Zack Torquato off to Europe with Team Canada

NEWS RELEASES

HOCKEY CANADA

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CANADA’S NATIONAL SUMMER UNDER-18 TEAM NAMED BY HOCKEY CANADA FOR 2006 JUNIOR WORLD CUP (IVAN HLINKA MEMORIAL) IN SLOVAKIA AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC

CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada, along with the Canadian Hockey League, announced Canada’s National Summer Under-18 Team roster for the upcoming Junior World Cup in Piestany, Slovakia and Breclav, Czech Republic from August 8-12, 2006.

The players were selected by the coaching staff and Hockey Canada’s Head Scout Jim Hammett following a Selection Camp which ran from July 29th through August 1st. The National Summer Under-18 Team coaching staff is made up of Head Coach Cory Clouston (Viking, AB/ Kootenay, WHL) and assistant coaches Dave Hunchak (Warman, SK/Swift Current, WHL) and Jeff Truitt (Rosetown, SK/ Kelowna, WHL).

A total of 44 players have been at the National Summer Under-18 Team Selection Camp since July 29th and have been vying for one of the 22 spots on the Junior World Cup roster. Two players (Scott Brannon, John Tavares) left camp on Monday, July 31st due to injuries. A third player, Logan Couture (London, ON/Ottawa, OHL) suffered a laceration to his left leg in the final Red vs. White intersquad game on Tuesday and will not be able to compete in the Junior World Cup. Nineteen players were released on Wednesday morning, and returned home.

Canada’s National Summer Under-18 Team is one of two Under-18 Teams that Hockey Canada operates on an annual basis. In April, Canada’s World Championship Under-18 Team, comprised of players and staff members not involved in their respective league playoffs, will attend the 2007 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.

Canada’s 2006 National Summer Under-18 Team includes 21 players who took part in the 2006 World Under-17 Challenge in Regina, SK. Only Justin Leclerc (Saskatoon, Sask./ Portland, WHL) is taking part in his first Program of Excellence event.

NATIONAL SUMMER UNDER-18 TEAM SCHEDULE (August 2-3, 2006)

Wednesday, August 2, 2006 10 am Team Photo (Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary, AB) 10:15 – 10:30 am Media availability on-site (Players, Coaches) 10:30 – 11:15 am Team Practice 11:15 am Domino’s Skills Challenge demonstration with select Under-18 players 11:30 am Media availability with players and coaches (if necessary)

Thursday, August 3, 2006 8:30 am Check in at Calgary International Airport 10:00 am Flight departure

The 2006 Junior World Cup (Ivan Hlinka Memorial) will take place from August 8-12, 2006 in Piestany, Slovakia and Breclav, Czech Republic.

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ROSTER:

Goaltenders Cann, Trevor (Oakville, ON) Peterborough (OHL) Leclerc, Justin (Saskatoon, SK) Lethbridge (WHL) Defence Doughty, Drew (London, ON) Guelph (OHL) Grant, Alex (Antigonish, NS) Saint John (QMJHL) Hickey, Thomas (Calgary, AB) Seattle (WHL) Katic, Mark (Porcupine, ON) Sarnia (OHL) Negrin, John (West Vancouver, BC) Kootenay (WHL) Ross, Nick (Lethbridge, AB) Regina (WHL) Schenn, Luke (Saskatoon, SK) Kelowna (WHL)

Forwards Bastien, Yves (Dowling, ON) Kitchener (OHL) Boychuk, Zach (Airdrie, AB) Lethbridge (WHL) Cameron, Bryan (Brampton, ON) Belleville (OHL) Ennis, Tyler (Edmonton, AB) Medicine Hat (WHL) Esposito, Angelo (Montreal, QC) Quebec (QMJHL) Fortier, Olivier (Quebec City, QC) Rimouski (QMJHL) Gillies, Colton (Surrey, BC) Saskatoon (WHL) King, Dwight (Meadow Lake, SK) Lethbridge (WHL) MacMillan, Logan (Winsloe, PEI) Halifax (QMJHL) Sonne, Brett (Maple Ridge, BC) Calgary (WHL) Sutter, Brandon (Red Deer, AB) Red Deer (WHL) Turris, Kyle (New Westminster, BC) Burnaby (BCHL) Torquato, Zack (Sault Ste. Marie, ON) Saginaw (OHL)

SCHEDULE:

Sunday, August 6 Exhibition CAN - CZE Breclav, CZE

Tuesday, August 8 CAN - SUI Piestany, SVK

Wednesday, August 9 SWE - CAN Piestany, SVK

Thursday, August 10 SVK - CAN Piestany, SVK Friday, August 11- Day off Saturday, August 12 Medal Round game schedule to be determined after round robin

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Team Red 3 - Team White 2

Summer Selection Camp Tueday, August 1, 2006 | 18:00 MT Calgary, AB, CAN Father David Bauer Arena

Calgary –- Forty-two players took the ice on Tuesday night in Calgary with one last chance to impress the coaching and scouting staff, and to earn one of twenty-two spots on Canada’s National Summer Under-18 Team. Team Red took the first two intersquad games so there was also pride on the line for Team White, looking to avoid a sweep.

The two teams kept up the fast pace that had been on display in intersquad games 1 and 2. But there were few rewards for their efforts in the first period. Team White managed the only goal, as Sam Gagner (Oakville, ON/Sioux City, USHL) finished off a passing play and beat Team Red’s starting netminder Justin Leclerc (Saskatoon, SK./ Lethbridge, WHL).

Team White came close to adding to its lead in the second frame, as Bryan Cameron and Zack Torquato came within inches of giving their side a two-goal cushion. The two near misses came back to haunt the White side, as Team Red tied it at 2-2 at 17:07, as Colton Sceviour (Red Deer, AB/ Portland, WHL) beat Team White’s Kurtis Mucha (Sherwood Park, AB/ Portland, WHL) high to the glove side. Mucha had come in to replace Jake Fischer (Belle River,ON/ Windsor, OHL) who started the game for Team White. Trevor Cann (Oakvile, ON/ Peterborough, OHL) took over for Leclerc in Team Red’s net.

Team Red took a 2-1 lead when Logan Couture (London, ON/Ottawa, OHL) rifled a shot that Mucha was only able to get a piece, but managed to find the top corner of the net for the go ahead goal.

Team White forward Brandon Sutter (Red Deer, AB/Red Deer, WHL) was able to tie things up at 2-2 as he slapped home a rebound into a virtually empty net as Cann was still caught on the opposite side from the initial shot.

The game winning goal belonged to Team Red’s Brett Sonne (Maple Ridge, BC/Calgary, WHL) as he scored on the power play to give Red the 3-2 victory and a clean sweep of the three game series.

The coaching staff, consisting of Head Coach Cory Clouston and assistant coaches Dave Hunchak and Jeff Truitt, were meeting with Hockey Canada Head Scout Jim Hammett following the game, with some very difficult decisions ahead of them. On Wednesday, August 2nd, in the morning, the final roster will be announced to the players and to all Canadian hockey fans. The team leaves for Slovakia on Thursday. ************************************************************