EDMONTON – Mark Stone’s hat trick led Canada to an 8-1 win over Finland to open the world junior men’s hockey championship Monday.
Stone, who plays for the Brandon Wheat Kings, also had an assist for the host country. Jonathan Huberdeau of the Saint John Sea Dogs had a five-point effort with a goal and four assists.
Brendan Gallagher of the Vancouver Giants, Niagara IceDogs defenceman Dougie Hamilton and forward Ryan Strome and Brett Connolly of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning also scored to the delight of a full house at Rexall Place.
Alexander Ruuttu, son of former NHL player Christian Ruuttu, scored Finland’s lone goal early in the second period.
Canadian head coach Don Hay went with experience in net, giving Mark Visentin of the IceDogs the first start of the tournament. The Phoenix Coyotes prospect made 24 saves on 25 shots for the win.
Visentin was Canada’s starting goaltender for the medal round of the 2011 tournament in Buffalo, N.Y.
Finland went with Chris Gibson of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Chicoutimi Sagueneens in goal. Canada pelted the Los Angeles Kings prospect with 42 shots.
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Canada has Tuesday off before facing the Czech Republic on Wednesday and Denmark the following day. The hosts conclude Pool B play on Saturday versus the United States.
Huberdeau and Stone were standouts at Canada’s summer camp playing on the wings of centre Ryan Johansen.
Johansen wasn’t made available to play for Canada by the Columbus Blue Jackets, but Huberdeau and Stone quickly re-established their chemistry from the summer. Strome was their centre for most of the game.
Devante Smith-Pelly of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks blocked a shot in the second period and did not return to the game.
Huberdeau was the third overall pick in this year’s draft by the Florida Panthers and was named Memorial Cup MVP last season. Stone was a sixth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators last year. Both are over six foot one and difficult for the opposition to contain.
Stone’s third goal at 4:05 of the third period brought a cascade of hats onto the ice. Connolly scored 52 seconds into the period, driving the wing and beating Gibson with a wrist shot. Strome added another goal at 7:18.
Canada’s special teams shone as the penalty killers fended off four Finnish power plays. The Canadians scored a pair of power-play goals plus another on a delayed penalty with an extra attacker in the second period. Canada led 5-1 heading into the third.
Dougie Hamilton’s shot from the point beat Gibson’s glove at 12:54 of the second. Huberdeau wheeled the puck out from the corner and beat Gibson with a wrist shot from the faceoff circle at 9:24.
Stone scored his second of the game at 3:02 on a delayed Finland penalty, with Visentin on the bench for an extra attacker.
Canada led 2-0 after the opening period thanks to some hard work deep in Finland’s zone in the opening minutes and a Visentin save on Teemu Pulkkinen with three minutes to go in the first period.
Schwartz’s sharp-angled shot bounced high over Gibson and Gallagher batted the puck from the air on his backhand to make it 2-0 at 4:25.
Behind Finland’s goal-line, Strome put a quick backhand pass on the stick of Huberdeau, who skated the puck behind the net and fed it out front to Stone in the slot at 2:24.
Canada’s Boone Jenner levelled 17-year-old defenceman Olli Maatta in Finland’s zone after Canada’s opening goal. Maatta plays for the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights.
Notes: Canada is 21-7-6 all times versus Finland at the world junior hockey championship . . . The last Canadian player to score a hat trick in a world junior championship game was Brayden Schenn on Dec. 29, 2010 versus Norway.
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