Canada cops hockey gold at University Games

BY JOHN DECOSTE

NovaNewsNow.com



It turned out to be a golden week for a group of hockey players from the Atlantic Universities Hockey Conference at the World University Games in Turin, Italy.

Led by a pair of goals by Rob Hennigar of the UNB Varsity Reds, Team Canada scored a 3-1 win over Russia in the gold medal final of the Games on Saturday.

Canada set the tone for the game early, with Hennigar scoring his third goal of the tournament after just 18 seconds of play.

Defenseman Scott Hotham of the Saint Mary’s Huskies, who assisted on the opening goal, netted what would be the eventual winner on the power play at 4:02 of the first period on assists from SMU teammate Marc Rancourt and Moncton’s Karl Fournier.

Andrey Rychakov got the Russians on the board at the 17:07 mark of the second period, and the score remained 2-1 until Hennigar scored his second of the game, another power play marker, on assist from Darryl Boyce and Dan Rudisuela at 14:42 of the third.

Paul Drew of the UPEI Panthers had another outstanding game in goal for Canada, stopping 21 of 22 shots aimed his way. Maxim Koryakin turned aside 21 of 24 shots in the Russian net.