18 CHL Players Earn Silver with Team Canada Red at 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge
Dawson Creek, BC – Team Canada Red rallied back from a 5-0 deficit but came up short in the Gold Medal Game of the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, falling 6-4 to the United States.
A total of 18 CHL players come away as silver medalists as Nick Wong (Oshawa Generals), Bowen Byram (Vancouver Giants), Alexis Lafreniere (Rimouski Oceanic) and Ryan Suzuki (Barrie Colts) all scored in the loss.
The Americans outshot Canada Red 34-25 and held them to 1-for-7 on the power play as Cole Caufield recorded a hat-trick while Jack Hughes added four points to finish as the tournament’s leading scorer.
Team Canada Red finishes with an overall record of 3-3-0 as Suzuki, Xavier Parent (Halifax Mooseheads) and Dylan Cozens (Lethbridge Hurricanes) finished tied for the team scoring lead with seven points each.
The silver medal puts Canada on the podium at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge for a third straight year.
The gold medal finale featured five of the six players named to the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge all-star team including Americans Hughes and Caufield along with Canada Red’s Lafreniere up front, defenders Byram and Canada Black’s Matthew Robertson (Edmonton Oil Kings). Canada Red goaltender Luke Cavallin (Flint Firebirds) rounded out the tournament all-star team selections.
CHL PLAYERS WHO EARNED SILVER MEDALS WITH TEAM CANADA RED:
Goaltender:
Luke Cavallin (Flint Firebirds)
Defencemen:
Justin Barron (Halifax Mooseheads)
Evan Brand (Kingston Frontenacs)
Bowen Byram (Vancouver Giants)
Colton Kammerer (Sarnia Sting)
Christopher Merisier-Ortiz (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Rhett Rhinehart (Prince Albert Raiders)
Jackson van de Leest (Calgary Hitmen)
Forwards:
Brandon Coe (North Bay Battalion)
Dylan Cozens (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Peyton Krebs (Kootenay ICE)
Alexis Lafreniere (Rimouski Oceanic)
Xavier Parent (Halifax Mooseheads)
Mitchell Russell (Owen Sound Attack)
Xavier Simoneau (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Ryan Suzuki (Barrie Colts)
Keean Washkurak (Mississauga Steelheads)
Nick Wong (Oshawa Generals)
Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Gilles Bouchard (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Assistant Coach: B.J. Adams (Erie Otters)
Goaltending Coach: Zac Bierk (Oshawa Generals)
Director of Operations: Steve Hildebrand (Saskatoon Blades)
BRONZE MEDAL GAME:
CZECH REPUBLIC 2 – CANADA WHITE 1
Graeme Clarke (Ottawa 67’s) scored late in the third period but it wouldn’t be enough to bring Team Canada White back from a 2-0 deficit as the Czech Republic held on to claim bronze.
Canada White outshot the Czechs 30-23 but a strong goaltending performance by Nick Malik paired with goals from Matej Toman and Michal Teply led the Czech Republic to its first World Under-17 Hockey Challenge medal since 2006.
Canada White finishes fourth in the tournament with an overall record of 2-4.
For news, stats and scores from the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, visit hockeycanada.ca.
