Monday - November 16, 2009
By Aaron Bell

Jake Allen isn't so sure if he's the heir apparent to be Canada's starting goaltender at the World Junior Championships, but he did everything he could to make a good impression in the opening game of the SUBWAY Super Series on Monday in Drummondville, QC.

The Montreal Juniors' netminder turned aside all 11 shots he faced in the first half of the game to backstop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League stars to a 3-1 win over Russia in the first game of the six-game series in Drummondville, QC on Monday.

"I felt it went well," the St. Louis Blues' prospect said after his turn in the game. "I just wanted to make the most of my opportunity. I only got to play in half the game but I thought I made the most of my opportunity. I'm happy about how it went."

After a scoreless first period, the QMJHL stars started to find the net in the second. Philippe Cornet of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies broke the deadlock 11 seconds into the second period and then Gabriel Bourque of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Michael Kirkpatrick of the Saint John Sea Dogs also scored for Team QMJHL.

Maxim Karpov put the Russian Selects on the board a little past the midway point of the second frame.

Allen, who gave way to Olivier Roy of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles midway through the second period, is considered one of the favourites to get an invitation to Canada's final selection camp next month. He obviously helped his own cause on Monday.

"I try not to get too involved in that stuff but I hear a lot of things," Allen said. "Hopefully I'll get the invite to camp and when that rolls around I'm going to make the most of that opportunity."

Alexander Zalivin was terrific in net for Russia, making 53 saves while earning his team's player of the game award.

Bourque, who waited out Zalivin and wired a wrist shot into the top of the net for what proved to be the game-winner, was player of the game for Team QMJHL, who outshot Russia 56-22 in the game.

The SUBWAY Super Series continues on Wednesday in Shawinigan, Quebec (7:00 p.m. Eastern on Rogers Sportsnet and RDS and online through INSINC webcast at http://chl.insinc.com/canadavsrussia/) before moving to Ontario with games in Barrie on Thursday and Windsor next Monday. The series concludes in British Columbia with games in Victoria on November 25 and Kelowna on November 26.