Panik pots four in Slovak win
Storm forward Richard Panik and Team Slovakia improved their record to 2-3-0 (including one overtime win) at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Ice Hockey Championship in Buffalo, New York.
Panik, who is the captain of Team Slovakia, led the way in the 5-0 win over Norway with four goals. Playing in his third Junior Hockey Championship, Panik is well on his way to leading his team in scoring for the second straight year. With only one game remaining in the relegation round against the Czech Republic, Panik has 6 goals and 2 assists for 8 points in 5 games.
As a 17 year old at his first World Juniors, Panik recorded five points in seven games (2 goals and 3 assists). Last year the 18 year old led his team in goals (6) and points (8) and was named one of the best players on the team in the tournament’s coaches poll.
The Guelph Storm will honour Panik for his participation at the 2011 tournament before our next home game on Friday, January 7th versus the Plymouth Whalers. The team will also recognize a pair of Whalers that are participating in the event with Rickard Rakell and Dario Trutmann representing Sweden and Switzerland respectively. Also before the game, World Under-17 Hockey Challenge participants Matt Finn and Thomas Wilson (Plymouth) competing at the prestigious event.
The Guelph Storm organization has a proud history of Storm players representing their countries at the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Now in their 17th season, current, or former Guelph Storm players participated in the World Junior Hockey Championship on twenty-two occasions capturing eight Gold Medals, five Silver Medals and one Bronze Medal.
Guelph Storm Participation in the World Junior Hockey Championship
Jeff Bes 1993 Gold Medal
Jeff O’Neill 1995 Gold Medal
Jamie Wright 1996 Gold Medal
Dwayne Hay 1997 Gold Medal
Chris Hajt 1997 Silver Medal
Brian Willsie 1998 8th
Manny Malhotra 1998 8th
Chris Hajt 1998 5th
Kent McDonell 1999 Silver Medal
Chris Madden 1999 8th
Manny Malhotra 2000 Bronze Medal
Dustin Brown 2002 5th
Dwight LaBrosse 2002 5th
Fedor Tjutin 2002 Gold Medal
Daniel Paille 2003 Silver Medal
Fedor Tjutin 2003 Gold Medal
Daniel Paille 2004 Silver Medal
Kevin Klein 2004 Silver Medal
Jakub Koreis 2004 4th
Ryan Callahan 2005 4th
Ryan Parent 2006 Gold Medal
Ryan Parent 2007 Gold Medal
Drew Doughty 2008 Gold Medal
Drew Doughty 2009 Gold Medal
