RAUMA, Finland – Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team has earned a berth in the semifinals of the 2007 IIHF World Under-18 Championship after finishing first in Pool A with a 3-0-1-0 record (including three wins in regulation and one win in shootout).

Canada has advanced to play in the semi-finals on Friday, April 20th against the winner of the USA vs. Slovakia quarter-final game. The medal games at the 2007 IIHF World Under-18 Championship will be played on Sunday, April 22nd.

Canada completed its preliminary round of the tournament on Tuesday night with a 5-2 win over Russia. Canada also earned victories over Latvia, Germany and the U.S.A., the latter coming in a shootout on Sunday night in Rauma, site of all of Canada’s preliminary games.

For finishing atop Pool A, Canada gets a bye in the quarterfinals, which will be held on Thursday in Tampere. TSN will give fans a preview of Canada’s semifinal opponent, as it will televise Thursday’s quarterfinal between U.S.A. and Slovakia at 6:30 p.m. local time (11:30 a.m. ET). The winner of that game moves on to face Canada in semifinal action on Friday (game time will be determined on April 18th). Canada’s semi-final game will be shown live on TSN, Hockey Canada’s official broadcaster. TSN will also broadcast Canada’s medal game on Sunday, April 22nd. Check local listings.

QUARTER-FINAL SCHEDULE

Thursday, April 19th

7:00 am (ET) RUS (A2) vs. SUI (B3) Tampere Hakametsa

11:30 am (ET) SVK (B2) vs. USA (A3) Tampere Hakametsa TSN/RDS

SEMI-FINAL SCHEDULE

Friday, April 20th

TBD SWEDEN (B1) vs. RUS/SUI Tampere Hakametsa

TBD CANADA (A1) vs. USA/SVK Tampere Hakametsa TSN/RDS

Game times for the two semi-final games will be confirmed at a Directorate meeting on April 18th.

* MEDAL GAME SCHEDULE

Sunday, April 22nd

6:00 am (ET) Bronze medal game Tampere Hakametsa

10 am (ET) Gold medal game Tampere Hakametsa

* TSN will broadcast Canada’s medal game

Canada will travel from Rauma to Tampere on Wednesday for the medal round.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Media are welcome to call Chris Jurewicz, Hockey Canada’s Coordinator of Communications, to talk to players and staff. He can be reached in Finland at 011 358 40 856 58 16.

Canada’s Under-18 team at the 2007 IIHF World Under-18 Championship is made up of the best available players born in 1989 or later who aren’t competing in playoffs with their respective club teams. Many of the players named today will be among the top selections at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft in June.