4 points from Mantha spark Canadian comeback win

The Canadians knew that they could beat the Slovaks if they played their game, but they sure got away from it for a while in the second period. Four straight penalties in the second period -- including two different two-man disadvantages -- led to two Slovakian power-play goals, turning a 1-1 hockey game into a 3-1 deficit late in the second period. 

In fact, all three Slovak goals were scored with the man advantage, with the tournament's most potent trio so far -- Sovak captain Milan Kolena with Martin Réway and Dávid Gríger -- getting all three. 

The penalty trouble for Canada started just 10 seconds in, when Jonathan Drouin was given a minor penalty and 10-minute misconduct for checking to the head, taking one of the team's biggest offensive weapons off the ice for more than half the first period -- coach Brent Sutter took him off for the rest of it.

"He let me know about it," Drouin said of the message sent by the coach. "It's a pretty helpless feeling sitting there for all that time, especially when they score."

They scored late in the opening power play, when defenceman Jakub Predajnianský fired a shot from the point that missed the net, but caromed off the end boards to Gríger, who put it in.

After the slow start, the Canadians came on late in the first period, and tied the game on their first power play opportunity, when Curtis Lezar re-directed Anthony Mantha's shot inside the far post.

Canada got the first power play of the second period, but they failed to score on that, then Nic Petan was called for boarding and, 22 seconds later, Scott Laughton for high-sticking. The ever-dangerous Réway started the play and finished it, firing it upstairs on Zachary Fucale.

"We took some bad penalties for sure," said Laughton. "I took a bad one when I tried to whack the puck with my stick and hit the guy in the face, which put us down two men and put us in a hole. When they score you get the feeling like you've let the team down."

The scenario repeated itself three minutes later -- first Matt Dumba for tripping and then Derrick Pouliot for slashing 1:03 later, at which point the Canadians and their legions of fans in attendance became unglued. Just five seconds after Dumba's penalty ended, but while still on the power play, it was Gríger with his second of the game, finishing off a tic-tac-toe passing play.

With the 3 points each, Réway and Gríger each have a share of the tournament lead with 9 points in three games.

"We're the older players on the team and it's our responsibility to score," said Réway. "I don't know if it will be in the next game, but the others are going to score at some point too, and it will be better for the team."

Struggling to regain their composure, the Canadians started to get back to their game late in the middle frame, and Drouin, now back in Sutter's good graces, sent the puck back to Aaron Ekblad, who fired it on goal. Samuel Bartoš stopped it, but Mantha was there to score on the rebound.

"I knew I had to step it up for the second and third periods," said Drouin. The best was yet to come.

The third period was all Canada, and it seemed like only a matter of time before they tied it up. Bartoš faced 48 shots in the game and did all he could to hold the fort, but he could only do so much. With just under six minutes to play, it finally happened. 

Right after a late offside whistle on a close play negated one apparent goal by Mantha, the line came right back off the draw. Mantha got the puck behind the net and fed out front to Drouin, who snapped it home and the game was tied.

The Canadian pressure was forcing the Slovaks into penalties, and when Predajnianský got the stick up on Laughton after the whistle with 3:54 to play, it gave them the opening they needed. 

"We played disciplined for two periods, and we knew we couldn't give their power play too many chances, but we did and it cost us," said Kolena, who had 2 points in the game. "It's too bad because we played so hard. It was just like against the Americans -- we played well for most of the game but little mistakes that cost us."

Once again it was Mantha, feeding Petan down at the goal line. Petan then came out for a better shooting angle and picked the far corner on Bartoš, putting Canada into the lead with just 2:46 left.

"We have an established play down low with 'Pets'," said Mantha. "He just came out in front and had an open shot and took it. Fortunately, it went in."

Petan then got his second goal and third point of the game by putting the puck into the empty net, setting up two big games in Group A on Tuesday.

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