Ottawa, Ont. – Canada National Women’s Team is set for the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship, taking place April 2-9 in Ottawa, Ont.

The 23-player roster includes three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards, including 22 returnees from last year’s world championship, which Canada won with an overtime victory over the United States in the gold medal game.

Canada’s National Women’s Team held a pre-competition camp in Petawawa, Ont., prior to the world championship, including a 3-1 win over the Gatineau Mustangs of the Eastern Ontario Junior B Hockey League on Thursday evening. A portion of the proceeds went to the Ottawa Valley District Girls Hockey Association. Canada concluded its pre-tournament schedule Saturday night with an 8-0 victory over Sweden in Pembroke, Ont.

“It has been a productive week in Petawawa, and words cannot describe the excitement of being on the base at CFB Petawawa and spending a few days with the Canadian Forces,” said Dan Church, head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team. “We’re excited to get the world championship underway on Tuesday night against the Americans. Playing in a world championship in Canada is an honour for every single one of our players, and they will wear the maple leaf with pride in Ottawa.”

It was announced Saturday that Hayley Wickenheiser (Shaunavon, Sask./University of Calgary, CIS) has been named captain of Canada’s National Women’s Team, while Jayna Hefford (Kingston, Ont./Brampton, CWHL) and Caroline Ouellette (Montreal, Que./Montreal, CWHL) will serve as alternate captains. It is the sixth consecutive world championship as captain for Wickenheiser, who also wore the ‘C’ at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

The puck drops on Canada’s opening game at the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship, against the United States, at 7:30 p.m. ET on April 2. TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcasters, will air all of Canada’s games, including preliminary games against Switzerland at 7:30 p.m. ET on April 3 and Finland at 7:30 p.m. ET on April 5. The semifinals are scheduled for April 8 and medal match-ups taking place the following day. Check your local listings for broadcast times in your area.

Single-day ticket packages are now on sale, starting at just $49 (plus applicable fees) for the April 2 doubleheader featuring Canada-United States and Switzerland-Finland. In addition, a number of ticket packages are available that offer significant savings over single-game and single-day tickets. For more information on tickets, including how to purchase, visit www.hockeycanada.ca/2013ottawa or call 613-599-FANS (3267).

The 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship is the 15th since the tournament’s 1990 inception. Canada’s National Women’s Team has appeared in every world championship gold medal game, winning 10 gold medals (1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2012) and four silver (2005, 2008, 2009 and 2011).

NOTE TO MEDIA: Francis Dupont, Hockey Canada’s manager of media relations, is on site with Canada’s National Women’s Team during the world championship. Please contact him for interview requests at [email protected] or 587-999-5681.

For more information on Canada’s National Women’s Team and Hockey Canada, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca/nwt, or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hc_women.