ENFIELD/FALL RIVER: Two hockey players from Enfield and Fall River will get to lace them up against members of the selection camp for Team Canada’s World Junior team.
Shaun Miller, of Enfield, and Andrew Coxhead of Fall River were announced by U-Sports as part of the all star team from the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference to face off against Canada on Dec. 11 and Dec. 12 in Moncton.
Miller, who plays with Dalhousie Tigers, and St Mary’s Coxhead and the AUS all stars will face Team Canada’s hopefuls in a pair of games at the Avenir Centre in Moncton on Dec. 11 at 2 p.m. AT and Dec. 12 at 12 p.m. AT.
It’s possible that Miller will get to face off with fellow Enfield product Riley Kidney in one or both games.
Tickets for the event can be purchased at www.avenircentre.com
The U SPORTS squad is loaded with firepower, as the Top 10 AUS scorers have all made the roster, with every player scoring at a greater than a point-per-game clip.
The team will be led by AUS leading scorer Liam Hawel from the STFX X-Men, who has posted 27 points in 18 games this season (12-15-27). The former Soo Greyhound and Kitchener Ranger also played seven games for the Laval Rocket of the AHL in the 2020-21 season before joining the X-Men for the 21-22 campaign where he scored 18 goals and added 19 assists.
The U SPORTS defence is led by UPEI Panthers blueliner Matthew Brassard. The former Barrie Colt and Niagara Ice Dog is the leading point-getter amongst rearguards in Canadian university men’s hockey with 23 points in 18 games (3-20-23).
Legendary UNB head coach Gardiner MacDougall, who will also oversee the U SPORTS entry at the upcoming FISU Winter World University Games in Lake Placid, New York, will guide the All-Star team with six members of his UNB REDS, including fourth year forward Brady Gilmore (3-16-19)
“This is an excellent opportunity for U SPORTS to show our continued support for Hockey Canada in helping them best prepare the Canadian World Junior Team for the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Atlantic Canada,” said Lisette Johnson-Stapley, Chief Sport Officer of U SPORTS.
“We are honoured to be invited annually to the selection camp, while simultaneously showcasing some of the best talent Canadian university hockey has to offer. We greatly appreciate Hockey Canada’s support in hosting some of Canada’s top university players.”
Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team has faced various U SPORTS competition on a regular basis since 1988.
U SPORTS began its current All-Star team format in 2015 and in seven previous camps has a 6-6-1 record.
