Marcus Foligno scored a pair of goals Sunday to lead Team Red to a 4-1 win over Team White at the opening scrimmage of Team Canada's Selection camp for the 2011 World Junior Championship.
Foligno was an absolute stud throughout the contest, working hard with linemates Riley Sheahan (DET) and Curtis Hamilton (EDM) to get the puck deep while using his strength to create offense near the paint. The 6'3 wing scored the game's first goal :42 into the second period when he potted a backhander past Calvin Pickard from the edge of crease, and nearly had another off a tip later in the frame. The potential bottom-liner would again connect when he stole the puck from Erik Gudbranson and iced the game with a breakaway goal in the game's final minute. The physical contest featured a few good licks, one of which was Foligno laying out Casey Cizikas with a booming open-ice hit.
Joining Foligno on Team Red was Buffalo's 2010 first-rounder, Mark Pysyk. The 6'1 right-hander was paired with 2010 Team Canada member Calvin de Haan (NYI), and did not factor into any of the four Red goals.
Sabres prospects Zack Kassian and Brayden McNabb competed for Team White, who outshot Red by a 30-27 margin. Kassian manned the right side of a line centered by Sean Couturier ('11) opposite Michael Bournival (MTL) of the Shawinigan Cataractes, while McNabb was paired with Kassian's Windsor teammate, Ryan Ellis (NSH). McNabb was on the ice for White's only goal scored by Habs prospect Louis Leblanc, but like Kassian, did not register a point in the intrasquad contest.
The two teams will rematch Monday night at 7:00. On Tuesday, a shortended stack will suit up against a team of Canadian university players before the Canadian brass begins their cutdown process.
