Freshman Jordan Hickmott had two goals to lead the University of Alberta Golden Bears hockey program to a 5-0 win over the Danish junior team Thursday night at Clare Drake Arena in Edmonton.
The Mission, B.C. native sniped a pair of goals three minutes apart to pace the Bears to a 3-0 first-period lead. Fellow rookie Levko Koper opened the scoring for Alberta, while Mike Fiorillo and Kruise Reddick notched second-period tallies. Fourth-year goalie Real Cyr earned the win by making 13 saves in a period-and-a-half of work. Sophomore goalie Kurtis Mucha tended the twine in the late stages of the second, and all of the third period, making 20 saves.
Danish goaltender Sebastian Feuk, who plays his club hockey for the Herlev Eagles in Denmark, made 29 saves in the loss.
Koper, who has six goals and 14 points in 16 regular season games, got the Bears on the board first when he slid the puck past Feuk from in tight on the power-play. It was Alberta’s lone extra-man advantage on the night, and Thomas Carr drew the lone assist.
Hickmott, the Bears regular season scoring leader with 18 points, sent a laserbeam wrist shot past Feuk into the top left corner at 10:52 of the first, and then followed up with his second of the night at 14:02. Zack Dailey and Drew Nicole drew assists on Hickmott’s first, while Jesse Craige and Koper were the helpers on his second.
The Danes, in Edmonton for the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championship (December 26-January 6th, 2012), certainly had their share of chances, especially in the first, but Cyr, who leads Canada West in goals against average (1.39) and save percentage (.948) was more than equal to the task every time. Patrick Bjorkstrand and Thomas Spelling were particularly effective for the Danes, as was Vancouver Canucks draft pick (29th overall, 2011 draft) Nicklas Jensen, who only played the first period.
In the second period, Fiorillo made the most of his appearance in the line-up when he scored to make it 4-0 just 1:06 into the middle frame. Freshman Kruise Reddick, part of 17 first- or second-year players on the Golden Bears, closed out the scoring when he buried the biscuit at 10:35 of the second. The former Tri-City American had a great chance in the first period when he skated through the slot and one-timed a shot from between his legs just over the Danish goal.
The two teams will clash again on Friday night at 7:00 pm. Denmark then continues their preparation for the World Junior Hockey Championship with games against Sweden and Latvia in Olds and Brooks, Alta before beginning the tournament on December 26th against Team USA at 6:00 pm at Rexall Place in Edmonton.
GAME NOTES:
Alberta is now 33-15-1 all-time against international competition…this was the first international opponent the Golden Bears have faced since a 3-2 win over the Japanese national team on October 8, 1997…the last national junior competition Alberta faced was at the 1988 Viking Cup when they recorded wins against the Czech Republic, the USSR juniors and the Finnish junior team.
SCORING SUMMARY
AB 5, DENMARK 0
FIRST PERIOD
Alberta, 6:51, Levko Koper (Thomas Carr) PP
Alberta, 10:54, Jordan Hickmott (Zack Dailey, Drew Nichol)
Alberta, 14:02, Jordan Hickmott (Jesse Craige, Levko Koper)
PENALTIES:
Denmark, 5:44, Emil Kristensen (Hooking)
Alberta, 11:16, Ian Barteaux (Hit to the head)
Alberta, 11:16, Ian Barteaux (10 min misconduct)
SECOND PERIOD
Alberta, 1:06, Mike Fiorillo (JP Szaszkiewicz)
Alberta, 10:35, Kruise Reddick (Jesse Craige, Barron Smith)
PENALTIES:
Alberta, 4:23, Zack Dailey (Slashing)
THIRD PERIOD
PENALTIES:
Alberta, 11:42, Jesse Craige (Roughing)
GOALS (by period)
UofA: 3-1-0: 5
DEN: 0-0-0: 0
SHOTS ON GOAL (by period)
UofA: 10-15-9: 34
DEN: 8-15-10: 33
POWER PLAY:
UofA: 1-1
DEN: 0-3
GOALTENDERS
UofA – Real Cyr (W, 13 shots, 13 saves, 0 GA, 30:35), Kurtis Mucha (20 shots, 20 saves, 0 GA, 29:25)
DEN –Sebastian Feuk (L, 34 shots, 29 saves, 5 GA, 60:00)
THREE STARS:
1. Jordan Hickmott, Alberta
2. Levko Koper, Alberta
3. Patrick Bjorkstrand, Denmark
ATTENDANCE: 817