TEAM CANADA CLAIMS BRONZE AT
UNDER-18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
10 WHL players power Canada to
third place finish in Switzerland.
Calgary, AB – Competition wrapped up today at the 2015 IIHF U18 World Championship in
Zug and Lucerne, Switzerland where 10 WHL players powered Canada’s National
Men’s Under-18 Team to a second consecutive bronze medal finish.
After falling to Team USA in the tournament’s
semi-final, Canada defeated host Switzerland 5-2 on Sunday to capture third
place. All five Canadian goals on Sunday came from WHL skaters as Glenn Gawdin
(Swift Current) picked up a pair and Jansen Harkins (Prince George), Deven
Sideroff (Kamloops) and Brett Howden (Moose Jaw) had the singles. Late addition
Tyler Soy (Victoria) had two assists in the game while Sideroff and Tyler
Benson (Vancouver) also added helpers.
Team Canada has now medaled in four consecutive U18
World Championships, including a gold medal two years ago.
Seattle Thunderbirds forward Mathew Barzal led the
Canadians with 12 points (3g-9a) in seven tournament games. Moose Jaw Warriors
goaltender Zach Sawchenko carried the load in net for Team Canada as he picked
up four wins and was named the Player of the Game on Sunday.
With tournament rosters comprised largely of 1997-born
players, underage forwards Benson and Howden showed well amongst older
competition, picking up four and three points respectively.
2015 IIHF U18 World Championship
Roster – WHL Players
|
Name
|
Pos
|
Hometown
|
WHL
Club
|
GP
|
G
|
A
|
PTS
|
Plus-Minus
|
|
Barzal, Mathew
|
F
|
Coquitlam, BC
|
Seattle Thunderbirds
|
7
|
3
|
9
|
12
|
2
|
|
Wotherspoon, Parker
|
D
|
Surrey, BC
|
Tri-City Americans
|
7
|
1
|
4
|
5
|
9
|
|
Harkins, Jansen
|
F
|
North Vancouver, BC
|
Prince George Cougars
|
7
|
3
|
2
|
5
|
3
|
|
Gawdin, Glenn
|
F
|
Richmond, BC
|
Swift Current Broncos
|
7
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
2
|
|
Sideroff, Deven
|
F
|
Summerland, BC
|
Kamloops Blazers
|
7
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
0
|
|
Benson, Tyler (UA)
|
F
|
Edmonton, AB
|
Vancouver Giants
|
7
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
|
Bear, Ethan
|
D
|
Ochapowace, SK
|
Seattle Thunderbirds
|
7
|
0
|
3
|
3
|
7
|
|
Howden, Brett (UA)
|
F
|
Oakbank, MB
|
Moose Jaw Warriors
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
|
Soy, Tyler
|
F
|
Cloverdale, BC
|
Victoria Royals
|
4
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
|
Name
|
Pos
|
Hometown
|
WHL
Club
|
GP
|
W
|
L
|
SV%
|
GAA
|
|
Sawchenko, Zach
|
G
|
Calgary, AB
|
Moose Jaw Warriors
|
7
|
4
|
1
|
0.898
|
3.61
|
Moose Jaw Warriors Head Coach Tim Hunter was the bench
boss for Team Canada en route to the bronze medal while while four more WHL
personnel also provided services to the team:
-Tim O’Donovan – Video Manager (Kamloops Blazers)
-Colin Robinson – Equipment Manager (Kamloops Blazers)
-Nick Murray – Athletic Therapist (Vancouver Giants)
-Bernie Bajnok – Education Consultant (Calgary Hitmen)
