Cowichan Valley Capitals netminder Laurent Brossoit and Quesnel Millionaires forward Spencer Graboski will begin their quest for gold at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Timmins, Ontario on Tuesday afternoon when they face off against Russia.
Brossoit and Graboski are both representing Team Pacific, which is comprised of the top players in their age group from British Columbia, Alberta, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon.
Following today's opener against Russia, Team Pacific will face Team Atlantic, the Czech Republic and the United States. The top two teams from the pool will move on to the tournament semi-finals, which take place January 3rd.
Brossoit and Graboski are both in their rookie BCHL seasons. Brossoit has posted a 5-4 record with a goals-against average of 4.37 and a .878 save-percentage in 12 appearances with the Capitals and was named the BCHL Player of the Week on December 14th. Graboski has scored seven goals and totalled 14 points for the Millionaires, including six points in his past nine games prior to joining Team Pacific.
The league is also represented at the event by Salmon Arm SilverBacks head coach Matt Hughes, who will serve as an assistant to University of Lethbridge coach Michael Dyck on the Team Pacific bench. Burnaby Express trainer Grant Amman is with the team as an Athletic Therapist.
The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge features 10 teams divided into two groups. Group A includes Finland, Ontario, Quebec, Sweden and West (Manitoba, Nunavut, Saskatchewan). The event brings together the top players in the world born in 1993 or later.
The under-17 program is the first step in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence. Many players who compete at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge go on to represent Canada with the National Men’s Under-18 Team, National Junior Team and National Men’s Team.
The gold medal game on Monday, January 4 will be broadcast on TSN/RDS, the official broadcaster of Hockey Canada.
