YORKTON, SK – Canada East and Canada West will meet for the gold medal at the first-ever World Junior A Challenge in Yorkton, SK on Sunday, November 12th at 8:30 p.m. ET. The bronze medal game (3:30 p.m. ET) will see Russia taking on Slovakia. The gold medal game will be broadcast on TSN/RDS on Saturday, November 18. Check your local listings for broadcast times in your area.

Canada West earned their spot in Sunday’s game with a convincing 7-1 win over the Slovakians in Saturday’s second semi-final. The Canadians outshot their opponents 56-10 in the victory. Tyler McNeely (Burnaby, BC/Burnaby Express, BCHL), Casey Pierro-Zabotel (Kamloops, BC/Merritt Centennials, BCHL), Deron Cousens (Georgetown, ON/Penticton Vees, BCHL), Kyle Reed (Calgary, AB/Notre Dame Hounds, SJHL), Riley Nash (Kamloops, BC/Salmon Arm Silverbacks, BCHL), Ben Winnett (New Westminster, BC/Salmon Arm Silverbacks, BCHL) and Tyson Hobbins (Nipawin, SK/Nipawin Hawks, SJHL) scored in a winning cause. Keanan Boomer (Edmonton, AB/Camrose Kodiaks, AJHL) needed to make just nine saves to pick up the win between the pipes for Canada West.

Canada East took care of Russia in Saturday’s first semi-final, scoring four first-period goals on their way to a 5-1 win. Michael Lecomte (St-Hyancinthe, QC/Cougars de Collège Champlain, LHJAAAQ), Jordan Knox (Skinners Pond, PEI/Summerside Western Capitals, MJAHL), Spencer Anderson (Caledon, ON/Brampton Capitals, OPJHL), David Kostuch (Richmond Hill, ON/Markham Waxers, OPJHL) and Louie Caporusso (Woodbridge, ON/St. Michael’s Buzzers, OPJHL) scored the Canadian goals, while goaltender Cameron Talbot (Caledonia, ON/Hamilton Red Wings, OPJHL) kept his goals against average for the tournament at 1.00 with a 26-save performance.

The inaugural World Junior A Challenge, a partnership of Hockey Canada and the Canadian Junior A Hockey League, is one of many events and initiatives taking place during Hockey Canada Week, from November 4-12. Check out www.hockeycanada.ca for more information.

The 2006 World Junior A Challenge is a first time event, bringing together players from the CJAHL’s 10 member leagues, as well as international entries from Russia, Slovakia, Germany and Belarus. This year’s event was split between Yorkton and Humboldt, SK. The 2007 version of the event will be held in Trail, BC.

TOURNAMENT ALL-STAR TEAM ANNOUNCED

At a banquet at the Gallagher Centre in Yorkton on Friday night, the all-star team of the inaugural World Junior A Challenge was announced. Four of the six competing teams had players named to the team. Russia and Canada West were the only teams to place more than one player on the team.

The following players were named to the World Junior A Challenge All-Star Team:

GOALTENDER – Jaroslav Janus (Slovakia)

DEFENSEMAN – Deron Cousens (Canada West)

DEFENSEMAN – Maxim Isaev (Russia)

FORWARD – Louie Caporusso (Canada East)

FORWARD – Sergey Korostin (Russia)

FORWARD – Kyle Turris (Canada West)