MOSCOW, August 8 (R-Sport) – Canada will continue its hunt for a sixth-straight gold medal at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup hockey tournament in Slovakia when its under-18 team takes on a squad from Russia in the semifinal round on Friday.
The Canucks sandwiched a 4-3 loss to Sweden in the Tuesday opener with a 4-0 shutout of the Czech Republic and a 4-3 shootout win over Switzerland and enter the semifinals on top of Group A, thanks to a group-best plus-four goal differential.
Russia has mirrored Canada’s run through the annual summer tournament, picking up a 2-1 win over Slovakia on Tuesday, losing 4-2 to the United States the next day and finishing the preliminary round with a 7-3 hammering of Finland.
The US took top spot in Group B despite a 3-2 overtime loss Tuesday to Finland. The Americans, who last won the Hlinka in 2003, face the hometown Czechs in the second semifinal in Breclav on Friday.
While the Hlinka tournament, which is unsanctioned by the International Ice Hockey Federation, does not hold the same cachet or garner the global recognition of the under-18 world championship, it routinely features some of international hockey’s top players in the age category.
Canada, led by Ontario Hockey League stars Spencer Watson, a forward with the Kingston Frontenacs, and Barrie Colts defenseman Aaron Ekblad, feature 10 players on the National Hockey League Central Scouting’s 2013-14 futures list. Russia boasts three players on the futures list, including CSKA Moscow forward Ivan Nikolishin, the son of former NHLer Andrei.
The tournament’s standout thus far, however, has been American center Nick Schmaltz, an incoming freshman at the University of North Dakota. The 17-year-old has six points in three games, one more than Russian wing Maxim Lazarev, who will suit up next season for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
Watson buried one of Canada’s shootouts goals in the game against the Swiss and also has five points for the tournament to go along with a pack-leading 27 penalty minutes. Ekblad leads all defensemen with one goal and three assists for four points.
Also Friday, Finland faces Switzerland in the fifth-place game and Sweden takes on Slovakia for seventh.
In the Hlinka’s 21-year history, Canada holds 17 gold medals and 20 overall. Russia, which has 13 medals, has not topped the podium since 1993.
