Monahan, Graovac Connect For Lone OHL Goal in 2-1 Loss to Russia

While the 67’s prepare to take on the Saginaw Spirit tonight to start a two-game weekend, three of Ottawa’s star players are representing their province and league in the Subway Super Series, taking on the Russian Selects for part of a six-game Canada-Russia Junior series.


Cody Ceci, Tyler Graovac and Sean Monahan are playing for Team OHL right now.  Graovac and Monahan hooked up to score the lone goal in a 2-1 loss on Thursday night in Guelph, Ontario’s first loss to the Russians in 19 attempts.

In the second period, while the Selects were on the powerplay and with the score deadlocked at 0-0, Monahan made a heads-up play in the neutral zone to intercept a pass from a Russian defenceman.  He chipped the puck into the Russian end, waiting before setting up Graovac, who went in alone and scored on a nifty backhander.

Graovac’s marker would have held up as the game winner if it weren’t for a 24-second span in the third period, where Anton Shenfeld and Maxim Shalunov scored to put the Russians ahead 2-1, a lead they would hold for the final seven minutes of the game.

Ceci wasn’t on the ice for either goal against, finishing the night as a +1 as he was on the ice for Graovac’s tally.

Russia split their two games with the QMJHL all-star team before heading to Ontario.  They will play an OHL team on Monday night in Sarnia that will have a much different look to their roster, but will still feature Graovac.