Goalie Eric Comrie will start for Canada against the United States on Wednesday (4 p.m. ET, NHLN-US, NHL.com), Hockey Canada announced Tuesday.
Comrie, a Winnipeg Jets prospect, made 17 saves in a 4-0 Canada victory against Germany on Saturday. It has been his only action of the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship so far; Zachary Fucale (Montreal Canadiens) started Canada's other two games.
"We like both of our goalies and I thought Zach played well last night," Canada coach Benoit Groulx said Tuesday, according to Yahoo Sports. “But I also think Eric deserves a chance to play tomorrow. We really feel good about both goalies so we don't look further ahead. It's tomorrow [first] and then we’ll address [the rest] after."
Canada enters the game leading Group A with nine points on three regulation wins. The United States is second in the Group with eight points, on two regulation wins and one shootout victory. The winning team Wednesday would clinch the top spot in the Group and face the fourth-place team from Group B in the quarterfinals Friday; the losing team would finish second in the Group and play the third-place team from Group B in the quarterfinals.
Comrie said that playing against the United States, with all that's at stake, that it would be the biggest game of his hockey career.
"They're an excellent team and a lot of skill up front, an excellent defense and a good goaltender," Comrie said, according to Yahoo Sports. "It's Canada and the U.S.A., some of the best teams in the world, so it's really exciting."
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