2011 WU Update: CIS Announces Canadian Men’s Ice Hockey Roster

2009 WU Gold Medal Game: RUS vs. CAN

OTTAWA – Canadian Interuniversity Sport announced Friday the coaching staff and the 22 CIS players who will represent Canada in men’s ice hockey at the 25^th Winter Universiade in Erzurum, Turkey.

The event, also known as the World University Winter Games, will run from Jan. 27th to Feb. 6th. The men’s ice hockey tournament gets under way on the first day of competition with the championship match serving as the Games’ grand finale on Feb. 6th at 3 p.m. (local), a few hours before the closing ceremony.

Canada goes into the tourney as reigning silver medallist after dropping a 4-2 decision to archrival Russia at the 2009 final in Harbin, China. Two years before in Turin, Italy, Canada defeated the Russians 3-1 in the gold medal match to capture their third-ever Universiade title, following triumphs in 1991 (Sapporo, Japan) and in 1981 (Jaca, Spain).

In Turkey, an all-star team comprised entirely of players from the Ontario University Athletics conference will wear the maple leaf jersey on their chests.

Since 1997, Canada has been represented at the Games in men’s ice hockey by each of three CIS conferences on a rotating basis. Canada West players claimed bronze medals in 1997 (Chonju, South Korea) and 2003 (Tarvisio, Italy) and silver in 2009. OUA skaters won bronze in 1999 (Poprad-Tatry, Slovakia) and finished fifth in 2005 (Innsbruck, Austria). The Atlantic University Sport all-stars returned home with silver in 2001 (Zakapone, Poland) and gold in 2007.

Leading the 2011 red and white squad will be general manager Brian Bourque from the University of Waterloo and head coach Clarke Singer from Western Ontario. Singer, who also headed the OUA delegation in 2005, will be assisted by Concordia’s Kevin Figsby, who was also behind the bench six years ago, and Guelph’s Shawn Kemp.

Rounding out the team personnel are equipment manager Bob McLeod of Western, therapist Gunner Obrascos of Guelph and video coordinator Cam O’Donnell, also from Western.

“We are very pleased with the team we have assembled. The training camp was exceptional and the 31 student-athletes who participated made the selection process extremely difficult for us,” said Singer, whose staff finalized the Universiade roster following an exhibition game against Canadian world junior hopefuls on Tuesday night. “We are very excited about the 22 players who are going to represent OUA, CIS and Canada at the Games and we look forward to challenging the best nations in the world for a gold medal.”

Without much surprise, the OUA West Division-leading Western Ontario Mustangs and OUA East-leading McGill Redmen dominated the selection with seven and four skaters, respectively. Both teams are undefeated in regulation time thus far in conference play, with the Mustangs sporting a sparkling 13-0-3 record while the Redmen own a remarkable 16-0-2 mark.

Windsor’s Jim Watt and Western’s Anthony Grieco will defend the Canadian net in Turkey. Watt has an OUA-leading .930 save percentage and a 2.41 goals-against average in 14 starts with the Lancers this fall, while Grieco isn’t far behind in both categories, posting a .920 save percentage and a 2.51 GAA in 11 outings.

Leading the defensive unit is reigning CIS defenceman of the year Marc-André Dorion of McGill. The third-year native of St. Hubert, Que., currently leads all CIS rearguards with 32 points (7-25-32) in 18 games this season, after finishing second in the country among blue-liners a year ago when he tallied 36 points in 25 contests.

Rounding out the defensive corps are Western teammates Scott Aarssen and Geoff Killing, Ottawa freshman Dominic Jalbert, Guelph’s Tim Priamo, Lakehead’s Jordan Smith and Waterloo’s Kyle Sonnenburg.

Smith and Sonnenburg are both former CIS all-Canadians, while Aarssen was a member of the CIS all-rookie team in 2009-10.

Offensively, Canada shouldn’t be lacking for firepower in Erzurum.

Leading the way will be current CIS leading scorer Francis Verreault-Paul of McGill. The junior left-winger from Mashteuiatsh, Que., who earned first-team all-Canadian status a year ago after he finished second in the country with 54 points in 27 games, is enjoying a mind-boggling campaign and leads the nation with 26 goals and 39 points in only 16 contests.

A former QMJHL all-star with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, he is joined up front by the Western foursome of Kevin Baker, Yashar Farmanara, Aaron Snow and Keaton Turkiewicz, McGill teammates Maxime Langelier Parent and Evan Vossen, Lakehead’s Matt Caria, UQTR’s Francis Charland, Guelph’s Thomas Kiriakou, Carleton’s Brandon MacLean, Waterloo’s Chris Ray and Wilfrid Laurier’s Jean-Michel Rizk.

Baker (9-15-24), Caria (8-20-28), Kiriakou (7-13-20), MacLean (8-17-25) and Ray (6-14-20) all lead their respective teams in scoring at the Christmas break. Ray was a second-team all-Canadian in 2009-10, while Rizk received the same honor in 2008-09.

The 12 countries entered in the 2011 Universiade tournament will be split in three pools, with eight teams advancing to the quarter-finals at the end of the preliminary round.

Canada kicks off Pool B play against Slovenia on Jan. 27 and resumes the opening round against Belarus on Jan. 29 and Korea on Jan. 31.

Pool A is comprised of defending champion Russia, Japan, the Czech Republic and host Turkey, while the USA, Kazakhstan, Spain and Slovakia make up Pool C. The Russians open their title defence against Japan on Jan. 27.

In 2009, Team Canada cruised through pool play with wins over host China (13-0), Great Britain (11-2), the Czech Republic (3-1) and Kazakhstan (7-2). The Canada West all-stars went on to dominate Slovakia 8-1 in the semi-finals before losing to Russia in the final.

(Source: Michel Belanger, CIS Media Officer)