CANADA’S NATIONAL WOMEN’S UNDER-18 TEAM ROSTER ANNOUNCED FOR 2010 IIHF WORLD WOMEN’S UNDER-18 CHAMPIONSHIP IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada announced Monday the 20 players that will represent Canada at the 2010 IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship, which will take place from March 27 to April 3 in Chicago, Ill.

Canada’s roster includes 15 of the 22 players who took part in a three-game series against the United States last August. Canada came out on top in the series, beating the U.S.A.’s Women’s Under-18 Select Team 4-2 in the second game on Wednesday, August 26 and winning 3-1 in the third and final game on Thursday, August 27.

The roster also includes six players who competed for Canada at the 2009 IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship in Füssen, Germany: Jessica Campbell (Melville, Sask./Pursuit of Excellence, JWHL); Christine Bestland (Brunkild, Man./Pursuit of Excellence, JWHL); Mélodie Daoust (Valleyfield, Que./Edouard Montpetit, CEGEP); Laurie Kingsbury (Valleyfield, Que./Saint-Laurent, CEGEP); Jamie Lee Rattray (Kanata, Ont./Ottawa, PWHL) and Jillian Saulnier (Halifax, N.S./Toronto, PWHL).

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Head coach Dan Church and assistant coaches Pierre Alain and Lisa Jordan, with help from Hockey Canada’s scouting staff, used several key national and international events to finalize the roster. Those include the selection camp held from July 24-30 and the series against the United States held from August 24-27, both in Calgary, as well as the 2009 National Women’s Under-18 Championship which took place from November 4-8 in Surrey, B.C.

“The Canadian hockey team that will compete at the third IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship features many of the female game’s brightest and youngest stars,” Church says. “We believe this roster has the strength and skill to help Canada improve upon its performance at what is becoming an increasingly competitive international tournament."

Canada has settled for silver for two years running, falling 3-2 in overtime to the United States last year and losing 5-2, again to the Americans, at the inaugural IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship in 2008 in Calgary.

Eight teams will compete for the gold medal at this year’s tournament. Group A includes the Czech Republic, Finland, Japan and the United States, while Group B consists of Canada, Russia, Germany and Sweden. The bronze and gold medal matches are scheduled for Saturday, April 3 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. CT, respectively.

For more information on the 2010 IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, visit www.hockeycanada.ca.