WINNIPEG – Hockey Canada announced on Thursday that Canada’s National Women’s Team will wear pink NIKE Team Canada Classic jerseys at the 2007 IIHF World Women’s Championship for one game on April 7th to honour the first-ever women’s world champions, Canada’s 1990 National Women’s Team.

Canada’s National Women’s Team will be wearing the pink NIKE Team Canada Classic jerseys for one game to pay tribute and recognize the 1990 Canadian team, as well as the history and tradition of women’s hockey in Canada. This initiative will also support breast cancer research and Hockey Canada grassroots programming. At the first official World Women’s Championship in 1990 in Ottawa, ON, Team Canada wore pink jerseys and socks to go along with white helmets and pants.

“Canada’s first world champion women’s team from the 1990 World Championship laid the foundation for almost two decades of unrivalled international success for our women’s program,” said Bob Nicholson, Hockey Canada President. “The 1990 team also laid the foundation for great growth in female hockey in Canada, which has seen female hockey registration grow by over 700% since that first World Championship in 1990.”

Team Canada will wear the pink NIKE Team Canada Classic jerseys for only one game at this year’s World Women’s Championship on April 7th at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg. This game will be shown LIVE on TSN/RDS, the official broadcaster of Hockey Canada (check local listings).

Hockey Canada will be auctioning off these game worn pink NIKE Team Canada Classic jerseys through an official Hockey Canada auction on eBay Canada, with net proceeds shared between the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and Hockey Canada grassroots programming. The auction will begin on eBay.ca on April 7th and run for seven days.

The CBCF will also be raising funds at the world championship through a ‘Brave the Shave’ taking place at the MTS Centre one hour prior to the start of the April 7th game. Proceeds from ‘All Canadian 6 Packs’ sold at the event are also going to support the CBCF.

Women’s hockey fans are now able to purchase their own replica pink NIKE Team Canada Classic jersey, as part of the ‘Team Canada Classics’ collection. Quantities for retail sale are limited, and suggested retail price is $99.99, plus applicable taxes and fees. These one-of-a-kind jerseys are on sale now through Jersey City’s 17 retail locations across Canada as well as on-line www.hockeycanada.ca – click on ‘shop’ or www.jerseycity.ca, at Sportchek and River City Sports (in Winnipeg only), and in-venue during the World Women’s Championship in Winnipeg.

The 2007 IIHF World Women’s Championship takes place April 3-10 in Winnipeg and Selkirk, Manitoba. Tickets are still available at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.ca/iihf and by calling 204-780-3333.