HODONIN, Czech Republic – The 2007 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka begins on Tuesday in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team will begin its quest for a fourth straight title.
Canada faces off against Sweden at 3:30 p.m. local time (9:30 a.m. ET) in the first game of round-robin action for both teams. The eight-team event features two pools of four teams, with Canada in Group A with the Czech Republic, Sweden and Switzerland. Group B features Finland, Russia, Slovakia and the USA. Canada has won this tournament three straight years and has taken the past 10 of 11.
There will be no television or radio coverage of this tournament. Hockey Canada’s website, www.hockeycanada.ca, is the place for all of the results. The website will be updated throughout the tournament.
The Memorial of Ivan Hlinka is one of two tournaments in which Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team competes. Canada also participates in the IIHF World Under-18 Championship each April. Some of the top players in the NHL have competed for the National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team, including Rick Nash and Eric Staal.