THIRD PERIOD COMEBACK HELPS CANADA TO FOUR NATIONS WIN OVER RUSSIA

SOCHI, Russia – Greg Westlake (Oakville, Ont.) tied the game with 1:25 left and scored one of two Canadian goals in the shootout as Canada’s National Sledge Team erased a two-goal deficit in the final 6:28 to beat Russia 4-3 Thursday in the final preliminary round game for both at the Four Nations Tournament.

The Canadians finished off an unbeaten round robin with the win and will face the Russians once again in Saturday’s late semifinal (8 a.m. ET/5 a.m. PT). Norway will face the Czech Republic in the other semi.

Canada trailed 3-1 after Ruslan Tuchin’s goal at 4:16 of the third period, but Brad Bowden (Orton, Ont.) cut the lead to one at 8:32 and Westlake tied the game at 13:35 on a Canadian power play, driving to the net and jamming in the rebound of a Billy Bridges (Summerside, P.E.I.) shot.

After a scoreless overtime, Bowden and Westlake scored on Canada’s first two shots in the shootout, and goaltender Corbin Watson (Kingsville, Ont.) stopped two of the three Russians he faced, clinching the Canadian win with a save off Evgeny Petrov.

Marc Dorion (Bourget, Ont.) scored the other goal for Canada, a power play marker midway through the first period, while Bridges was in on all three Canadian goals in regulation time, picking up three assists.

After giving up just eight shots combined in wins over the Czechs and Norwegians, Canada allowed seven in the first period against the Russians, and trailed 2-1 after one on a pair of Vadim Salyukin goals.

The score remained 2-1 until the early stages of the third period when Tuchin’s shot deflected past Watson, setting the stage for the Canadian comeback.

Watson replaced Benoit St-Amand (St-Hubert, Que.) after Salyukin made it 2-1 just nine minutes in.

Canada outshot Russia 21-16 overall, including 11-4 in the third period and overtime.