Team Canada Wins Gold!

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Team Canada took its fourth straight gold medal at the World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic today, beating Team Sweden in the final round in a breathtaking overtime victory.

Canada’s goals came from Brad Marchand (of the Halifax Mooseheads!), Claude Giroux and Matthew Halischuk in overtime. Goaltender Steve Mason looked solid throughout the game, recovering well after giving up a late third period goal as the Swedes played 6-on-5 with their goaltender on the bench.

Canada is now set to make it 5 gold medals in a row at home in Ottawa next year – I can’t wait!

WJC NOTES: Russia beat the United States 3-2 earlier today to claim the bronze medal. By winning the silver Sweden takes home a medal for the first time since the World Junior Championship in Boston in 1996.

37 CHL Players Going to Camp

Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League have announced that 37 junior players from leagues around the country have been invited to attend Canada’s National Junior Selection Camp. The released list is as follows:

Goaltenders

Jonathan Bernier, Lewiston MAINEiacs (QMJHL)
Leland Irving, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
Steve Mason, London Knights (OHL)
Tyson Sexsmith, Vancouver Giants (WHL)

Defencemen

Karl Alzner, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
Andrew Bodnarchuk, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
Drew Doughty, Guelph Storm (OHL)
Keaton Ellerby, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
Josh Godfrey, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
Thomas Hickey, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
Kevin Marshall, Lewiston MAINEiacs (QMJHL)
Logan Pyett, Regina Pats (WHL)
Luke Schenn, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Brendan Smith, Wisconsin (WCHA)
P.K. Subban, Belleville Bulls (OHL)
Ty Wishart, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

Forwards

Zach Boychuk, Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
Cory Emmerton, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
Angelo Esposito, Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
Colton Gillies, Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
Claude Giroux, Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
Matt Halischuk, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
Zach Hamill, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
Riley Holzapfel, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
Stefan Legein, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
Brett MacLean, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Brad Marchand, Val-d’Or Foreurs (QMJHL)
Shawn Matthias, Belleville Bulls (OHL)
Mathieu Perreault, Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
Wayne Simmonds, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
Nick Spaling, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
Steven Stamkos, Sarnia Sting (OHL)
Brandon Sutter, Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
John Tavares, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Kyle Turris, Burnaby (BCHL)
Dana Tyrell, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Ryan White, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

Head Coach – Craig Hartsburg, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
Assistant Coaches – Clement Jodoin, Lewiston MAINEiacs (QMJHL); Curtis Hunt, Regina Pats (WHL)

QMJHL All-Stars Even Score

After taking a loss in their first meeting, the QMJHL All-Stars managed a win over the Russian team with shootout goals from Brad Marchand and Keven Veilleux in front of over 3000 fans at the Robert-Guertin Arena in Gatineau, Quebec yesterday.

Marchand opened the scoring in the first period with Christopher DiDomenico adding another goal early in the second period. The lead was short-lived as the Russian team got two goals only 58 seconds apart from Alexander Vasyunov and Vadim Golubtsov late in the second.

Both goaltenders worked hard to hold their own in the third, eventually forcing the shootout and the QMJHL win. The ADT Canada-Russia Challenge continues with a game in Kitchener, Ontario tonight – you’ll find the recap here after the game!

Russia Defeats QMJHL All-Stars

Russia came up with three unanswered goals in the third period to win a tight game over the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League All-Stars by a score of 6-4 in the opening game of the ADT Challenge on Monday night.

Brad Marchand of the Val-d’Or Foreurs had given the All-Stars a 4-3 lead early in the third period; that lead didn’t last long as Nikolav Okhlobystin, Maxim Mamin and Mikail Milekhin all came through with goals in the same period.

Andrew Bodnarchuk of the Halifax Mooseheads came through with a goal and two assists in the game but the scoring simply wasn’t enough. Moncton Wildcats goaltender Nicola Riopel was pulled about half-way through the second period after allowing 3 goals on only 12 shots. He was replaced by Raffaele D’Orso of Val-d’Or; D’Orso allowed three goals on 19 shots.

The Russian team now moves onto Gatineau, Quebec for a rematch against the All-Stars before playing two games each against the Ontario Hockey League All-Stars and the Western Hockey League All-Stars to complete the ADT Challenge event.