Irish rule Canadian multicultural hockey

NEWS RELEASE

CANADIAN MULTICULTURAL HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS

************************** Luck o' the Irish dominates Canadian Cup

TORONTO, ONTARIO - (Jan. 1, 2007) - Saturday night at Scarborough Arena Gardens, the Irish Shamrocks conquered the Canadian Cup for the second consecutive year, bringing to a magical close the 2nd Annual Coffee Time 241 Pizza Canadian Multicultural Hockey Championships.

The championships, known to at least the 26 communities of diverse ethnic heritage represented in the teams (combined men and women divisions) that currently participate in the tournament, gives Toronto something extra special to be proud of.

In the short two-year existence of the CMHC, a First Nations team and the Irish team, the first people in Canada, have by sheer coincidence come face to face in the final game of a championship that is, without question, gaining tremendous popularity amongst talented and passionate Canadian hockey players aged 19-43 who believe CMHC offers them an ideal platform on which to manifest not only respect for their roots but also what it means to be Canadian and participate in the historical evolution of this country's legendary game of hockey.

At least 15,000 combined spectators from the four arenas where the men's and women's games were held, cheered for the players representing their respective communities.

In the men's Division, the Iroquois Silver Hawks won the silver medal and the Polish Hussars the bronze.

The Ojibwe Northern Storm won the Women's Division, which launched successfully this year with six teams.

The European Sirens won silver and the Japanese Typhoon won bronze.

Gold Olympic medalist Vicky Sonohara made an exclusive appearance playing in the Japanese Typhoon game vs. the Mayhem Dragons (Chinese).

Three new awards were presented for excellence of sportsmanship and play throughout the Championships:

- the Hon. Mike Colle, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration presented Wayne Yamashita (Japanese Arachi) with the first Dalton McGuinty Award for sportsmanship, perseverance and dedication to the game of hockey and inter-community relations

- Stan Papulkas, founder and advisor to the CMHL, presented the John Tory Award (MVP, Woman) to Dianna Boisseneau, Ojibwe Northern Storm

- the Howard Hampton Award (MVP, Men) to went to Mike Wiseman of Irish Shamrocks

The Irish Shamrocks, as the 2006 champions of the Canadian Cup, are invited to Barry's Bay on April 1, 2007, to play the champions of the (Madawaska Valley hosted) 2nd Annual Opeongo Heritage Cup, for the Heritage Bowl.

For more information on this year's Coffee Time 2 4 1 Pizza Canadian Multicultural Hockey Championships, including all scores and its history, please visit www.cmhl.ca.

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