Walker, Team OHL ready for Russians
Wednesday November 12, 2014
By Josh Sweetland/CHL
Russia has made the first move, and now it’s up to the Ontario Hockey League to keep them in check. Russia leads the 2014 SUBWAY® Super Series 5 points to 1 after a pair of close 3-2 wins over the WHL with the scene now shifting to Ontario for games in Peterborough and Kingston.
The opening two games featured no shortage of physicality and as WHL defenceman Joe Hicketts said following Tuesday’s Game 2 at the Keystone Centre in Brandon, “The Canada-Russia rivalry is alive and well.”
Team WHL took a good portion of the play to the Russians in the first two encounters of the six game set, outshooting them 72-33 through 120 minutes. Goals have been at a premium though, thanks to the solid play of Russian goaltenders Denis Kostin and Igor Shesterkin along with the defence-first group of blueliners in front of them. Facing some of the CHL’s most offensively gifted performers in 2014 first overall NHL draft pick Sam Reinhart, Calgary Hitmen standout Jake Virtanen and former WHL leading scorer Nic Petan among others, Russia did an effective job on the defensive side of the puck while making the most of their limited opportunities.
The Ontario Hockey League has plenty of incentive entering games three and four of the series after dropping two decisions to Russia in the 2013 SUBWAY® Super Series. The OHL can certainly sympathize with the WHL’s experience these past few days as they outshot the Russians 95-43 last year, only to be outscored 8-4 and lose both contests.
Team OHL Head Coach Scott Walker returns to the event for a third season and will also be behind the bench as an assistant with the Canadian National Junior Team in the 2015 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in December. Coach of the reigning OHL Champion Guelph Storm, Walker has his fair share of experience facing Russia in international play as both a player and coach. Walker won gold behind the bench in the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and brought home bronze as an assistant with the Canadian National Junior Team in 2012. “The Russians are strong with a lot of skill,” he told the Peterborough Examiner’s Dale Clifford. “Some of their best players will be on the ice and it will be exciting for the fans. They’re going to see a lot of skilled hockey and a very competitive game.”
Walker gets behind the bench for Game 3 in Peterborough on Thursday and will benefit from the familiarity of Guelph Storm standouts Ben Harpur, Robby Fabbri and reigning Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week Tyler Bertuzzi in the lineup. The OHL also features Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds blueliner Darnell Nurse, Peterborough Petes power forward Nick Ritchie and London Knights star Max Domi. With so many high profile players on one bench, Walker says he tries to keep a balanced approach. “You want them to follow a system, but also just play and be free. There is a style you want them to play but you also want them to be themselves. It’s hard because they don’t play together normally, but they’re our best players.”
One of Walker’s former players in Guelph and current Peterborough Petes centreman Hunter Garlent isn’t feeling any pressure with the CHL down in the series 5-1 in points. “We were all selected for the team and are here for a reason,’’ he told the Peterborough Examiner. “We know most of the other OHL guys and how they play. We just have to play our game. We have to be ready to go.’’
The OHL will undoubtedly be featuring some of its best players in the lineup in games three and four, but unfortunate news on Tuesday evening sees the team without league leading scorer Connor McDavid. The 17 year-old top prospect was slated to participate in Thursday’s Game 3, but a hand injury will keep him sidelined over the next few weeks. McDavid currently leads the OHL in scoring with 51 points (16-35-51) in 18 games.
Offensive execution is sure to be a key theme for the OHL squad if they want to have success against a Russian team that seems to thrive despite coming up short on the shot clock. Goaltenders Spencer Martin (Mississauga), Ken Appleby (Oshawa) and Mackenzie Blackwood (Barrie) will be tasked with holding the deceptive Russian shooters off the board.
The OHL has a CHL best all-time record of 19-2-1 against Russia in the event. Russia has been considerably tougher in recent encounters though, with all three OHL losses coming in the last two years.
Game 3 of the 2014 SUBWAY Super Series® gets underway at 7:00pm ET on Thursday night at the Peterborough Memorial Centre. Be sure to catch the action on Sportsnet ONE, TVA Sports and follow along on Sportsnet 590 The FAN online.
For more information including how to purchase tickets please visit www.subwaysuperseries.ca.