COLWOOD, BC – UNB Reds forward Kris Bennett scored a pair of goals to propel the U SPORTS All-Stars to a 5-1 win over Hockey Canada's world junior prospects, clinching the series win on Friday afternoon at the Q Centre.
 
Schedule & Results
 
With a 2-0-1 record against the juniors, it marks the second consecutive year that U SPORTS has won the All-Star Series, having now won four of the past five head-to-head meetings with Team Canada.
 
"I am proud of our guys. They played three games in less than three days and it was gritty, you could tell our guys were grinding it out today," said U SPORTS head coach Mark Howell of the Calgary Dinos. "This was a really fun group. They were professional, respectful, and humble. There were no egos and they were all here for the team."
 
Bennett became the first player to register a multi-goal performance in the 2018 series. Calgary defenceman Dylan Busenius (0-2-2), Alberta Golden Bears blue liner Jason Fram (0-2-2) and UNB forwards Mark Simpson (0-2-2) and Christopher Clapperton (1-1-1) also collected two points each in the win. Bennet was the top marksman with three tallies, while Clapperton led all-scorers in the three-game tourney with five points, including two goals.

McGill's Nikolas Brouillard was the leading point-getter among defenceman with three (1-2-3). The 23-year-old physical education sophomore from St. Hilaire, Que., leads all U SPORTS blueliners in goals with 11 in 15 regular season contests.
 
"Every year we learn how to put this team together," explained Howell. "I think we selected the players that needed to be here. They all bought in and committed to what we wanted to do."
 
It was a quiet first period at the Q Centre until the final three minutes when U SPORTS opened the scoring with a pair of late period goals.
 
First it was Carson Stadnyk from the Saskatchewan Huskies, who found himself in the right place at the right time as the puck deflected off him and into the net.
 
Just over two minutes later, Bennett doubled the lead with a deflection off a point shot by team captain Busenius.
 
"We really came together over the last five days, we had a great group of guys and it showed over the last couple of games," said Alexandar Peters of the Saint Mary's Huskies. "Obviously there is a lot of skilled players on Team Canada, they are going to do great in their tournament. We were just able to connect quickly with team chemistry, whereas they are in a different position competing for a spot."
 
After Mississauga Steelheads goal-getter Owen Tippett put Team Canada on the board, the All-Stars took control of the game with three tallies in the middle frame.
 
Saskatchewan forward Colin Shirley wired a shot past Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds goaltender Matthew Villalta and was followed up minutes later by Bennett's second goal of the game. With time winding down Clapperton got behind the defence and scored a highlight-reel goal, cleaning up his own rebound with his back turned to the net.
 
Clapperton's goal rounded out the scoring as Vancouver Canucks draft pick Michael DiPietro, dressing for U SPORTS, and Villalta closed the door in the third period. DiPietro played the entire game for U SPORTS and stopped 32 shots.
 
Newly-signed Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ian Scott made 15 saves for Team Canada before Villalta came in and turned aside eight attempts.
 
Team Canada will finalize its roster before turning its attention to a trio of pre-tournament games next week against Switzerland (Dec. 19), Slovakia (Dec. 21) and Finland (Dec. 23).
 
The 2019 IIHF world junior hockey championship begins on Dec. 26 in Vancouver and Victoria, while the U SPORTS regular season resumes on Jan. 2.
 
The 2019 U SPORTS Cavendish Farms University Cup will be held Mar. 14-17 at the ENMAX Centre in Lethbridge, Alta.

GAME NOTES: After the game, team Canada announced six cuts, including one goaltender (Matt Villalta), three defenceman (Nicolas Beaudin, Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Jacob Bernard-Docker) and two forwards (Liam Foudy, Isaac Ratcliffe)... One more forward remains to be cut by the deadline of Dec. 19.

LINK TO BOXSCORE

LINK TO SERIES SCORING LEADERS


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HOCKEY CANADA RECAP

CANADA DOWNED BY U SPORTS IN SELECTION CAMP FINALE

BY JESSICA GOWANS

VICTORIA, B.C. – Owen Tippett (Peterborough, Ont./Mississauga, OHL) scored, but Canada's junior hopefuls dropped a 5-1 decision to the U SPORTS all-stars Friday afternoon in the finale at Canada's National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp.

Despite the final score, Michael DiPietro (Amherstburg, Ont./Ottawa, OHL) – who tended goal for U SPORTS – was the story. He turned away 32 of the 33 shots he faced and made a number of key saves, including a massive sprawling stop in the second period to preserve the lead after Tippett had pulled Canada within one.

Carson Stadnyk opened the scoring for U SPORTS late in the first period. With the puck loose in front of the Canadian net, Stadnyk tipped it up and over netminder Ian Scot (Calgary, Alta./Prince Albert, WHL).

Kris Bennett extended the lead two minutes later, finishing off a pretty passing play from Dylan Busenius and Luke Philp to send the university side to the dressing room up 2-0.

Tippett's goal came early in the second off a pass from Cody Glass (Winnipeg, Man./Portland, WHL). Tippett danced through the U SPORTS defence and had his initial shot stopped by DiPietro, but he managed to corral the rebound before DiPietro could cover it and banged it home to get Canada on the board.

U SPORTS answered with three unanswered goals to put the game away. Collin Shirley was first up with a quick shot from in close at 10:15. Bennett followed up with his second of the night to make it 4-1 at 12:04 and Christopher Clapperton tapped in the rebound of his own shot with 22 seconds left in the middle frame to make it a four-goal lead after 40 minutes.

Scott and Matthew Villalta (Godfrey, Ont./Sault Ste. Marie, OHL) split time between the pipes for Canada. Scott stopped 15 of 17 shots before giving way to Villalta, who turned aside eight of 11.