Thursday, December 27, 2018 ~ VICTORIA/VANCOUVER.
~ West Shore Voice News
Last night on Boxing Day December 26 was the first game in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, or the ‘World Juniors’ as it’s known in Canada.
With a final score of Canada 14, Denmark 0, it was a robust night that included three goals by Morgan Frost and Captain Maxime Comtois leading all scorers with four goals.
The games starring teenage male hockey players are being played in Vancouver and Victoria, December 26 through December 31, with the quarter-finals on January 2 in Victoria and Vancouver. Winners will advance to the January 4 semifinals in Vancouver, with the bronze and gold-medal games on Saturday January 5.
Ten teams are drawn into two pools for the opening round. Pool A is based in Vancouver at Rogers Arena (Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Russia, Switzerland). Pool B is based in Victoria at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre (Finland, Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Sweden, United States).
Canada’s games:
• vs. Denmark — Dec. 26
• vs. Switzerland — Dec. 27
• vs. Czech Republic — Dec. 29
• vs. Russia — Dec. 31
Games are being televised and streamed on TSN. Canada began its schedule Wednesday (Boxing Day) against Denmark. The team’s opening-round schedule ramps up to the New Year’s Eve game against Russia. All games start at 5 pm PT.
Here on Vancouver Island, on December 11 Premier John Horgan announced the games coming to BC. At the Q Centre in Colwood, Horgan said that “Victoria and all parts of BC have benefited on the road to the world juniors”.
The Premier said he was pleased that games are being held in Victoria and not just in Vancouver. He appreciated that pre-competition and training camps including a tour about promoting active healthy living in schools. Equipment was left in each school that was visited.
Horgan said that including Juan de Fuca minor hockey in the program promotes teamwork, self esteem, and building confidence. “Team sport is a foundational part of who I am.” the Premier said, having grown up in Saanich where his coaches were a big influence on his attitude and goals.
“The US tends to focus on the Sugar Bowl and the Rose Bowl. But here on Boxing Day the World Juniors start in Victoria/Vancouver and I can’t wait to get going,” said Horgan on December 11.
That day 250 students from David Cameron Elementary (a Langford-area school in SD62) had a “high energy morning”, said the school’s principal Terry Honer.
The kids were playing with new sticks made available as part of the pre-competition tour. “Kids getting involved in physical activity is one of our big goals at David Cameron,” said Principal Honer. “Every week we’re doing that,” he said, adding that the first half-hour is spent in daily physical activity very day.
“Good teachers teach, and great teachers inspire. This was part and parcel with what our students got to experience. The kids got to see their future heroes. We appreciated this opportunity to be involved in the tour,” Honer said.