CANADA ROUTS CZECKS 9-0 IN PRE-TOURNAMENT GAME

LONDON, Ont. - Carter Hart had a 23-save shutout in Canada's 9-0 rout of the Czech Republic on Wednesday night in a tune-up game ahead of the world junior hockey championship.

Taylor Raddysh had a pair of goals for Canada, with linemate Robert Thomas adding a goal and two assists. Maxime Comtois had the eventual winner, while Jake Bean, Boris Katchouk, Jonah Gadjovich, Drake Batherson and Cal Foote also scored in front of a sold-out crowd of 9,036 at Budweiser Garden.

Jakub Skarek stopped 25-of-34 shots in net for the Czech Republic. Josef Korenar turned aside two shots in relief.

Canada's win came in the first of two pre-tournament exhibition games the team is hosting ahead of the world championships that begin in Buffalo, N.Y., on Dec. 26.

Before the game head coach Dominique Ducharme said that defenceman Dante Fabbro (lower body) and forward Dillon Dube (shoulder) were day to day. He also indicated that backup goaltender Colton Point might start against Switzerland on Friday in Hamilton.

Comtois finished off a tic-tac-toe play with Alex Formenton and Cale Klague by batting the puck past Skarek to give the Canadians the lead. It punctuated a lengthy three-minute span where Canada dominated possession, getting several shots off and stripping the Czech defence of the puck any time they tried to clear it out of their own end.

(The Canadian Press)

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