PARDUBICE, Czech Republic – Canada’s National Junior Team has won the gold medal at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship, scoring a 3-2 overtime win over Sweden in Saturday’s gold medal game.

Matt Halischuk (Mississauga, ON/Kitchener, OHL) was the overtime hero, scoring 3:36 into the extra period. Brad Marchand (Hammonds Plains, NS/Halifax, QMJHL) and Claude Giroux (Ottawa, ON/Gatineau, QMJHL) also scored for Canada, while goaltender Steve Mason (Oakville, ON/Kitchener, OHL) made 26 saves.

Mason was named the tournament’s Top Goaltender and Most Valuable Player, and was named to the Media All-Star Team. He was joined on the team by blueliner Drew Doughty (London, ON/Guelph, OHL), who was also named Top Defenseman.

Mason, captain Karl Alzner (Burnaby, BC/Calgary, WHL) and Shawn Matthias (Mississauga, ON/Belleville, OHL) were named Canada’s Top Three Players.

The gold medal is the fourth in a row for Canada, and the 14th all-time. Canada also won the gold medal in 1982, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2005, 20. Canada’s National Junior Team has medaled in the last 10 IIHF World Junior Championships, and has finished no worse than silver in the last seven.

Canada will look to equal their record of five consecutive gold medals at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa, ON, which will mark the eighth time Canada has played host to the event.

GO TO www.hockeycanada.ca/ottawa2009 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON
THE 2009 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

MEDIA INTERVIEWS WITH TEAM CANADA MEMBERS
Hockey Canada’s manager of communications, André Brin, will be on-site with the team through the end of the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship to assist with media requests. Please take note that the team is departing the evening of Saturday, January 5th, but we will do our best to accommodate phone interviews in the hours following the conclusion of the game.

André Brin’s contact information in Europe: e-mail - [email protected] / cell - 011 37 253 386 941

RETURN FLIGHT ITINERARY FOR TEAM CANADA
The return flight itinerary for members of Canada’s National Junior Team is as follows (subject to change):

Calgary, AB 4:00 p.m. AC 845 Karl Alzner, Thomas Hickey, Zach Boychuk, Brandon Sutter, Dr. Brian Benson (team doctor), Kent Kobelka (physiotherapist)

Halifax, NS 7:34 p.m. AC 614 Brad Marchand

Kelowna, BC 7:27 p.m. AC 8399 Luke Schenn

Medicine Hat, AB 7:08 p.m. AC 7245 Mikki Lanuk (athletic therapist)

Moncton, NB 8:45 p.m. AC 8940 Serge LeBlanc (equipment manager)

Montreal, QC 6:15 p.m. AC 420 Jonathan Bernier, Clément Jodoin (assistant
coach)

Ottawa, ON 5:10 p.m. AC 458 Claude Giroux

Regina, SK 10:08 p.m. WJ 212 Logan Pyett, Riley Holzapfel, Curtis Hunt
(assistant coach)

Saskatoon, SK 8:58 p.m. AC 8588 Colton Gillies

Sault Ste. Marie, ON 7:11 p.m. AC 7795 Josh Godfrey, Wayne Simmonds, Craig
Hartsburg (head coach)

Toronto, ON 2:05 p.m. AC 873 Drew Doughty, John Tavares, Matt Halischuk, P.K. Subban, Shawn Matthias, Stefan Legein, Steve Mason, Steven Stamkos, Jamie Pringle (video coach)

Vancouver, BC 6:50 p.m. AC 225 Kyle Turris

USA ARRIVALS
Las Vegas, NV 6:21 p.m. UA 9192 Corey Hirsch (goaltending consultant)

IMPORTANT NOTE TO MEDIA – Interview requests for players after their arrival in North America can be made through the players’ respective club teams.

» 2008 World Junior Championship