Russia 7 WHL 5
MOOSE JAW, Sask. — The level of importance was completely different, but the similarities were unmistakable for Quinton Howden.
In the final game of the Subway Super Series, Howden and the Western Hockey League gave up four unanswered goals to the Russians in the third period in a 7-5 loss on Thursday.
Howden was also part of the Canadian World Junior team that lost the gold medal final in Buffalo 5-3 last January as the Russians scored five unanswered third-period goals.
“You can never count them out,” said Howden who captained the WHL team.
“They did it to us once at the World Juniors and they did it again here. I know it’s kind of a bit of a fun game here, but it’s still heart-breaking to still lose to those guys. Hopefully we can turn things around and be ready for when Christmastime comes.”
Despite the loss and despite the fact that the teams split the six-game series, the Canadian Hockey League teams won the series on points because one of their three losses came via a shootout.
“In the locker-room the coaches said, ‘Come on guys it’s (our) last chance for a win.’ We scored four goals and I’m pretty happy now,” said Russia goalie Andrey Makarov, who made 30 saves.
“(The WHL) is pretty good team, but Russia is good too. The defences didn’t play well today,” said Makarov who plays for the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades.
The WHL’s two-goal lead evaporated in 24 seconds 2:40 into the third period when the line of Nikita Kucherov, Nikita Gusev and Pavel Kulikov combined for their third goal of the night. Gusev scored on a feed from Kucherov before Kulikov finished off a chance at the side of the net to tie the game.
The two goals came seconds after the Russians had killed a WHL power play that lasted the first 1:56 of the third period.
“I thought the power play in the third period, if we score on that it’s a different game,” said WHL coach Don Hay.
“You’ve got to put them away when you have the opportunity and you can’t let them back in the game. They really take advantage of your mistakes.”
Daniil Apalkov scored the go-ahead goal midway through the period.
The Russians iced the game when Mikhail Naumenkov sent an incredible pass from his own end over the tops of the heads of all of the players on the ice and saw it land in front of Kucherov for a breakaway in the WHL zone.
Kucherov scored his fourth goal of the tournament on a backhand.
He and Gusev tied for the Series scoring lead with seven points each.
“Nikita Gusev is a good forward and Nikita Kucherov is also a good forward and they scored in third period,” said Makarov of the Russians dynamic tandem.
When asked if the Russians always feel confident that they can comeback from a deficit, Makarov just smiled wide and said “yes.”
Wednesday in Regina, the WHL only allowed 25 shots in a 5-2 win. A night later they gave up way too many chances in an open game in front of 4,360 fans at Mosaic Place.
“I think we got away from what we wanted to accomplish after two strong periods,” Hay said. “We started turning pucks over. We started to play into their game. Instead of pushing pucks down the wall and taking pucks to the net we started to turn pucks over and push it into the middle.”
Howden got the scoring started for the WHL. The only holdover from last year’s World Junior final playing for either team, Howden was hauled down by Russian defenceman Victor Antipin on a short-handed breakaway. Howden ripped his penalty shot past Saskatoon goalie Andrey Makarov to tie the game 5:57 in.
“I got that one for Morgan Rielly,” said Howden of his Warriors teammate who was selected to play in the game, but is going to undergo knee surgery next week. “I miss Morgan. He’s back home and we miss him.”
The first period ended tied at 2-2 when Brandon’s Mark Stone scored 10 seconds after Kucherov had given the Russians their second lead of the frame.
Stone picked up where he left off as he scored nine seconds into the second period on a great feed from his Wheat Kings teammate Michael Ferland. Stone turned provider as he fed Mark McNeill from the Prince Albert Raiders who put the WHL ahead 4-2.
The Russians pulled a goal back when Vladislav Kartaev scored his second goal of the game.
Brandon’s Ryan Pulock, the youngest player on the WHL team, restored their two-goal lead when his power play point blast beat Makarov with Warrior winger Cody Beach providing a screen in front.
Calvin Pickard form the Seattle Thunderbirds stopped 28 shots for the WHL.
(Moose Jaw Times-Herald)