RUSSIA WINS GOLD MEDAL AT 2012 WORLD UNDER-17 HOCKEY CHALLENGE

WINDSOR, Ont. – For the first time since 2000, Russia has won the gold medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, defeating the United States 7-4 in Wednesday night’s gold medal game at the WFCU Centre in Windsor.

Sergei Tolchinski scored a hat trick to lead the offence, including a shorthanded penalty shot goal early in the third period to make it a 4-2 game. It’s the second year in a row the Americans have allowed a penalty shot goal in the third period of the gold medal game.

BANFF, Alta. – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), announced Thursday that Jaden Schwartz (Wilcox, Sask./Colorado College, WCHA) has been named captain of Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Head coach Don Hay made the announcement prior to Canada’s last ice session in Banff, where the team has been based since Dec. 16.

TORONTO, Ont. – Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced on Monday that 39 of Canada’s top junior-aged hockey players (born in 1991 or later) have been invited to take part in Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp, December 12-15, 2010 at the MasterCard Centre in Toronto, Ont.

Championship series of the Gagarin Cup playoffs start on Thursday, April, 15. Western Conference champions HC MVD will face Eastern Conference champions and the reigning Cup holders Ak Bars in Balashikha for a deciding best-of-seven battle.

CALGARY, Alta. – Mark Messier, Team Canada general manager for the 2010 IIHF World Championship, has named Craig MacTavish as Canada’s head coach for the tournament, which runs May 7-23 in Cologne and Mannheim, Germany. Messier also named a management staff comprised of Doug Risebrough, Michel Goulet and Doug Messier.