October 6, 2010
NR.117

CANADA’S NATIONAL WOMEN’S TEAM ROSTER ANNOUNCED
FOR 2010 4 NATIONS CUP THIS NOVEMBER IN NEWFOUNDLAND

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada announced Wednesday the 24 players that have been selected for Canada’s National Women’s Team for the 2010 4 Nations Cup in St. John’s and Clarenville, N.L. from November 9-13.  

The 2010 4 Nations Cup roster includes three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 14 forwards, selected from a list of 66 players who attended the National Women’s Team evaluation camp in Calgary, Alta. from September 22-26.

The 2010 4 Nations Cup will bring together the top four women’s hockey nations in the world – Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States – for the first time since the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C. The four countries competing at the 2010 4 Nations Cup finished as the top four in Vancouver, led by the gold medal-winning Canadian team.

Canada’s 4 Nations Cup roster includes 14 members of Canada’s gold medal-winning team from the 2010 Olympic Winter Games (Agosta, Apps, Bonhomme, Hefford, Irwin, Johnston, Mikkelson, Ouellette, Piper, Poulin, St-Pierre, Szabados, Vaillancourt, Wickenheiser) and eight members of Canada’s National Women’s Under-22 Team that swept the United States in a three-game series in August in Toronto (Bendus, Birchard, Jenner, Johnston, Poulin, Spooner, Wakefield, Watchorn).

Goaltender Christina Kessler (Mississauga, Ont./Burlington, CWHL), defenceman Tara Watchorn (Newcastle, Ont./Boston University, Hockey East) and forward Vicki Bendus (Wasaga Beach, Ont./Mercyhurst College, CHA) will make their debuts with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2010 4 Nations Cup.

“The National Women’s Team roster for this year’s 4 Nations Cup provides a nice balance of experienced veterans and up-and-coming players,” said Ryan Walter, head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team for the 2010 4 Nations Cup. “It will be exciting to watch them come together on the ice in Newfoundland and Labrador, where they’ll face the best women’s hockey teams in the world.”

Following the 2010 4 Nations Cup, Hockey Canada scouts will continue to evaluate the country’s top female players throughout the season to determine rosters for upcoming international competitions, including the 2011 IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship and the 2011 MLP Cup, both taking place in January, and the 2011 IIHF World Women’s Championship, scheduled for next April in Switzerland.

Both the Canada-Finland game on Friday, November 12 and the gold medal game on Saturday, November 13 will be broadcast on TSN/RDS, the official broadcasters of Hockey Canada. Check your local listings for 2010 4 Nations Cup broadcast times in your area. Games throughout the week will be available via webcast at hockeycanada.fasthockey.com, on a pay-per-view basis for $6.95 per game.

4 NATIONS CUP TICKET PACKAGES: For only $75, fans can attend all six games at Mile One Centre in St. John’s, including the Olympic gold medal rematch between Canada and the United States on Tuesday, November 9. Ticket packages can be purchased at the Mile One Centre box office, by calling 709-576-7657 or 1-800-361-4595, or by visiting www.admission.com.
A two-game ticket package for the games in Clarenville is available for $35 (plus service fees). Ticket packages can be purchased from the Clarenville Events Centre box office, or by calling 709-466-4105 ex. 222.

MEDIA ACCREDITATION: Members of the media who wish to cover the 2010 4 Nations Cup must request accreditation from Hockey Canada by Friday, October 29. Confirmation will be sent to media the following week.

Francis Dupont, Hockey Canada’s manager of media relations and communications, and Kristen Lipscombe, Hockey Canada’s coordinator of communications, will be on site in St. John’s and Clarenville. Please contact Francis at 587-999-5681 or fdupont@hockeycanada.ca, and Kristen at 403-826-4819 or klipscombe@hockeycanada.ca, for interview requests leading up to and during the 2010 4 Nations Cup.