Yarmouth, NS – Troy Stecher (Richmond, B.C./Penticton, BCHL) was the overtime hero, scoring on a power play 1:22 into the extra period to give Canada West a 4-3 win over Russia on Wednesday and send the defending gold medallists to Friday's semifinals at the 2012 World Junior A Challenge.
It's a complete reversal of fortune for the Canadians, who went winless in the preliminary round last year in Langley, B.C., before catching fire in the medal round.
Shane Conacher (Burlington, Ont./Burlington, OJHL) scored twice, both on the power play, and Canada East had three goals on the man advantage overall as it advanced to the semifinals at the 2012 World Junior A Challenge with a 4-0 quarter-final win over the Czech Republic on Thursday night.
Canada East is winless in four all-time meetings with its western counterparts, including three gold medal games (2006, 2007, 2011) and one semifinal, a 9-1 Canada West victory at the 2009 tournament in Summerside, P.E.I.