Tyrell, Dana

World Junior Championships (exhibition)
Canada 7 vs. Finland 3
W Dana Tyrell, CAN: Did not play - out for tournament.
G Dustin Tokarski, CAN: Win, 14 saves on 17 shots

Tokarski got the full game for Canada, but was beaten early when Finland's Nestori Lahde caught St. Louis Blues super-prospect Alex Pietrangelo flat footed resulting in a semi-breakaway. Lahde put a high wrister over Tokarski's shoulder. Tokarski had little chance on the second goal as a Finn was left alone in front and after taking a pass from behind the net, potted a wrister over Tokarski's arm as Dustin tried to square to the shooter and eliminate space.

Tokarski will watch as Chet Pickard gets the next exhibition start for Canada against Slovakia.

Team Canada Notes:
Canada called in Evander Kane, a BP favorite and teammate of Lightning prospect James Wright in Vancouver, to presumably take the spot of the injured Dana Tyrell. Tyrell suffered a "significant" knee injury Friday night in an exhibition game vs. Sweden and his tournament officially over.

Also, Canada coach Pat Quinn said the goaltenders' peformance Friday night did not sway him one way or another on a starter. Dustin Tokarski (0 GAA Friday) and Chet Pickard (2 GAA Friday) will go into today's game neck and neck.

BCHL
Prince George Spruce Kings 1 @ Victoria Grizzlies 2
W Justin Courtnall, VIC: 0-1-1, 0 PIM
Season totals: 38 GP, 12-31-43, 62 PIM

Courtnall goes into the Christmas break with a clear future (Boston University in the fall) and the Grizzlies scoring lead. He is 13th in league scoring. Powell’s Darcy Oakes, 31-38-69 in 39 games, is 19 points ahead of anyone else in the league. The 6-0, 175-pound Oakes is a 20 year old winger from Ontario.

USHL
Des Moines @ Fargo Force - POSTPONED
Inclement weather in the upper-midwest forced the postponement of all USHL games.

The QMJHL, OHL, WHL are all off until December 27 for Christmas.

The Prince George Citizen is reporting, as learned from sources, that the lower body injury Lightning prospect and Canada winger Dana Tyrell suffered last night is a "significant knee injury."

The newspaper said Tyrell is definitely out of Canada's second exhibition game scheduled for Sunday.

Sources have told The Citizen Tyrell has a knee injury and his participation in the tournament is in serious question -- national junior team officials have not confirmed the reports. Team Canada's first WJC game is Boxing Day against the Czech Republic.

A year ago, Tyrell suffered a knee strain that kept him from being at his best for the national junior team's final selection camp, and he was released, reported The Citizen.

World Junior Championships (exhibition)
Canada 4 vs. Sweden 2
W Dana Tyrell, CAN: 0-0-0
G Dustin Tokarski, CAN: Win, 8 saves on 8 shots in half a game

I'll let the Canadian Press intro this:

> The biggest statement in the battle between John Tavares and Victor Hedman was made by Dana Tyrell.

While the rock-solid forward won't supplant either of those players as the top pick in next year's draft - Tyrell signed a three-year contract with Tampa Bay last week - he made the biggest impact on Friday night.

Literally.

Team Canada Update
TSN is reporting Lightning prospect Dana Tyrell is skating at right wing on Canada's top line with super-prospect John Tavares at center and Buffalo 2008 first rounder Tyler Ennis of Medicine Hat (WHL) at left wing. Canada's head coach Pat Quinn said, "The guys that skate with him (Tavares) have to have a few ingredients: Quickness, speed through the middle, and the ability to hunt that puck down." That certainly describes Tyrell, one of the fastest players in the WHL and a tireless worker along the boards. He has also proven to have the ability to chip in a few goals around the net. This is a great opportunity for Tyrell should he be able to stick on that line.

QMJHL
Moncton Wildcats 2 @ Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 3 (SO)
D Mark Barberio, MCT: 0-1-1, +1, 0 PIM, 2 SOG
Season totals: 30 GP, 8-17-25, +12, 20 PIM

Cape Breton took both games of a home-and-home with Atlantic Division leader Moncton. The Screaming Eagles are now five points back of the Wildcats, though they’ve played four more games than Moncton. Barberio did not participate in the shootout.

WHL
Kelowna Rockets 3 @ Edmonton Oil Kings 0
G Torrie Jung, EDM: Loss, 21 saves on 24 shots
Season totals: 20 GP, 8-8-1-3, 2.79 GAA, .903 sv%, 2 shutouts

Jung is 0-2 against his former team this year, averaging 3.5 goals against in those match-ups.