Gauthier's three-point night spoiled by Canadian Interuniversity Sport all-stars

TORONTO – The result wasn’t what Team Canada wanted as they lost their first exhibition game 5-4 in a shootout against a collection of Canadian Interuniversity Sport all-stars on Saturday.

It was, however, exactly what winger Julien Gauthier wanted.

Gauthier, 18, one of three draft-eligible players vying for a roster spot, scored once and added two assists in his latest audition for Hockey Canada.

“Personally it was good for me,” he said. “I used my teammates. I used my shot a little bit. It was good for me for (the) scoresheet.”

Gauthier was in the middle of most of Canada’s best chances.

He set up Saginaw’s Mitchell Stephens for the opening goal 9:21 into the game. On his next shift, he spun and found Travis Dermott with a back-door pass for a power-play marker.

More noted for his scoring skills with the QMJHL’s Val-d’Or Foreurs – Gauthier has 29 goals and eight assists in 30 games – the Point-aux-Trembles, Que., native recorded two assists in the first period against the CIS squad.

“I can pass the puck, too, ya know,” he said, laughing. “(But that’s) 25 per cent of my (assist total) in Val-d’Or. I’m surprised.”

Gauthier also tipped in a Travis Sanheim point shot in the second period. His name could have appeared more often on the scoresheet if not for CIS goaltender Kevin Bailie stopping him on three different occasions from in close.

“He kind of reminds me of my teammate (from last year Jake) Virtanen,” said Sanheim, a Calgary Hitmen blue-liner. “He’s a power forward-type player. He’s hard to get the puck off.”

“He’s here for a reason,” Canadian coach Dave Lowry added. “He’s here because of his ability to perform on the big stage.

“I’ve always said we’re not concerned about the age. He’s a 30-goal scorer. He’s a big-body guy, he gets around the ice real well and he’s going to challenge for a spot.”

Gauthier played well during the summer camp and left Calgary with Hockey Canada telling him he needed to get faster. He took the message to heart.

His grandfather and father are both body builders and Gauthier is a gym rat. He really put an emphasis on squats and lunges in his summer workouts to make his skating stride more powerful.

“I really wanted to make the team so I listened to them,” the 6-4, 212-pound winger said.

After his performance, Gauthier admitted, “I think I have my chance to make the tournament right now.”

But it wasn’t a banner night for the Canadian juniors overall.

They blew a 2-0 lead and needed a goal from Anthony Beauvillier with 2:23 remaining to tie the game.

Alex Saulnier netted two goals for the CIS all-star team, while Eric Locke and Olivier Hinse added singles. Spencer Abraham scored the only goal of the shootout. Bailie made 40 saves compared to 27 for Canadian goaltender Mason McDonald.

“I’m a little disappointed,” McDonald said. “I thought I could have performed better, battled a little harder.”

“We’re working with this team to get it to the level we want it to play at,” said Lowry, adding his team needs to play faster and defend better. “There’s nothing wrong with a guy being hard on himself if he feels he can perform better.”

NOTES: Canada’s top position players – LW Lawson Crouse, C Dylan Strome, RW Mitch Marner, C Brayden Point, D Joe Hicketts and D Haydn Fleury – were scratched. Lowry said most of them would likely also be scratched when the teams face off again Sunday at noon.

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