Sergeev, Artem

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 5 @ Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 3

C Cedric Paquette, BLB: 1-1-2, +2, 0 PIM, 5 SOG, 2 Hits

A 31-goal scorer last year, Paquette had a goal and an assist in the third period to help the Armada to a 5-3 road win. The Armada was down 2-1 entering the third period. Paquette’s goal turned out to be the game winner. An alternate captain for the team, Paquette was 17 of 28 on faceoffs and centered the Armada’s top line.

Victoriaville Tigres 3 @ Val-d’Or Foreurs 4 (SO)

D Artem Sergeev, VDO: 1-1-2, E, 0 PIM, 2 SOG, 2 Hits

Sergeev’s first goal of the year came on the power play and gave Val-d’Or a brief 3-1 lead. He did not participate in the shootout, won by the Foreurs 1-0. Look for a breakout year from Sergeev (pictured) this season.

Note: Nikita Kucherov (Quebec) remains out with a shoulder injury.

Ontario Hockey League

Niagara IceDogs 2 @ Brampton Battalion 1 (SO)

D Dylan Blujus, BRAM: 0-1-1, E, 0 PIM

Blujus earned his first point of the season when he had an assist on Brampton’s only goal, scored on a 5-on-3 power play. He had spent the first half of the double man advantage as the triggerman for the Battalion. Blujus did not participate in the shootout. Listening to the radio broadcast, Blujus seemed to never leave the ice.

Saginaw Spirit 3 @ Guelph Storm 4 (OT)

C/W Tanner Richard, GUE: 0-1-1, E, 0 PIM

Richard had an assist on Andrey Pedan’s (Islanders) power play goal in overtime as Guelph came back from a 3-1 deficit to win their season opener. Leafs second rounder and Guelph captain Matt Finn had three assists for the Storm.

Canada 1 vs Russia 0 (OT)

D Nikita Nesterov, RUS: 0-0-0, 0 PIM
D Artem Sergeev, RUS: 0-0-0, 0 PIM
G Andrei Vasilevski, RUS: Loss

After Team Canada won 4-2 in regulation in Halifax on Tuesday night to knot the four-game series at two wins apiece, both teams began a special overtime session in hopes of a series-deciding victory. The Canadians, the distinct aggressors throughout much of the three periods played previously that night, kept pressing their Russian counterparts and were rewarded with the clinching goal just a few minutes into sudden-death. On the play, Canada's Ty Rattie managed to keep the puck in Russia's end, which led to Ryan Strome getting the puck on his stick near the top of the left face-off circle, where he didn't waste any time using some crafty stick-work to make his way to a better angle in the high slot where, with a quick release, he fired a wrist shot that found its mark past Vasilevski.

Canada 4 @ Russia 2

D Nikita Nesterov, RUS: 0-1-1, 0 PIM
D Artem Sergeev, RUS: 0-0-0, 0 PIM
G Andrei Vasilevski, RUS: Loss, 41 saves on 45 shots

The final game in the exhibition series took place in Halifax last night and ended in a decisive victory for Team Canada. Although Game 4 got off to a similar start to the night before with Russia taking two early leads despite finding themselves mostly hemmed in their own zone or conceding possession for changes and setting up defensively at even-strength. The Canadians finally took the lead (their first since Game 1 of the series), though, nearly midway through the second period and they never relented. Team Russia did manage to generate some quality scoring chances but could not muster a much-needed goal before the game slipped away for good late in the final period. It did help that the Russian coaching staff opted, until just a handful of minutes remained, to keep its team passive and structured in the neutral zone in an apparent attempt to conserve their young squad's energy. For much of the time they trailed, Russia seemed content to try and mount a comeback with selective counterattacks and opportunistic play and, failing that, to try and decide the series in overtime.

Russia 6 @ Canada 5

D Nikita Nesterov, RUS: 0-0-0, 4 PIM
D Artem Sergeev, RUS: 0-1-1, 2 PIM
G Andrei Vasilevski, RUS: Did Not Play

The third installment in the commemorative exhibition series was played tonight in Halifax, with the Russians, after a convincing victory in Yaroslavl last Friday, just squeaking past Team Canada 6-5. To Russia's credit, they never trailed, but Canada carried the play for most of the game and may have deserved a better fate. Truth be told, Laurent Brossoit's poor showing (6 GA on just 27 SOG) in net for the Canada was probably the difference as the Russians got an alternately superb and suspect effort from Andrey Makarov who stopped 37 of 42 shots in his second straight start.

Russia 6 @ Canada 3

D Nikita Nesterov, RUS: 0-1-1, 2 PIM
D Artem Sergeev, RUS: 0-0-0, 0 PIM
G Andrei Vasilevski, RUS: Did Not Play

For the second time in as many days, two teams studded with juniors stars battled on ice in Yaroslavl. The Russians avenged their narrow defeat yesterday by thumping the Canadian squad 6-3 in what was the second match of the Canada-Russia Challenge. Canada made the game close twice but the Russia, much more aggressive, able to maintain possession and in control of the pace for much of the game, put the game out of reach in the third. The Russians were good but the Canadians, between lapses in positioning, miscues and too many trips to the penalty box, were equal parts sloppy today.