In the Canada vs. Kazakhstan U18 men’s hockey tournament game today, Canada demonstrated its dominance with a remarkable performance, defeating Kazakhstan with a stunning 11-3 score. Gavin McKenna and Porter Martone were the stars of the show, with McKenna scoring two goals and providing four assists, while Martone scored a goal and provided four assists as well. The victory secured Canada’s position at the top of Group B, with a perfect preliminary round record. Kazakhstan’s Assanali Sarkenov put up a valiant effort, scoring all three of his team’s goals, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Canada’s powerful offensive display.
Kazakhstan needed a win to not be in the relegation game. That didn’t happen and they will play Norway in Relegation. Kazakhstan beat the Czechs in Overtime yesterday.
Liam Greentree makes it a 1-0 game at 5:01 of the first period with the assist going to Red Deer Rebels Ollie Josephson.
Kazakhstan ties the game up when Assanali Sarkenov who plays for Snezhnye Barsy Astana of the MHL in Russia made it 1-1 at 11;34 of the first. The assists on the goal went to Komey Korneyev and Raty Durglishvili. Korneyev plays for Omsk U17 in Russia and Durglishvili plays for MHK Barys Astana in Kazakhstan Jastar.
Ryder Ritchie is awarded a penalty shot at 7:37 of the first period and was denied by Tanirkhan Alpysbayev. I am finding these names on the Kazakh team quite cool. Tanirkhan just sounds like a tough name.
Tij Iginla who is the 9th ranked North American skater by central scouting makes it a 2-1 game at 15:42 of the first period. The assists on the goal went to Prince Albert Raider’s Ryder Ritchie who is the 19th ranked North American and the Guelph Storm’s Jett Luchanko who is the 20th ranked North American skater.
Rimouski, Quebec native Maxim Masse makes it 3-1 Canada on the Power Play with the assist going to Gavin McKenna and Porter Martone at 17:12.
Shots on goal in the first period were 22-5 for Canada
Barrie Colts Cole Beaudoin scored with the assist going to Matthew Spence and Riverview, New Brunswick’s Spencer Gill. Beaudoin got a Spence rebound at 3:02 of the second.
Henry Mews makes it a 5-1 game at 4:40 of the second period with the assists going to Gavin McKenna and Porter Martone.
Moncton Wildcats Caleb Desnoyers makes it 6-1 at 7:40 of the second period with the assists on the goal going to the Barrie Colts Kashawn Aitcheson and Gavin McKenna. (Desnoyers may of been trying to pass it there, either way it went in and the score is now 6-1)
Gavin Mckenna makes it 7-1 with the helper going to Porter Martone at 10:26 of the second and that is the end of Kazahkstan Netminder Tanirkhan Alpysbayev’s night. In comes Danil Lytkin.
Porter Martone then makes it 8-1 for Canada with the assists on the goal going to Gavin McKenna and the Ottawa 67’s Henry Mews at 16:18 of the second period.
Shots in the second period were 17-7 for Canada
Assanali Sarkenov scores his second for Kazkhstan on the Power Play jut 39 seconds into the third perioe to make it an 8-2 game. The assists on the goal went to Abzal Alibek and Mstislav Shipilin.
Ottawa 67’s defenceman Frankie Marrelli makes it a 9-2 game at 3:46 of the third period from Liam Greentree and Caleb Desnoyers.
Gavin McKenna made it a 10-2 game on the Power Play at 14:48 of the third with the assists going to Brandon Wheat Kings D-man Charlie Elick and Porter Martone.
Assanali Sarkenov got his hat trick goal for Kazakhstan and made it a 10-3 at 15:29 of the third period. The assists on the goal went to Abzal Alibek who got his second assist of the game and 2007 born Artur Glukhikh.
Harrison Brunicke makes it 11-3 at 16:27 of the last period with the assists to Matthew Spence and Carson Wetcsh
Shots on goal in the third period were 27-4 for Canada. The Canadians outshot Kazakhstan 66-16 in the game.
Carter George made 13 saves on the 16 shots that he faced for the win for Canada. Tanirkhan Alpysbayev who plays for Barys Astana U18 made 26 saves on the 33 shots that he faced for the Kazakhs until being replaced after Mckenna scored the 7th Canadian goal. He was replaced by Danil Lytkin who made 29 saves on the 33 shots that he faced.
Canada next game is against Latvia on Thursday.
Gavin McKenna is closing in on a Canadian record after a six-point outing against Kazakhstan at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship. Canada, which had already secured the top position in Group B, cruised to an 11-3 victory to remain perfect in the preliminary round. McKenna, a 2026 NHL Draft-eligible forward, earned Player of the Game honours for a second time in four games with a two-goal, four-assist performance. With 14 points (6G, 8A), McKenna is one point shy of tying the record for most points by a Canadian at the tournament. Tyson Jost (6G, 9A) and Macklin Celebrini (6G, 9A) are currently tied for the record after netting 15 points in seven games in 2016 and 2023, respectively.
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