BURLINGTON, Vt. – Hockey Canada updated the status of forward Haley Irwin (Thunder Bay, Ont./University of Minnesota Duluth, WCHA) on Sunday, after she suffered a sprained ankle during Saturday night’s game against the United States at the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship.

Irwin will miss the remainder of the world championship, which kicked off Saturday, April 7 and concludes Saturday, April 14. Irwin will stay with Canada’s National Women’s Team in Burlington, Vt., at this time.

Canada cannot replace Irwin on its roster for the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship, since teams only have a total of 23 positions available.

In preliminary action, Canada suffered a 9-2 loss to the United States in its opening game Saturday, beat Finland 3-2 on Sunday and next faces Russia at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 10. The semifinals are scheduled for Friday, April 13 and medal games take place next Saturday. All of Canada’s games are being broadcast on TSN and RDS, official broadcasters of Hockey Canada. Please check your local listings for broadcast times in your area.

The 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship is the 14th since the tournament’s 1990 inception. Canada’s National Women’s Team has appeared in every world championship gold medal game, winning nine gold medals (1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 20) and four silver (2005, 2008, 20).

NOTE TO MEDIA: Kristen Lipscombe, Hockey Canada’s coordinator of communications, will be on site with Canada’s National Women’s Team in Burlington. Please contact her for interview requests at [email protected] or (403) 826-4819.

To stay up-to-date on Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship this April in Burlington, please follow Team Canada at www.Twitter.com/HC_TeamCanada, become a fan of Hockey Canada at www.Facebook.com/HockeyCanada and visit www.HockeyCanada.ca/NWT.