Serban looks to impress again Canada U20 training camp

Article posted by Canada Sentinel Photo by Rich Lam
VANCOUVER – UBC Thunderbirds defender Chris Serban has been invited to attend the last training camp for Canada's Under-20 Men's National Team before the selection of the final roster for the 2015 CONCACAF Under-20 Championships in Jamaica.

Since the CONCACAF U20 tournament, which serves as the qualifier for the FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015, takes place immediately following the holiday season, the team will need to be as close to match fitness as possible. And while the European based players will continue to see action with their respective clubs, a selection of largely North America-based players is in Sunrise, Fla., for a week of training, which began December 11. The last day of camp is December 17.

Canada's 20-man roster for the CONCACAF event hasn't been fully selected so this camp is also a final chance for players, such as Serban, to make their case for inclusion.

"The squad is not finalized yet with myself and the staff still looking to select the final squad members who have not featured with us in international competition yet this season and those that have not fully convinced us they are ready for the level of competition we face," said Canada U20 head coach Rob Gale. "All will be afforded the opportunity to stake their claim for a spot on the plane on January 8 into Jamaica, and as it should be – it's up to them to prove their worth."

After arriving in Jamaica, Canada's first game at the continental tournament will be January 10 against Haiti.

Serban, the reigning Canada West and Canadian Interuniversity Sport Rookie of the Year, played for Canada on its three-match tour of Europe in November. The first-year Sauder School of Business student from Calgary started in both of Canada's wins, which came over Russia and the United States, and also appeared in the draw against England.

Six Golden Bears will help Canada defend gold medal

By Matt Gutsch

Kruise Reddick

Six members of the defending national champion University of Alberta Golden Bears hockey team have been named to Team Canada for the upcoming 2015 Winter Universiade, which will take place in Granada, Spain from February 3-14, 2015.

The Golden Bears who will don Team Canada sweaters are defencemen Jesse Craige (Edmonton, 5th) and Jordan Rowley (Edmonton, 4th) as well as forwards Jordan Hickmott (Misson, B.C., 4th), T.J. Foster (Slave Lake, Alta., 2nd), Levko Koper (Edmonton, 4th), and Kruise Reddick (Manor, Sask., 4th). Both Rowley and Craige are former All-Canadians and Canada West Defencemen of the Year award winners, and Rowley attended Edmonton Oilers’ camp this past fall. Hickmott, who attended New York Rangers camp before joining the Bears, is currently second in points in CIS with 29 and first in goals with 14. Foster has 27 points, which is fourth best in CIS, while Koper has 17 and Reddick has 11. Koper, a draft pick of the Atlanta Thrashers (2009, 7th round, 185th overall) and a Memorial Cup winner with the Spokane Chiefs, was the University Cup hero in 2014 when he scored a pair of goals, including one shorthanded, to lead Alberta to its 14th national championship trophy, while Reddick was also key to that University Cup title win, as he returned from injury just days before the tournament began, and put up five points in three games to earn a spot on the University Cup All-Star team. He also serves as the Golden Bears captain.

Canada will be entirely represented from student-athletes from the Canada West conference, and the U of A leads the way with six players. The team will be coached by University of Saskatchewan bench boss, Dave Adolph, who is the longest-serving coach in Canada West.
The 27th biennial Games will run from Feb. 3-14, with the men’s hockey gold medal match set for the final day of competition. Canada is the defending men’s hockey FISU champions, as the AUS conference won gold in 2013 in Trentino, Italy.

Since 1997, Canada has been represented at the Games in men’s hockey by each of the three CIS conferences on a rotating basis. Canada West teams have medaled in all three appearances, capturing bronze in 1997 (Muju-Chonju, South Korea) and 2003 (Tarvisio, Italy) as well as silver in 2009 (Harbin, China). The entire Golden Bears team represented Canada at the games in Jaca, Spain in 1981, and earned Canada the gold medal.

In 14 all-time appearances at the Universiade tourney, the Canucks have tallied an impressive 13 medals, including four gold, three silver, and six bronze.

Eleven countries will compete for gold in Granada. Canada joins Russia, Sweden, and South Korea in Pool B, while a three-team Pool C consists of Kazakhstan, Japan, and the United States. The host Spanish join Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and China in Pool A. The top two finishers from each pool and the two best third-place teams will advance to the quarterfinals.

The Canadians open the tournament on Feb. 3 when they face South Korea. Other preliminary games include Sweden (Feb. 5) and Russia (Feb. 7) before the medal round begins Feb. 11.

Canada (2013, 2007) and Russia (2011, 2009, 2005, 2003) have combined to win the last six FISU tourneys.

TEAM CANADA ROSTER

Goaltenders
Dalyn Flette Mount Royal
Ryan Holfeld Saskatchewan
Kris Lazaruk Calgary

Defencemen
Jesse Craige Alberta
Kodie Curran Calgary
Matthew Delahey Saskatchewan
Neil Manning UBC
Kendall McFaul
Luke Paulsen Manitoba
Jordan Rowley Alberta

Forwards 
Cody Cartier Mount Royal
Chris Collins Calgary
Jordan DePape Manitoba
Tyler Fiddler Mount Royal
T.J. Foster Alberta
Cody Fowlie Regina
Jordan Hickmott Alberta
Kevin King Calgary
Levko Koper Alberta
Mitchell Maxwell Lethbridge
Craig McCallum Saskatchewan
Elgin Pearce Calgary
Kruise Reddick Alberta

STAFF

Team Leader: Todd Johnson (University of Regina)
Head Coach: Dave Adolph (University of Saskatchewan)
Associate Coach: Mark Howell (University of Calgary)
Associate Coach: Mike Sirant (University of Manitoba)
Video Coach: Spiros Anastas (University of Lethbridge)
Equipment/Athletic Therapy: Chris Linder (University of Calgary)
Equipment/Athletic Therapy: T.J. Mussbacher (University of Alberta)

TEAM CANADA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE (all times local / 8 hours ahead of MST)

Tuesday, Feb. 3 (17:00): Canada vs. South Korea
Thursday, Feb. 5 (17:00): Canada vs. Sweden
Saturday, Feb. 7 (17:00): Canada vs. Russia
Wednesday, Feb. 11 (TBD): Quarterfinals
Friday, Feb. 13 (TBD): Semi-finals
Saturday, Feb. 14 (12:00): Bronze
Saturday, Feb. 14 (16:00): Final

DINOS TAKE THE LEAD IN THE THIRD ANNUAL CROWCHILD CLASSIC

Article Posted by The Canada Sentinel Photo credit Calgary Dinos' Sports Information
 
CALGARY – Jaylynn Moffatt hit an incredible 64.7 per cent to lead the University of Calgary Dinos to a straight-sets win (25-18, 25-18, 25-20) over the Mount Royal University Cougars Wednesday night in the Jack Simpson Gym.

The Dinos improve to 9-6 on the season with the rare midweek victory, while Mount Royal falls to 3-12.

Calgary held the Cougars at bay for the majority of the night, with the glaring exception of the beginning of the third set, when they found themselves down by as many as six points at 11-5. But, just as they had in the second when they ended the frame on a 10-3 run, Calgary dominated the rest of the way and scored 14 of the next 23 points to take the win.

"We've proven that starts to third sets when we're up 2-0 is definitely an area we need to get better at," said Dinos head coach Natalie Gurnsey. "But I am continually impressed with what people coming off the bench can do for us. So, despite the runs Mount Royal put on us, I'm very happy with how our subs came in and allowed us to close it out."

Moffatt was the offensive catalyst for the Dinos, scoring 11 kills without an error on 17 attempts. And she contributed on defence as well, figuring in six of the Dinos' seven blocks on the night. Ali Woolley had nine kills on an efficient night for her on the outside, while Kate Pexman, Janna Ogle, and Beth Vinnell added seven each.

Brianna Solberg's 13 digs led the way for the home side, while Ogle added a dozen.

For the Cougars, Mikayla Fritzke saw 33 balls set her way and was able to put down 12 of them to lead all players in the match. Robyn Potolicki added eight kills, while Fallon Middlemiss chipped in with seven. Jenna Smith was the match leader with 15 digs for MRU, with Alex Runge adding 12 and Middlemiss 10.

The win gives the Dinos a slight edge in the overall Crowchild Classic standings with four wins against Mount Royal's three along with one tie. There are seven games remaining in the series, which will culminate with men's and women's hockey Jan. 15-16.

The teams will square off again Friday night at MRU's Kenyon Court, with first serve at 6 p.m. MT.

"There are always little adjustments, but the basics of the game plan will remain," explained Gurnsey. "We just need to keep growing as a team, and we need to learn how to close it out and not end up down early in the third like we did tonight."

SCHEFFEL SHOOTOUT HERO VERSUS HAWKS

Article and Photo by The University Of Toronto.
Waterloo, Ont-Fourth-year forward Jacqueline Scheffel scored the lone shootout goal in leading the University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey team to a 2-1 win over the Laurier Golden Hawks on Sunday night (Nov. 30) in Waterloo, Ont.

Scheffel also scored the shootout winner versus York yesterday as the Blues improve to 8-3-2 and sit in sole possession of fifth place heading into the December break. Laurier drops to 7-4-3 and are one point behind U of T in sixth.

Third-year forward Arden Cowley opened the scoring just 17 seconds into the game, notching her first goal of the season. Laurier's Jessie Hurrell responded midway through the first period and the game remained deadlocked at 1-1 at the end of regulation.

Toronto outshot Laurier 33-19 in the game. Fifth-year Blues netminder Nicole Kesteris posted 18 saves in the victory.

The Varsity Blues return to the ice on Saturday, January 3 as they host the York Lions in exhibition play at Varsity Arena. U of T resumes OUA regular season action on Friday, January 9 as they host the UOIT Ridgebacks at 7:30 p.m.