HOCKEY CANADA

NEWS RELEASE

February 17, 2004

CALGARY, ALBERTA – Canada’s National Women’s Team’s roster of twenty-two players for the upcoming 2004 IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship in Halifax and Dartmouth, NS was introduced on Tuesday during press conferences held in Halifax (NS), Calgary (AB) and Toronto (ON).

Team Canada’s roster consists of two goaltenders, six defencemen, 12 forwards, as well as alternate goaltender (Labonté) and an alternate forward (Vaillancourt).

The 2004 IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship runs from March 30-April 6, 2004 in Halifax and Dartmouth. For ticket information, contact the Halifax Metro Centre at (902) 451-1221.

The 2004 National Women’s Team World Championship 22 player roster includes 16 players who won gold at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and 19 of the 21 players named for the 2003 IIHF World Women’s Hockey Championship in Beijing, China, that was cancelled by the IIHF due to health and safety concerns. Three players (Apps, Ferrari, Piper) will be making their World Championship debut.

The players on Canada’s 2004 World Championship roster have combined to win 53 World Championship gold medals, 16 Olympic gold medals and 8 Olympic silver medals and have played a total of 1401 international games with Canada’s National Women’s Team.

“The depth of talented players in Canada has made the selection and evaluation process a great challenge,” said Karen Hughes, Head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team. “As a coaching staff, we’re very excited about the roster that we’ve assembled for this year’s World Championship, as it combines experience, youth and talent.”

Quick facts about Canada’s 2004 World Championship National Women’s Team:

□ 2002 Olympic gold medalists (16): Antal, Béchard, Botterill, Brisson, Campbell, Goyette, Hefford, Kellar, Ouellette, Piper, Pounder, Small, Sostorics, St-Pierre, Sunohara, Wickenheiser

□ 1998 Olympic silver medalists (8): Botterill, Brisson, Campbell, Goyette, Hefford, Kellar, Sunohara, Wickenheiser

□ National Under-22 Team alumnus (14): Antal, Apps, Béchard, Botterill, Collins, Ferrari, Kingsbury, *Labonté, Ouellette, Piper, Sostorics, St-Pierre, *Vaillancourt, Wickenheiser

□ Six-time World Champion (1): Goyette

□ Five-time World Champions (3): Brisson, Campbell, Sunohara

□ Four-time World Champions (2): Pounder, Wickenheiser

□ Three-time World Champions (6): Kellar, Botterill, Small, Hefford, Ouellette, St-Pierre

□ Two-time World Champion (1): Béchard

□ One-time World Champions (4): Antal, Collins, Kingsbury, Sostorics

□ World Championship rookies (4): Apps, Ferrari, *Labonté, Piper, *Vaillancourt

(*denotes alternate players)

Canada’s National Women’s Team will be arriving in Nova Scotia on March 20, 2004 for a five-day pre-competition camp in Halifax and Antigonish, NS. Details regarding the pre-competition camp will be announced shortly.

For further information on Canada’s National Women’s Program and Hockey Canada, visit www.hockeycanada.ca

For further information :

Brad Pascall

Director, Communications

Hockey Canada

403-777-4556
bpascall@hockeycanada.ca