Grieco (15 shots, 15 saves), Jim Watt (start of third, seven shots, seven saves), Slovenia: Jure Verlic.
