Sounds like the boys are feeling their oats.
WINNIPEG (CP) - Patrice Bergeron scored two goals and added an assist while linemate Sidney Crosby had a goal and two assists to lead Canada's junior team to a 6-0 victory over Finland in exhibition play on Monday night.
Kootenay Ice goalie Jeff Glass stopped all 10 shots he faced in front of a capacity crowd of 15,015 at the new MTS Centre. Canada, which has 13 returning players from last year's team, dominated play. They peppered Finnish netminder Joonas Hallikainen with 41 shots.
The world junior hockey tournament begins Dec. 25 in Grand Forks, N.D. and Thief River Falls, Minn.
Mike Richards, Clarke MacArthur and Cam Barker also had goals for Canada, which opens the tournament against Slovakia on Dec. 25.
Crosby opened the scoring on the power play with 25 seconds to play in the first period. Bergeron skated out from the corner and fed a cross-crease pass to Crosby, who chipped it over Hallikainen.
Canada held a 16-3 shots advantage in the opening period and had several quality chances turned away by the Finnish netminder.
Richards, the team captain, made it 2-0 when his centring pass from behind the net went in off the back of Hallikainen's skate at 7:40 of the second period.
Canada then struck with a pair of goals within a span of 1:35.
Crosby raced down the left boards, circled behind the net and set up Bergeron directly in front. Bergerson, who played in the NHL with the Boston Bruins last year, tucked it behind the sprawled goalie.
MacArthur of the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers made it 4-0 when he banged in his own rebound at 14:42 of the second period.
The game was already out of reach in the third when Crosby came out of the penalty box and set up Bergeron directly in front at 7:49.
Less than four minutes later, the defenceman Barker snapped a wrist shot and beat Hallikainen to round out the scoring.
Canada wore replica vintage jerseys from the 1920 Winnipeg Falcons, who won the country's first Olympic gold medal.
Take care.
