Hamilton, ON - Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is pleased to announce the training camp roster for the OUA men's hockey all-star team that will represent Canada at the 2005 Winter Universiade in Innsbruck, Austria (January 12-22, 2005).
The top 26 players in the conference will compete for 21 roster spots at the team's upcoming training camp in Woodstock, Ontario (December 15-19). The training camp will be highlighted by a pair of exhibition games against the Belarus National Junior team on December 17 and 18.
The Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) No. 4 ranked Western Mustangs had the most players named to the roster with seven, followed by the No. 3 Lakehead Thunderwolves with six. The defending OUA Champion York Lions had four players named to the roster, while the UQTR Patriotes have three players heading to the camp.
Among the invitees is Concordia's Yannick Noiseaux, the league's leading scorer with 21 points in 12 games. Other notables include 2003-04 first team CIS All-Canadian and OUA West MVP Jeff Richards of Lakehead.
The defensive corps is led by 2003-04 second team CIS All-Canadian Jean-Philippe Glaude of UQTR and the league's top scoring defensemen, Erik Lodge of Lakehead.
Western's Mike D'Alessandro, a two-time OUA all-star and MVP of the 2002 CIS Championship Tournament, highlights an impressive trio of goaltenders. Dany D'Allaire of UQTR was the OUA East MVP last season, while Lakehead's Grant McCune was an OUA all-star in 2003-04.
"The Team Canada coaching staff is looking forward to working with the most elite players in the OUA at training camp in Woodstock," said Team Canada head coach Clarke Singer. "The World University Games represent a once in a lifetime opportunity for the players and staff to represent Canada at the International Level. We all admire and respect the tradition that is synonymous with Canadian Hockey around the globe. We hope to represent that long standing tradition by bringing home the Gold in January."
Canada's representative in the Winter Universiade hockey tournament is appointed on a rotating basis between the three conferences of men's hockey in the CIS. The Canada West All-Stars captured bronze at the last games in 2003 in Tarvisio, Italy.
Canada will compete in a pool with China, Czech Republic, Japan, Ukraine and defending champion Russia. The Canadians will open the tournament on January 13 against China.
TEAM CANADA TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
Goaltenders
Mike D'Alessandro- Western
Dany D'Allaire- UQTR
Grant McCune- Lakehead
Defense
Matt Bannan- Western
Steve Chabbert- York
Jean-Philippe Glaude- UQTR
Erik Lodge- Lakehead
Louis Mandeville-UQTR
Corey Sabourin- Brock
Marcus Smith- York
Shawn Thompson- Western
Forwards
Peter Cava- Lakehead
Jamie Chamberlain- Western
Matt Grennier- Laurier
Ryan Held- Western
Craig Kennedy- Western
Phil Knapp- York
Murray Magill- Lakehead
Benoit Martin- McGill
Shane Nash - York
Mike Nason - Toronto
Yannick Noiseaux - Concordia
Mike Rice - Western
Jeff Richards - Lakehead
Jonathon Robert - Ottawa
Joel Scherban - Lakehead
Staff
General Manager: Graham Wise - York
Head Coach: Clarke Singer - Western
Assistant Coach: Murray Nystrom - Brock
Assistant Coach: Kevin Figsby - Concordia
Goaltender Coach: Bill Dark - Western
Therapist: Guntis Obrascovs - Guelph
Equipment Manager: Bob McLeod - Western