STRONG FIRST PERIOD GIVES RED THE WIN

OTTAWA, ON – Chris DiDomenico (Woodbridge, ON/Saint John, QMJHL), Jamie Benn (Victoria, BC/Kelowna, WHL) and Patrice Cormier (Cap-Pelé, NB/Rimouski, QMJHL) scored first-period goals to lead Team Red to a 3-1 win over Team White in the final game of the National Junior Team selection camp.

The goals came just over eight minutes apart as Red jumped out to the big lead early and never looked back. The game gave Canada’s coaching and scouting staff their final chance to evaluate players before the team is finalized.

White’s lone goal came in the third period, when Zach Boychuk (Airdrie, AB/Lethbridge, WHL) one-timed a shot past Red netminder Dustin Tokarski (Watson, SK/Spokane, WHL).

Tokarski shared time in the Red goal with Tyson Sexsmith (Priddis, AB/Vancouver, WHL), while Jake Allen (New Maryland, NB/Montreal, QMJHL) and Chet Pickard (Winnipeg, MB/Tri-City, WHL) shared goaltending duties for White.

Hockey Canada will announce the National Junior Team roster on Monday. The team will then go to Petawawa, ON on Monday evening for two days of team building and practice in preparation for pre-competition games.

Canada’s first test will be against Sweden on December 19 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, followed by games on December 21 in Mississauga and December 23 in Hamilton.

Check HYPERLINK "http://www.hockeycanada.ca/" www.hockeycanada.ca for updates throughout the pre-competition games.

The 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship begins on Boxing Day in Ottawa, with Canada taking on Czech Republic.