BY PATRICK KING
sportsnet.ca

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Momentum came in strange ways for Canada.

Shortly after Zack Kassian was given a five-minute major and game misconduct for his hit on Petr Senkerik, Team Canada seized control of the outcome in the 7-2 rout of the Czech Republic.

Canadian goaltender Olivier Roy stretched across his crease to block Antonin Honejsek’s shot. The play went back up the ice where Brayden Schenn fed Louis Leblanc for the eventual game-winning goal.

"We talked coming into this tournament when you’re playing against the best teams in the world it’s going to come down to two or three plays that will determine the outcome of the game," Canadian head coach Dave Cameron said. "That save that led to a goal was probably our turning point."

Bigger than the save, bigger than the goal and bigger than the moment was what it all meant for Canada: now they had a goalie.

Up until that point, Roy had not looked dominant and there was obvious room for improvement. Roy was beat on three-of-27 shots in Canada’s 6-3 win over Russia on Sunday. After the game, Cameron had been asked if he still had confidence in Roy. He responded simply by saying, "Yeah."

In a game where so much was on the line for Roy, he seemingly dropped the ball early. Honejsek, the same player he had robbed in the game’s defining moment, scored the first goal with his shot low towards Roy’s glove side.

While Roy admitted to feeling nervous in his first outing against the Russians, it was less a case of nerves than it was a case of overplaying the shooter on the goal.

"I just think it was a good shot," he said. "I was a little bit too aggressive on my blocker side and he took advantage of that. I’m going to work a little bit on that."

Schenn set up Leblanc for one of his four assists in a five-point game. It was a big breakout from one of the players expected to lead the way for the Canadian squad.

Schenn was modest in ranking his performance, when asked where it stood in his list of single-game accomplishments.

"It’s obviously nice to get a game like that," he said. "But if it was a bigger game, bigger hype -- I would be a lot more proud of it. Without the support of my teammates -- I had four assists tonight -- but if they don’t put the pucks in, I don’t have any assists there."

The Canadians could be shorthanded in their next game against Norway on Wednesday. In addition to Kassian’s suspension, which was automatic after being assessed a game misconduct, Team Canada could also be without defenceman Calvin de Haan and forward Jaden Schwartz.

Cameron would not comment on the status of either player, except to say they were hurt after the game. Senkerik’s status is also unclear.

It appears as though Roy may finally be ready to take that next step towards being the goalie Canada hoped he would become in this tournament. He was nearly unbeatable following the save on Honejsek in tight and can’t be blamed for the second goal by the Czechs.

The high-rising shot screamed past his head and even Roy didn’t realize whether the shot was deflected on the way to his net.

"I didn’t see the puck coming," Roy said. "Those are the goals I have to work on. Those and maybe (being) a little bit higher in my crease."

Roy is settling into the new gig, even if it means the shots will be infrequent. On many nights in Bathurst in league play, he won’t face much more than 20-to-25 per game, which he didn’t see Tuesday against the Czechs. Roy stopped 17-of-19 shots in the win.

"It’s different here," he said. "I don’t face maybe a lot of shots in Bathurst, but with that team here, it’s pretty much so far we don’t get a lot of shots on net. It’s different for sure, but it’s just a matter of keeping my focus for 60 minutes.

"You have to be aware. You know you’re not going to have 40 shots every game with that defence in front of me."

"That’s the sign of a good goalie," Schenn said of Roy’s ability to stay focused after a sluggish start. "He’s getting better and that’s what you want going into big games."

Cameron did say backup Mark Visentin would play a game in this tournament, but never confirmed which game. It’s most probable Visentin will start Wednesday against Norway, as the final round robin game against Sweden on New Year’s Eve could determine first place in the group standings.