Russia Blanks Norway at Worlds; Blackwood Named OHL Goalie of Year

Team Russia kept pace in Group A at the World Championships by shutting out Norway on Monday at the Ice Palace in Moscow.

Russia got goals in the first period from Ivan Telegin (assists to Dmitri Orlov and the Devils’ own Sergei Kalinin) and Artemi Panarin (assist to Vadim Shipachyov) and a third period goal from Roman Lyubimov (Alexei Yemelin and Orlov with the helpers) to top Norway 3-0.

In goal, Ilya Sorokin stopped all 27 Norwegian shots he faced while Steffen Soberg, at the other end of the rink, was 25-for-28.

Kalinin’s line read: one assist, one shot on goal and a plus-2 in 12:32 of ice time over 17 shifts.

Russia wraps up their preliminary round when they take on Adam Larsson and the Swedes tomorrow in Moscow.

Back on the home front, Devils’ prospect, goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood has been named the Ontario Hockey League’s Goaltender of the Year for 2015-16.

Blackwood, playing for the Barrie Colts, led the team to a 28-13-0-0 record and, according to the article on the matter put out on the Devils’ official site, had three shutouts and a goals against average of 2.27. His .921 save percentage was tied for the league lead. The Colts won their second Central Division championship in as many years in front of Blackwood.

Blackwood, a 19-year-old from Thunder Bay, Ontario, was the Devils’ second round draft pick last year (42nd overall) and, according to the Devils, signed an entry-level contract last December.

Blackwood played on Team OHL in this past season’s CHL Canada-Russia Series and played for Canada at the 2016 World Junior Championship. He was the OHL Goaltender of the Month in November and was named the second best shootout goalie as well as tying for the best puck-handling goalie in the Eastern Conference Coaches Poll for 2015-16.

According to the Devils’ site, Blackwood got 49 votes for this award, beating runners-up Devin Williams (Erie Otters – 47 votes) and Alex Nedeljkovic (Niagara IceDogs – 46 votes). He is also the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League’s Goaltender of the Year, which will be announced on May 28 during the Memorial Cup in Red Deer, Alberta.

Congratulations to Mackenzie Blackwood on this tremendous honor.

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