Central Jr. A Hockey League

HOCKEY CANADA

NEWS RELEASE / COMMUNIQUÉ

October 16, 2008          

CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), announced on Thursday the 22 players that will comprise Team Canada East at the 2008 World Junior A Challenge, which runs from November 2-9 in Camrose, AB.

Canada East is a two-time silver medalist at the World Junior A Challenge, having fallen short in the gold medal game against Canada West in 2006 in Yorkton, SK and in 2007 in Trail, BC.

The Canada East roster is comprised of players from the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), Central Junior A Hockey League (CJHL), Ligue de hockey junior AAA du Québec (LHJAAAQ) and Maritime Junior A Hockey League (MJAHL).

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE CANADA EAST ROSTER FOR THE 2008 WORLD JUNIOR A CHALLENGE

“My coaching staff and I are very happy to have an opportunity to guide this team into the 2008 World Junior A Challenge,” said head coach Mark Grady. “Our intention is to win a gold medal at this event, and I feel that we have selected the best squad in order to do so.”  

“Team Canada East is very proud to unveil its roster today,” said general manager Marty Abrams. “Eastern Canada has a wealth of players that we have paid very close attention to over the past several months, and we are confident that we have selected the best available players to allow us to compete for the gold medal at this exciting event.”

The selection process for Canada East involved extensive scouting by Grady, Abrams and assistant coaches Patrice Bosch and Troy Ryan.

Canada East’s roster for the 2008 World Junior A Challenge includes:

Two (2) goaltenders, seven (7) defensemen and 13 forwards

Seven (7) players currently leading or co-leading their teams in scoring (Jordan Escott – Amherst, Zach Hervato – Smiths Falls, Stephen Horyl – Truro, Pierre Luc Lacombe – Granby, Jacob Laliberte – Hawkesbury, Greg Miller – St. Michael’s, Brandon Pirri - Streetsville)

Three (3) players currently leading or co-leading their leagues in scoring (Jordan Escott – MJAHL, Jacob Laliberte – CJHL, Greg Miller – OJHL)

One (1) player returning from the 2007 World Junior A Challenge (Jeremy Franklin)

Two (2) players selected in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft (Braden Birch – Chicago, 6^th round, 179^th overall; Nick D’Agostino – Pittsburgh, 7^th round, 210^th overall)

Twelve (12) players from the OJHL, seven (7) players from the CJHL, two (2) players from the MJAHL and one (1) player from the LHJAAAQ.

Canada East will play in Group B at the 2008 World Junior A Challenge, joined by Germany and the United States. Canada West, Belarus and Russia will comprise Group A. Round-robin play will run until Thursday, November 6, with both semifinals taking place on Saturday, November 8. The gold medal game, which will be shown nationally on TSN, the official broadcaster of Hockey Canada, is set for Sunday, November 9 (check your local listings).

The roster for Canada West was announced on Wednesday, October 15. CLICK HERE for the Canada West roster. The international rosters will be announced next week.

For more information on the 2008 World Junior A Challenge, visit www.hockeycanada.ca/wjac.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

André Brin             Sr. Manager, Media Relations/Broadcast, Hockey Canada
(403) 777-4557       abrin@hockeycanada.ca  
 

Chris Jurewicz     Coord., Media Relations, Hockey Canada
(403) 777-4552    cjurewicz@hockeycanada.ca

Jason La Rose    Coord., Communications/Content Development, Hockey Canada         
(403) 777-4553    jlarose@hockeycanada.ca

By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

The Cumberland Grads have taking over sole possession of first place in the Robinson Division for the first time this season after downing the Kemptville '73s 3-0 on home ice Sunday afternoon.

All three Cumberland goals were the result of hard work around the net and text book wrap around shots. But the real start of the game was rookie netminder Michael Dizgun who stopped 29 shots on his way to picking up his first CJHL shutout and the Grads' first shutout of the season.

Dizgun made several key saves throughout the game to keep Kemptville off the board and put the Grads in position to earn the two points.

Michael Borkowski broke the scoreless draw at the 9:34 mark of the second period on a pass from Chris Murphy and Brock Plouffe.

Plouffe then gave the Grads a two goal cushion at the 9:28 mark of the third while Cumberland was enjoying a man advantage. It was Plouffe's ninth goal in his last seven games.

The Grads' fourth line also got into the action with Matt Miller scoring on a perfectly timed wrap around shot with 6:32 left in the game. Miller was set up on the play by Luke McBride who battled hard along the half-boards to gain possession of the puck before sliding it behind the net to his linemate.

After the game, Grads' head coach Mark Grady said that he liked what he saw for the most part, especially in the third period, but there is still plenty of room for improvement.

"We need to start better. We need to come to the rink ready to play and we have to have more will. If we have more will, we'll be okay," said Grady who especially liked the effort shown by McBride and Miller.

The Grads next home game is against Brockville on Tuesday. Puck drops at 7 p.m.

It was a whole lot closer than it needed to be.

CJHL Players chosen for Team Canada East

Mark Borowiecki - Smiths Falls Bears, Calvin de Haan - Kemptville 73’s, Jason Akeson - Cumberland Grads, Eric Odell - Cumberland Grads and Jacob Laliberte - Hawkesbury Hawks

Team East finally has bragging rights.

Greg Miller (St. MIchael's Buzzers/OPJHL) scored twice and was named Team East's player of the game as the visiting side defeated Team West 5-3 in the 2007 Heartland Credit Union CJAHL Prospects Game in Winkler last night.

It is the first time in the event's three-year history that Team East has won the game.

After a sluggish start from both sides. Miller gave Team East a 1-0 lead midway through the first period when he rifled a shot over the shoulder of Team West goaltender Dezsi Wiens (Waywayseecappo Wolverines/MJHL), who turned out to be Team West's player of the game.

"It was tough because were all from different places and trying to create that chemistry between the lines," Miller said after the game.

"Our game plan was high intensity, hard on that puck, force them to carry that puck. We had a lot of legs. We got up early and it really worked out for us."
Wiens stopped 32 of the 33 shots he faced in a period and a half of work, making several consecutive saves with Team East's speedy forwards buzzing around his net.

"It was a good game, quick game," Wiens said. "Hard pace for the whole game. I don't think I've had more shots in a period and a half before.

"There were skilled players all over the ice. It was just a good experience all around."

After Mike Connolly (Camrose Kodiaks/AJHL) tied the game for Team West on a defection though the pads of Team East keeper Andrew Hare (Burlington Cougars/OPJHL), Team East responded with two goals before the period was out off the sticks of Corey Bureau (Wellington Dukes/OPJHL) and Michael Budd (Burlington Cougars/OPJHL) to give them a 3-1 lead through 40 minutes.

Not wanting the game to slip away, Team West came out charging in the third period and were rewarded when Justin Schultz (Westside Warriors/BCHL) slipped the puck past Hare 3:54 into the period.

Unfazed, Team East came back just 39 seconds later and restored their two-goal lead when Miller found room past Team West goaltender Taylor Nelson (Humboldt Broncos/SJHL) for his second goal of the game.

Connolly scored his second of the game on another deflection to bring Team West back to within one, but Team East added an empty-net goal to seal the win.
Hare stopped 27 of the 30 shots he faced in the game and played the entire contest as Curtis Black (Woodstock Slammers/OPJHL) was injured in the skills competition.

Nelson turned away 24 of 27 shots for Team West in 30 minutes of work.

Story by: Scott Unger