CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada has announced the three Canadian Hockey League (CHL) general managers that will make up the Program of Excellence management group for the 2023-24 season.

Dave Brown (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont./Erie, OHL) and Cam Russell (Cole Harbour, N.S./Halifax, QMJHL) will make their debuts as members of the POE management group, with Brown guiding the men’s under-17 program through the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and Russell leading the under-18 program through the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Peter Anholt (Naicam, Sask./Lethbridge, WHL) will return to the program to advise the under-20 program and Canada’s National Junior Team through the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Anholt will take over for James Boyd (Midland, Ont./Ottawa, OHL), whose two-year tenure with the under-20 program included back-to-back gold medals at the 2022 and 2023 IIHF World Junior Championships.

“We are excited to welcome Dave and Cam to the POE to lead our under-17 and under-18 programs, and to welcome back Peter as the under-20 lead after an outstanding job guiding our under-18 program,” said Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of hockey operations. “All three individuals bring a wealth of CHL experience to our program, and we look forward to having them work alongside our athletes and staff while leading our men’s national teams next season.

“We also wish to thank James Boyd for two years of commitment and dedication to Canada’s National Junior Team. James was instrumental in helping Canada win two-straight gold medals at the World Juniors, and we are grateful for his effort and leadership over the past two years.”

Brown is in his eighth season (2015-23) as general manager of the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) after serving four seasons (2011-15) as director of hockey operations with the team. He helped lead Erie to an OHL championship in 2017, and contributed to a CHL record of four-consecutive 50-win seasons (2011-15). Prior to joining the Otters, Brown spent seven seasons with the Mississauga/Niagara IceDogs, serving as assistant general manager (2003-05) and general manager (2005-10).

Russell has spent 22 seasons with the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He has served as general manager for the past 15 years (2008-23), helping the Mooseheads win the Memorial Cup in 2013. Russell started his coaching career as an assistant with Halifax for three seasons (2000-03) before serving as a player development consultant for two years (2004-06). He also served as head coach for parts of five seasons (2006-11), adding the GM title to his coaching duties in 2008. As a player, he played 396 NHL games over 10 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks (1989-99) and Colorado Avalanche (1998-99), and won two Presidents Cup championships with the QMJHL’s Hull Olympiques.

Anholt has led the under-18 program for the past two seasons, helping Canada’s National Summer Under-18 Team win a gold medal at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He is currently in his eighth full season (2015-23) as general manager of the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League (WHL) after being promoted from assistant general manager in 2014. Anholt also spent time as head coach of the Hurricanes for part of the 2014-15 season, and has won the WHL Executive of the Year award twice (2015-16, 2019-20). Anholt brings a wealth of WHL experience as a head coach, assistant coach and scout, including stints with the Prince Albert Raiders (1986-89, 2002-07), Seattle Thunderbirds (1989-92, 2012-14), Red Deer Rebels (1992-95, 1998-2000, 2007-08, 2011-12) and Kelowna Rockets (1996-98).

The management group will work alongside Salmond and Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.), director of player personnel, as well as the organization’s hockey operations staff. Day-to-day operations for the POE management group include assisting in coach and player selections, supporting the coaching staffs and providing input during camps and tournaments throughout the season.

The Program of Excellence will be overseen by Pat McLaughlin (Saint John, N.B.), Hockey Canada’s chief operating officer; Salmond; Millar; Dan MacKenzie (Guelph, Ont.), CHL president; David Branch (Bathurst, N.B.), OHL commissioner; Mario Cecchini (Saint-Lambert, Que.), incoming QMJHL commissioner; and Ron Robison (Indian Head, Sask.), WHL commissioner.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the Program of Excellence, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

LANGLEY, B.C. – Canada Red has finished with the silver medal at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, falling 11-3 to the United States in the gold medal game on Saturday night at the Langley Events Centre.

Porter Martone (Peterborough, Ont./Sarnia, OHL) scored twice and Nathan Villeneuve (Ottawa, Ont./Sudbury, OHL) added a power play marker for Canada Red, which briefly got to within two midway through the second period before the Americans pulled away for their sixth U17 gold medal.

Cole Eiserman led the way for the United States with three goals – finishing with a tournament-high 12 – and three assists. James Hagens had two goals and three assists, finishing atop the tournament scoring race with 21 points.

“We liked the way we started the game; we were playing well. Their goalie made some big saves when we had a power play early on,” said Canada Red head coach Greg Walters (Toronto, Ont./Owen Sound, OHL). “We thought we were playing a really good hockey game. We made one bad turnover and then the game kind of spiraled away from us.”

“This has been an amazing experience. There is nothing like playing against the best players in the world,” said Canada Red captain Berkly Catton (Saskatoon, Sask./Spokane, WHL). “I learned a lot from my teammates and coaches, and talking to the people around the event has been an unreal experience.”

Canada Black finishes fourth

In the bronze medal game earlier on Saturday, Canada Black dropped a 7-1 decision to Finland.

Finland led 3-0 after one period and took a four-goal lead nine seconds into the second before Lukas Karmiris (Brantford, Ont./Mississauga, OHL) scored the lone goal for Canada Black. It’s the second bronze for the Finns at the tournament, and first since 1998.

“We put ourselves in a tough spot. Hockey is a game of emotion and with teenage kids there are ups and downs. Unfortunately for us the game started with a quick down, and it was difficult to recover from there,” said Canada Black head coach Mark O’Leary (Owen Sound, Ont./Moose Jaw, WHL). “We did not quit, we kept playing, but it was a tough game from start to finish.”

Following the gold medal game, the tournament all-star team was announced. Catton, Eiserman and Hagens comprise the forwards, Sam Dickinson (Toronto, Ont./London, OHL) from Canada Black and Henry Mews (Nepean, Ont./Ottawa, OHL) from Canada White are the defencemen and Canada Red’s Gabriel D’Aigle (Sorel-Tracy, Que./Victoriaville, QMJHL) is the goaltender.

For more information on the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.

Canada Black 7, Czechia 5

• Justin Poirier (Valleyfield, Que./Baie-Comeau, QMJHL) led the way for Canada Black with a goal and two assists.
• Cole Beaudoin (Kanata, Ont./Barrie, OHL) scored twice.
• Thomas Desruisseaux (Lévis, Que./Cape Breton, QMJHL) and Lucas Karmiris (Brantford, Ont./Mississauga, OHL) each had a goal and an assist.
• Adam Titlbach scored a goal and provided three assists for Czechia.
• Adam Benak scored twice, including a lacrosse-style goal, and added an assist.
• The win earns Canada Black a spot in the bronze medal game.

Canada Red 6, Sweden 3

• Porter Martone (Peterborough, Ont./Sarnia, OHL) scored twice for Canada Red.
• Tij Iginla (Lake Country, B.C./Seattle, WHL) had a goal and two assists.
• Gabriel D’Aigle (Sorel-Tracy, Que./Victoriaville, QMJHL) made 35 saves for the win.
• Anton Olson, Mans Toresson and Viggo Nordlund scored for Sweden.
• The win earns Canada Red a spot in the gold medal game.

Canada White 8, Finland 2

• Roger McQueen (Saskatoon, Sask./Brandon, WHL) scored twice and added an assist for Canada White.
• Gavin Hodnett (Winnipeg, Man./Edmonton, WHL) and Éliot L’Italien (L’Ancienne-Lorette, Que./Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL) had a goal and an assist apiece.
• David Egorov (Manoctick, Ont./Hamilton, GOJHL) made 33 saves for the win.
• Joona Saarelainen had a goal and an assist for Finland.

Next games – Saturday, November 12:

• Bronze medal game: Finland vs. Canada Black – 12 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre)
• Gold medal game: Canada Red vs. United States – 5 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre)

Quotes:
“It was an emotional rollercoaster today, that is for sure. There were lots of learning experiences for our guys again. We have been getting better every day here and certainly deserve to play for a medal. We have an outgoing group that have gotten to know one another really well. They are enjoying themselves and I am happy for them that they get a chance to play for a medal.”
-      Canada Black head coach Mark O’Leary (Owen Sound, Ont./Moose Jaw, WHL) on making it past the preliminary round.

“It was a big win for us. We have played really well [without Macklin Celebrini and Malcolm Spence], they are two really good players that would have helped us a lot. We have got a good team and everyone stepped up into new roles, taken pride in those roles and played them very well. We are lucky to have the players and coaches that we have.”
-      Canada Black captain Sam Dickinson (Toronto, Ont./London, OHL) on his team’s effort.

"We played fast and were team-first as you could see in their play. The kids have done a great job at bonding together, we have a special group of 21 players in [the dressing room]. They have all bought into the logo and not the name on the back [of the jersey]. We were a little nervous to start, but D’Aigle is one of the top goalies in the country and he proved it tonight, giving our guys a chance. I am really proud of our guys.”
-      Canada Red head coach Greg Walters (Toronto, Ont./Owen Sound, OHL) on earning a spot in the gold medal game.

“[D’Aigle] was our MVP tonight, even in moments when we were getting outplayed, he kept us in there; he was someone we could lean on today. [The U.S.] is a good team, but at the end of the day it is hockey, and we are going to get out there and give them a good game.”
-      Iginla on the opportunity to play for a gold medal.

“We did not have a bad tournament, but we were not consistent. The first game really hurt us. I thought that we hung in there every game. Knowing that we did not have a chance at the medal round, it would have been easy to throw in the towel, but our guys came out strong today. We finished on a positive note, the guys played the Canadian way.”
-      Canada White head coach Bruce Richardson (Ville St-Pierre, Que./Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL) on finishing strong.

“It was good to end the tournament with a win. We played way better, cleaner on our exits and had better passing tonight. This has been a special experience. Wearing the [Maple] Leaf is something that you dream of ever since you are a kid. We had a great group of guys; this has been an unreal experience.”
-      Ritchie on the experience of playing with Canada White.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Langley Events Centre; please check local listings for details.

For more information on the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.

United States 8, Canada White 2

• Kamil Bednarik, James Hagens and Lucas Van Vliet scored 1:35 apart in the first period for the U.S.
• Shane Vansaghi had two goals and two assists for the United States.
• Christian Humphreys added two goals and an assist for the Americans.
• Marek Howell (Calgary, Alta./Moose Jaw, WHL) scored shorthanded for Canada White.
• Ryder Ritchie (Kelowna, B.C./Prince Albert, WHL) scored Canada White’s other goal.

Next games – Friday, November 11:

• Czechia vs. Canada Black – 2 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre)
• Canada Red vs. Sweden – 7 p.m. PT (Sungod Arena)
• Finland vs. Canada White – 7 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre)

Quotes:
“We had good intentions; we were ready to play. They took a quick lead, and we were not able to bounce back. [The U.S.] are a good hockey team, they do not have a lot of holes in their game and they have a lot of good depth. We had a hard time reacting to them and struggled to play up to their pace. Our guys have got to stay disciplined and stay within our game plan. Today they were the better hockey team.”
-      Canada White head coach Bruce Richardson (Ville St-Pierre, Que./Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL) on coming up short.

“From the moment I woke up this morning, I knew it was going to be a special game. Once we got out there it just felt like another game, knowing we just had to play our game to give us a chance. We have got to give credit to the U.S., they came out ready to play today. I have watched the massive rivalry [between Canada and the United States] since I was a kid. This has been the coolest experience I have had in my life.”
-      Howell on the opportunity to play against the United States.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Langley Events Centre; please check local listings for details.

All preliminary-round games are livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca.

For more information on the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.

Canada Red 8, Finland 5

• Canada Red got goals from eight different players.
• Tij Iginla (Lake Country, B.C./Seattle, WHL) and Porter Martone (Peterborough, Ont./Sarnia, OHL) recorded a goal and two assists each.
• Carson Wetsch (North Vancouver, B.C./Calgary, WHL) and Berkly Catton (Saskatoon, Sask./Spokane, WHL) had a goal and an assist apiece.
• Konsta Helenius and Matvey Butkowskiy scored and had a helper for Finland.

Sweden 5, Czechia 4

• Wille Magnettoft scored with 18 seconds left in the third to secure the win for Sweden.
• Twelve Swedes recorded points in the win.
• Adam Titlbach scored two goals for Czechia.
• Adam Jecho contributed two assists for the Czechs.

Next game – Thursday, November 10:

• United States vs. Canada White – 7 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre)

Quotes:
“Our defence played their best game of the tournament so far; we played a simple, smart game. We played an extremely fast game on offence, kept getting pucks in behind their defence. They had their push in the third, but for the most part we played a great hockey game. We just played two really good games back-to-back. We will get some rest tomorrow, and if we play like this again we like our chances [on Friday].”
-      Canada Red head coach Greg Walters (Toronto, Ont./Owen Sound, OHL) on his team’s recent play.

“It felt great [to score], but the biggest thing for us was the team success and getting the win; we needed that to stay alive. We want to keep it up moving forward. We fought good battles and got pucks out and deep when we had nothing, which certainly demoralizes teams. We will control what we can control moving forward and hope things shake out the way we need them to.”
-      Iginla on doing the right things as a team.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Langley Events Centre; please check local listings for details.

All preliminary-round games are livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca.

For more information on the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.

Finland 6, Sweden 3

• Roope Vesterinen had two goals and an assist for Finland.
• Aksei Pulkkanen contributed a goal and two assists for the Finns.
• Karl Sterner scored a goal and had an assist for Sweden.

United States 6, Canada Black 1

• James Hagens had two goals for the U.S., bringing his point total to 14 through five games.
• Cole Eiserman provided two assists for the United States.
• Thomas Desruisseaux (Lévis, Que./Cape Breton, QMJHL) scored for Canada Black.

Canada White 6, Czechia 5 (OT)

• Henry Mews (Nepean, Ont./Ottawa, OHL) scored 1:09 into overtime.
• Six different players scored goals and 13 recorded points for Canada White.
• Ondrej Kos had a goal and two assists for Czechia.

Next games – Wednesday, November 9:

• Finland vs. Canada Red – 7 p.m. PT (Sungod Arena)
• Czechia vs. Sweden – 7 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre)

Quotes:
“I was proud of the guys with how they came out. We had energy, we had life and were playing the right way. Sometimes when you do the right thing you don’t get rewarded for it. I was proud of the process, but we did not capitalize. Our mindset since the beginning is that circumstances do not change our standards. We have not had a full lineup yet, but that is okay. The guys in the lineup have done a great job at meeting the standards that we set. That will continue Friday.”
- Canada Black head coach Mark O’Leary (Owen Sound, Ont./Moose Jaw, WHL) on lacking the finishing touch.

“It was a great penalty kill [in overtime], they made a few shot blocks, I have got to give credit to my team. I saw [the Czechia] player was a bit soft on the puck and decided to go all-out with my pressure and I got rewarded for it. Without the penalty kill, nothing would have happened. We could have been better; the whole team knows that. We got up a couple of goals and then we got to be individual halfway through the game. We stopped playing our game. We have got to play a full 60 minutes if you want to win games in regulation.”
- Mews on Canada White finding a way to win.

“I was a little disappointed in the effort from some of our guys. We had a chance to survive and fight to be in the medal round. I do not think that everybody showed up. We have got to give credit to Czechia, they did not want to go home without a fight. They really played hard tonight. We want to win, but this tournament is also for our players to learn to become more professional and make it to the next step. Those who learn to will be able to stay within the program.”
- Canada White head coach Bruce Richardson (Ville St-Pierre, Que./Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL) on his team’s effort.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Langley Events Centre; please check local listings for details.

All preliminary-round games are livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca.

For more information on the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.

Sweden 4, Canada Black 3 (OT) 

• Emil Stadin scored 2:17 into overtime to complete the comeback for Sweden.
• Oscar Davidsson tied the game with 4:13 remaining in the third period.
• Lucas Karmiris (Brantford, Ont./Mississauga, OHL), Cole Beaudoin (Kanata, Ont./Barrie, OHL), and Bode Stewart (Oakville, Ont./Saginaw, OHL) scored for Canada Black.

Finland 3, Czechia 1

• Tuomas Suoniemi had a goal and two assists for Finland.
• Emil Hemming and Lauri Sinivuori added a goal and a helper apiece.
• Sebastian Glas provided the lone goal for Czechia.
• Kim Saarinen made 30 saves for the win.

United States 5, Canada Red 2

• Cole Eiserman and James Hagens led the way with two goals and an assist each for the U.S.
• Berkly Catton (Saskatoon, Sask./Spokane, WHL) had a goal and an assist for Canada Red.
• Porter Martone (Peterborough, Ont./Sarnia, OHL) scored the other Red goal on the power play.

Next games – Tuesday, November 8:

• Sweden vs. Finland - 2 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre)
• Canada Black vs. United States – 7 p.m. PT (Sungod Arena)
• Canada White vs. Czechia – 7 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre)

Quotes:
“It was tough. We had the lead for most of that game and obviously it is not the result we wanted, but we showed some good things out there. We need to focus on the next game, focus on the next shift, taking care of our defensive zone and getting better every time we step on the ice.”

-      Macklin Celebrini (Vancouver, B.C./Chicago, USHL) on what is needed from Canada Black moving forward.

“We generated enough scoring chances to win the game. When we had the lead, we just did not extend it. I liked the way we played; we got better as the game went on. Going into a game is about the process and making sure you are playing the right way. The team that wins is the one that capitalizes on their opportunities. We need to turn the page quick and get ready for tomorrow.”

-      Canada Black head coach Mark O’Leary (Owen Sound, Ont./Moose Jaw, WHL) on getting ready to face the U.S. on Tuesday.

“It was a huge bounce-back game defensively from yesterday. Giving up 29 shots against the top 20 players in the United States shows a good effort from our team. A couple of breakdowns and lack of intensity cost us three points. We did all the right things, we just lost focus on a couple of their goals or else it would have been a different story. We played the right way today, the Canadian way."

-      Canada Red head coach Greg Walters (Toronto, Ont./Owen Sound, OHL) on his team’s effort.

“We did not come out as hard as we wanted to. We progressed as the game went on and we got way better. We need to keep playing the right way and eliminate the little mistakes. We have two big games coming up and every little thing is going to matter. Moving forward we need to be at our best”

-      Catton on the importance of Canada Red’s upcoming games.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Langley Events Centre; please check local listings for details.

All preliminary-round games are livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca.

For more information on the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.

Canada Red 4, Canada White 3 (OT)

• Michael Misa (Oakville, Ont./Saginaw, OHL) scored 1:04 into overtime and added an assist.
• Cayden Lindstrom (Chetwynd, B.C./Medicine Hat, WHL) tied the game for Canada White on the power play with 8:17 left in the third period.
• Berkly Catton (Saskatoon, Sask./Spokane, WHL) had a goal and two assists for Canada Red.
• Gabriel D’Aigle (Sorel-Tracy, Que./Victoriaville, QMJHL) made 48 saves for the win.
• Roger McQueen (Saskatoon, Sask./Brandon, WHL) registered a goal and two assists for Canada White.
• Gavin Hodnett (Winnipeg, Man./Edmonton, WHL) scored for White and contributed an assist.

Next games – Monday, November 7:

• Canada Black vs. Sweden - 12 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre)
• Czechia vs. Finland – 7 p.m. PT (Sungod Arena)
• United States vs. Canada Red – 7 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre)

Quotes:
“We are always happy with a win, whatever level you are playing. But we didn’t play very well. Thanks to [D’Aigle] we were able to get it to overtime. We can not take a shift off; when we did, they took full advantage of us. At this level, the mistakes are so miniscule and when you make them the players are good enough to capitalize on them.”

- Canada Red coach Ryan Smith (Winnipeg, Man./Spokane, WHL) on finding a way to win.

“Overall, it was a pretty good game, and I am glad we got a win. I have had some success to start, but that is only because of my linemates [Catton and Porter Martone]. We clicked early in the game, and I am just happy that our team is having success. It is an honour to represent Team Canada and wear that jersey.”

- Misa on finding success as a team.

“I am disappointed in the loss, and I am disappointed for my players; they deserved better. We made some adjustments from last night, had some good meetings and the guys responded unbelievably well. We are happy; we have been growing as a team since day one. We showed character tonight, we went and got a huge point that might help us finish in the top four.”

- Bruce Richardson (Ville St-Pierre, Que./Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL) on getting a crucial point.

“We played an excellent game; their goalie was outstanding, but we really battled back to get a couple of goals in the third and get us back in the game. We just have to keep moving forward and not get down on ourselves. We set a high standard today; if we keep doing that we will be in a good spot. We have a lot of good guys in the room.”

- McQueen on what’s needed to find a win.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Langley Events Centre; please check local listings for details.

All preliminary-round games are livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca.

For more information on the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.

Canada Red 3, Czechia 0

• Chase Wutzke (Debden, Sask./Saskatoon, SMAAAHL) made 24 saves for the shutout.
• Michael Misa (Oakville, Ont./Saginaw, OHL) opened the scoring on the power play.
• Carson Wetsch (North Vancouver, B.C./Calgary, WHL) had a goal and an assist.
• Nathan Villeneuve (Ottawa, Ont./Sudbury, OHL) scored the other Red goal.


United States 8, Sweden 3

• Cole Eiserman scored twice for the United States, giving him seven goals in three games.
• Max Plante and James Hagens registered three assists each for the Americans.
• Viggo Nordlund recorded a goal and an assist for Sweden.

Canada Black 5, Canada White 3

• Five different players scored goals and 11 recorded points for Canada Black.
• Cole Peardon (Outlook, Sask./Prince Albert, WHL) scored shorthanded for Canada Black and Zayne Parekh (Nobleton, Ont./Saginaw, OHL) added a power-play goal.
• Miguel Marques (Prince George, B.C./Lethbridge, WHL) and Frankie Marrelli (Markham, Ont./Ottawa, OHL) provided two assists apiece for Canada White.
• Louka Cloutier (Sherbrooke, Que./Magog, LDHM18AAAQ) made 38 saves for the win.


Next game – Sunday, November 6:

• Canada White vs. Canada Red - 7 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre)

Quotes:
“They were getting too many odd-man rushes. I do not think we were very good, to be honest. Wutzke was amazing for us in net. He was calm all day, in a good mood. We felt comfortable going into the game seeing his demeanour. [Wutzke] came up with some huge saves to keep it 1-0 and the boys battled hard in the third to get the shutout for him.”

-      Canada Red head coach Greg Walters (Toronto, Ont./Owen Sound, OHL) on the strong performance from his goaltender.

“The boys battled really hard and competed for the puck every period. All around a really good effort from my team. We need to keep playing a full 60 minutes and give it all we have. Being able to play for my country is awesome; it has always been a dream of mine.”

-      Wutzke on finding success against Czechia.

“I thought that we started well, but we broke down at times and they made us pay. Team Black played their best game so far but we only played 30 minutes of good hockey. I challenged our guys in the second intermission and thought that they came out in the third and responded, but we have got to play harder. Right now, it is too easy to play against us.”

-      Canada White head coach Bruce Richardson (Ville St-Pierre, Que./Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL) on coming up short.

“We had our good moments, but we only played half of the game well. To win games in short-term tournaments like this you need to play a full 60 minutes. We made some mistakes early, especially on the power play, and that is what cost us. We need to learn from the last two games and get better now and not later.”

-      Canada White captain Henry Mews (Nepean, Ont./Ottawa, OHL) on the changes needed.

“The boys put in a full 60-minute effort. We came out, made some good plays, pushed the pace, did the defensive things that let you win. The guys really stepped up when we only had 11 forwards, diving around blocking shots, doing all the little things. They completely earned the rest for tomorrow. Really proud of the boys.”

-      Canada Black assistant coach Rick Steadman (Oil Springs, Ont./London, OHL) on what it took for his team to beat Canada White.

“We forechecked hard, had good puck management and really played well as a team. We are finally gelling as a team. Being able to represent my country is an amazing feeling, especially coming from a small town. This is an awesome experience.”

-      Peardon on coming together for a team win.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Langley Events Centre; please check local listings for details.

All preliminary-round games are livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca.

For more information on the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.

From the road trips to the rink, to cheering on his brothers in the stands as a family, to facing off against his brother in the Ontario Hockey League, hockey has been a part of his family’s routine for as long as Gabriel Frasca can remember.

As he dons the Hockey Canada jersey for the first time at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Langley and Delta, B.C., Gabriel – a rookie with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) – hopes to add his chapter to his family’s hockey success.

“To be able to represent my country and represent my family, it really is an honour to be here to learn and take it all in,” Gabriel says. “Having my two older brothers teach and walk me through everything, it’s something that not a lot of people have and I’m very fortunate to have my family supporting me like that.”

Gabriel, 16, is the third of five brothers, all of whom play the game at a high level. Oldest brother Jordan, 21, is a Pittsburgh Penguins prospect playing with Wilkes-Barre of the American Hockey League. Next comes Jacob, 19, a member of the OHL’s Barrie Colts, with Nick, 14 (a member of the Toronto Marlboros U15 AAA team) and Gianni, 11 (who plays with the Toronto Titans U13 AAA squad) rounding out the Frasca Five.

Gabriel fell in love with hockey the moment he learned to skate. And as he cheered on Jordan and Jacob, he knew it was what he wanted to do.

From that point on, it added to the long days at the rink, early-morning road trips, balancing schedules and finding new equipment for the family, but for mom and dad Shannon and Rocco, it has been a labour of love to raise their sons in hockey.

They have seen how their boys have developed their love of the game over the years, and for Gabriel, it was clear that not only is he dedicated to being the best, but he was also someone who is supportive on and off the ice.

“Gabriel looks out for everyone,” Shannon says. “He’s very vocal and stands up for them and is protective over his younger brothers. He really connects everyone together and he’s like that on his teams as well. He’s very connected to the teams he plays on, his teammates are his best friends and now in Kingston, you can see how much he respects and supports his teammates when they do well.”

“He’s also a very determined person,” adds Rocco. “When he’s determined for something, he won’t back down from what he wants.”

As a child, Gabriel joined his brothers on the ice for shinny to practice his skating and skills. As he got older, he’s shown he can compete with the best - first in the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) in the world as the first in his family to wear the Maple Leaf.

After playing three years with the Mississauga Senators in the GTHL, Gabriel became the latest Frasca to play in the OHL, going 17th overall in the Priority Selection to the Frontenacs, where Jordan served as an alternate captain last year before signing with the Penguins.

In one of his last games before departing for the West Coast, Gabriel had an assist as the Frontenacs downed Jacob and the Colts 5-4 last Saturday (Jacob also had a helper). The Frasca clan was in the building to cheer on both boys, and they’ll be supporting from afar as Gabriel takes on the world.

Shannon has no doubt he’ll bring the right mindset to succeed and learn from his opportunity with Hockey Canada.

“I tell Gabriel and my kids that their attitude is something they can control,” she says. “If they go into opportunities and they have a good attitude, even if things don’t always go their way, once that opportunity comes, they’ll be ready.”

Gabriel knows he is ready. He hopes to showcase and develop his skills with Team Canada Red and continue developing into a player that can proudly represent his family and his country.

“I’m focused on winning with this team,” Gabriel says. “It’s about ‘we not me’ and I want to play my role, play my game and control what I can control. Having my family’s support, having them cheer me on and give me feedback, it’s huge, and I want to make them proud.”