2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge

GARAND STARS, JARVIS SCORES, RED EDGES FINNS IN GROUP B FINALE

JASON LA ROSE

QUISPAMSIS, N.B. – Dylan Garand (Victoria, B.C./Kamloops, WHL) finished with 43 saves and Seth Jarvis (Winnipeg, Man./Portland, WHL) scored in the dying seconds of overtime, giving Canada Red a 4-3 win over Finland in the Group B finale Tuesday at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

With a shootout on the horizon, Jarvis took a pass from Cole Shepard (West Vancouver, B.C./Penticton, BCHL) and found himself all alone in front, tucking the winner around Finnish netminder Joel Blomqvist with just 9.8 seconds to go in the extra period.

The win clinched second place in the group for Red, which will face the United States in a Thursday quarter-final (7:30 p.m. AT) at the qplex. The Canadians topped the U.S. 5-2 in pre-tournament play last week.

Jarvis finished with a goal and an assist and sits fifth in tournament scoring with five points (two goals, three assists) in three preliminary-round games.

The Finns were first onto the scoreboard, with captain Roni Hirvonen beating Garand on the power play late in the opening frame.

Both teams leaned on the throttle in the second period, combining for 32 shots. Finland directed 18 at Garand but couldn’t add to their lead, which quickly turned into a deficit.

Stephen Halliday (Toronto, Ont./Central Illinois, USHL) tied the game at 4:26, slipping a rebound past Blomqvist, Justin Sourdif (Surrey, B.C./Vancouver, WHL) cruised into the slot and went blocker side for the 2-1 goal at 8:54 and Nolan Seed (Newboro, Ont./Owen Sound, OHL) banked a centering pass off a Finn and in to make it a two-goal lead at 16:16.

But the Finns kept coming, and put two past Garand – from Ruben Rafkin and Joel Määttä – in the third period to get the game to overtime.

Finland, which had a 46-37 advantage in shots on goal, will take on Canada White in the first quarter-final at Harbour Station in Saint John on Thursday afternoon (3:30 p.m. AT).