BRNO, Czech Republic – Erie Otters defenseman Adam Pelech and Canada opened the IIHF World Under-18 Championship with a 6-1 win Thursday against Denmark. Pelech, an assistant captain, had no points, two shots on goal and two penalty minutes.
Windsor’s Kerby Rychel had a goal and assist for Canada, which returns to action Saturday at 10 a.m. against Finland. Oshawa’s Scott Laughton and Owen Sound’s Gemel Smith had a goal apiece. Sault Ste. Marie goaltender Matt Murray stopped 15-of-16 shots.

Former Mercyhurst standout forwards Meghan Agosta, Vicki Bendus and Bailey Bram will represent their native Canada at the IIHF World Women’s Championship. The event runs from Saturday through April 14 in Burlington, Vt.
They earned spots on the 22-player roster during the six-day Canadian National Women’s Team selection camp, which ended Saturday. Agosta, the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, led the Montreal Stars to the Canadian Women’s Hockey League this season. She also was named the league’s player of the year. Bendus, the 2010 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner, played for the Brampton Thunder this season. Bram concluded her Mercyhurst career last month.

Mercyhurst College senior forwards Bailey Bram and Kelley Steadman and sophomore forward Christine Bestland are currently participating in national Under-22 training camps.

Bram and Bestland, both Manitoba natives, have joined 78 other players at the Canadian International Hockey Academy. The camp, which runs through Tuesday in Rockland, Ontario, will help determine Canada’s team for the 2012 MLP Cup, set for January in Germany.

Steadman, a native of Plattsburgh, N.Y., is in Blaine, Minn., and 78 other players are attending the USA Hockey Women’s National Festival until Aug. 20. The camp will determine the roster for the 2011 U.S. Women’s Select Team, which will compete in the IIHF’s Eight Nations Tournament Aug. 24-31 in Vierumäki, Finland. The team will be announced Aug. 19.

TORONTO — The Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit concluded on Thursday in Toronto, with over 400 delegates participating in the four-day event. The summit was a global hockey symposium, attracting global leaders of the game and interested stakeholders to share and enhance global hockey knowledge. Full event details and coverage is available online at www.worldhockeysummit.com.
The steering committee, comprised of the seven summit partners (IIHF, NHL, NHLPA, Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, CHL and Molson Coors), will be reviewing all of the results from the work group discussions on player skill development, junior development in the hockey world, an evaluation of Vancouver 2010, a global hockey event agenda, women’s hockey after Vancouver 2010 and growing participation in the game.
Event proceedings, including formal presentations and the results from the discussion groups, will be provided to all IIHF member federations and summit partners, providing these organizations with the opportunity to develop their own action plans.
The summit partners will also collaborate on developing recommendations and collective action plans going forward, and expect to announce details over of the course of the 2010-11 season.
“Coming into the summit we really didn’t know what to expect, but I could sense that this would be a success after one day,” said IIHF President René Fasel. “We discussed the most pressing issues in our game and we had a very good and healthy exchange of views in front of more than 400 keen delegates. These were four very good days for hockey. The next step is to evaluate the proposals from the delegates and see if we can work out any recommendations.”
“The discussion and dialogue here over the last four days has clearly extended hockey knowledge and enriched hockey insight at all levels,” said Bill Daly, NHL deputy commissioner. “The National Hockey League was proud to play a meaningful part in that dialogue and I believe the game — both at the NHL level and all other levels — will be better for it.”
“The NHLPA was pleased that the major stakeholders in hockey were part of the Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit to discuss how the global game can prosper,” said Mike Ouellet, NHLPA Chief of Business Affairs. “NHL players bring forth a key perspective in growing the game worldwide and we hope to build off of this week’s momentum. In particular, we look forward to expanding best on best tournaments, such as the World Cup of Hockey and the Olympics, where fans watch their favourite players participate.”
“It has been a very productive week here in Toronto,” said Hockey Canada president & CEO Bob Nicholson. “Hockey Canada and the representatives of our member branches throughout the country have been very excited about being part of this collaboration, discussing matters ranging from skill development to hockey at the Olympic Games with the major hockey stakeholders. We look forward to working together and coming about with a plan to make our game even better.”
“This event has exceeded my expectations,” said Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey. “With the relatively diversified audience, and designed by seven different entities, there was a pleasingly high level of interaction and engagement.”
“The Canadian Hockey League is extremely pleased with the success of the Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit in attracting global hockey leaders to one stage,” said CHL President David Branch. “It was energizing to be around so many passionate hockey people that were all focused on the betterment of the game which will undoubtedly result in positive changes to hockey in the years to come.”
“Molson Canadian was there back in 1999 for the very first Open Ice Summit and continues to support the development and evolution of ‘our game’,” said Pat McEleney, director of sports and entertainment for Molson Coors Canada. “The dialogue, discussion and debate from this year’s Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit should unlock clues to help grow the game and improve the sport at all levels.”

TORONTO – The global leaders of hockey convened Tuesday to announce details of the upcoming Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit, a three-day event to be held in Toronto from August 23-26 to dissect the current state of hockey and collaboratively identify and address key concerns and issues facing the game today as well as opportunities to further grow and develop the sport.

The summit’s core theme, Global Teamwork Promoting the Growth of the Game, will be brought to life through interactive seminars, presentations and discussions – led by a who’s who of the global hockey world from the Interntional Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, National Hockey League (NHL) and Canadian Hockey League (CHL).

“As leaders, stakeholders and fans of hockey we have a shared responsibility for the care, nurturing, protection and development of our game,” said Bob Nicholson, president and CEO of Hockey Canada. “The goals of the Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit are to provide an inclusive forum to table the most pressing questions surrounding our game and work together to find implementable solutions.”

Key topics to be addressed at the Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit include:

•             Player Safety and Skill Development Initiatives: Exploring current trends and issues concerning player safety in today’s game; understanding the need for a long term plan for player development, recruitment and retention; fostering long term participation in the sport at all levels of play

•             Junior Development in the World: Assessing the results and figures from IIHF World Junior (U20) Championship, the Olympics and the NHL Entry Draft; addressing the developmental shortcomings in elite junior hockey programs and the impact of European migration to the Canadian Junior ranks

•             Vancouver 2010 Evaluation: Evaluating the 2010 Olympic men’s ice hockey tournament; helping hockey to benefit long-term from the unprecedented success by sustaining the positives while developing other areas

•             Establishing a Long-Term Global Event Agenda: Exploring the possibilities to provide hockey with a long-term international event agenda for both national team and club events; further enhancing the IIHF-NHL cooperation for the growth the game

•             Women’s Hockey after Vancouver 2010: How to grow the competitive environment in women’s hockey outside the U.S. and Canada to ensure women’s hockey remains an Olympic sport

•             Contracts and International Transfers: Addressing the challenges facing transfers and contractual status throughout the hockey world; determining how all parties can have a common view on contractual status and a common interpretation of free agency; discussing Ethical Standards for Agents and the responsibilities related to advising young players about life decisions

This year’s event is open to the public to attend and participate in the sessions. Registration opens today at www.worldhockeysummit.com.  There are 500 spaces available for the three-day event, with tickets priced at $450 Canadian. The events and sessions will be split between two venues in downtown Toronto: the Sheraton Centre and the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Past hockey summits, including the inaugural Molson Open Ice Summit held in 1999, produced 11 recommendations for change in hockey.  These have resulted in some dramatic improvements to the sport in Canada over the past decade, notably:

•             the creation of a national coaching mentorship network, including enhanced resource development to support coaches in the practice environment

•             Hockey Canada’s Age Change motion that moved all age classifications back one year and made Midget hockey up to a three-year category

•             the development of Hockey Canada’s National Skills Standards and Testing program (2004) and annual Coaching Day events

•             the launch of the Hockey Canada Skills Academy program in partnership with school boards, local hockey boards, associations and sponsors, to better utilize ice times and school facilities and move towards development of young players

A full schedule of events and activities is now available online at www.worldhockeysummit.com.

- From OHL news release

BOBRUISK, Belarus – Erie Otters forward Greg McKegg and Canada defeated Latvia 5-1 on Wednesday in the opening relegation-round game at the IIHF World Under-18 Championships. McKegg had no points and one shot on goal in the game.

Canada built a 3-0 second-period lead before Latvia scored its lone goal with 18 seconds left in the period. Canada capped the win with two goals in the third, one by Sudbury center John McFarland. Saginaw center Michael Sgarbossa had a goal and assist for Canada, which faces Slovakia on Thursday in their final relegation-round game at 8:30 a.m. ET in Bobruisk.

Meanwhile, the United States secured a gold-medal matchup against Sweden with a 5-0 semifinal win against Finland on Wednesday. The U.S. and Sweden meet Friday at 2 p.m. ET in Minsk. Sweden won their preliminary-round matchup 4-2n on April 13.

BOBRUISK, Belarus – Erie Otters forward Greg McKegg and Canada failed to qualify for the quarterfinals in the IIHF World Under-18 Championships following a 5-4 loss to Sweden on Sunday.

Canada trailed 4-0 entering the third period. McKegg assisted on two straight goals to move Canada within 4-2 in the opening five minutes of the period. But Sweden, which won Group A, regained a three-goal lead less than two minutes later. Canada rallied to within 5-4 but couldn’t score the tying goal.

Canada (1-3) finished preliminary-round play fourth in the five-team Group A. Canada will face Latvia on Wednesday at noon ET in the relegation round. The United States (3-1) clinched a spot in Tuesday’s 8:30 a.m. ET quarterfinal against Czech Republic with a 7-1 win against Belarus Sunday.

BOBRUISK, Belarus – Erie Otters forward Greg McKegg and Canada fell 5-0 to the United States in a preliminary-round game of the IIHF World Under-18 Championships on Friday. McKegg recorded two shots and a two-minute penalty for delay of game, which led to Team USA’s second goal in a decisive three-goal first period.

Canada (1-2) completes the preliminary round on Sunday against Sweden at 8:30 a.m. ET. Canada needs a win to earn a spot in the quarterfinals. Otherwise, Canada moves to the relegation round. The U.S. (2-1) faces host Belarus at noon ET.

BOBRUISK, Belarus – Erie Otters forward Greg McKegg’s goal and three assists led Canada to an 11-3 win over host Belarus in preliminary-round action at the IIHF World Under-18 Championships on Thursday.

McKegg assisted on two of Sudbury forward John McFarland’s three goals, as Canada (1-1) rebounded from Tuesday’s opening-game loss to Switzerland. Canada built a 4-1 first-period lead and then sealed the win with a five-goal third period. McKegg scored the second goal in that third-period barrage.

Canada returns to action Friday at noon ET against the United States. Team USA (1-1) followed an opening loss to Sweden on Tuesday with a 5-1 win against Switzerland on Wednesday.

BOBRUISK, Belarus – Erie Otters forward Greg McKegg’s initial experience at IIHF World Under-18 Championships wasn’t a good one.

His native Canada lost 3-1 to Switzerland Tuesday in their opening game of the preliminary round.

McKegg was scoreless despite tying for the team lead with four shots. The Canadians fell behind 2-0 after one period. Quinton Howden, of the Western Hockey League’s Moose Jaw Warriors, sliced Switzerland’s lead in half midway through the second. But Switzerland’s empty-net goal with five seconds left sealed the win.

Canada returns to action on Thursday against host Belarus. The United States also lost their opening game 4-2 to Sweden on Tuesday. The U.S. faces Switzerland today.