Captains Selected

It’s interesting following our National Champions to various events local, national or International to see how Canada competes with the world and the following was just received in the office with thanks for sending it out.

National champion Katelyn Gosling and forward Olivier Hinse of the Concordia Stingers have been selected as the respective captains of the Canadian Women’s and Men’s hockey teams that are competing at the 2017 Winter Universiade in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The hockey tournaments of the 28th biennial Games will begin on January 28. Gold medal games are set on Feb. 6 for the women’s tournament and February 8 for men’s in advance of the Universiade’s Closing Ceremonies on the same day.

The women’s ice hockey team secured the silver medal at the Granada 2015 Games, their first championship loss since the discipline’s inception in 2009, while the men seek to add their fifth gold medal after claiming bronze in the previous Games.

Canada opens the women’s competition Saturday at 4:30 pm local (5:30 am EST) against China while the men begin on Monday at 7:30 pm local (6:30 am EST) against USA.

Gosling, now graduated from Western University where she led the Western Mustangs to the U SPORTS national championship in 2015, is looking to improve on her previous silver medal in the Winter Universiade in Granada.

Now a member of the Calgary Inferno of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL), Gosling was named a U SPORTS First-Team All-Canadian in 2013 and Second Team All-Canadian in 2015.

Since her previous Universiade appearance, Gosling represented her country at the Nations Cup with the Canadian women’s development team, winning gold.

Serving as alternate captains in Almaty will be Saskatchewan Huskies forward Kaitlyn Willoughby, St. Thomas Tommies forward Kelty Apperson, and Montreal Carabins forward Jessica Cormier.

Although all are making their Universiade debuts, Apperson and Willoughby enter the tournament with leadership experience as the captain and alternate captain of their respective U SPORTS teams.

Hinse, who played four seasons in the QMJHL, currently serves as captain of the Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team.

In his fifth year with the Stingers, the Sherbrooke, Que., native is tied for the team lead in scoring with 17 goals and 28 points in 23 games.

In 2015, Hinse was named the national winner of the Dr. Randy Gregg Award for hockey academic and community service.

He also served as captain of the U SPORTS All-Stars against the Canadian National Junior Team prospects in December, after being an alternate captain in the same event in 2015.

Serving as alternate captains are McGill Redmen defenseman Nathan Chiarlitti, Carleton Ravens forward Michael McNamee, and UQTR Patriotes defenseman Martin Lefebvre. Each of these players joined Hinse on the U SPORTS All-Stars against the World Junior prospects, with Lefebvre serving as alternate captain.

All eight members of the leadership group of the men’s and women’s hockey teams will take part in an outdoor shinny game with local youth organized by the Embassy of Canada to Kazakhstan on Friday.

The captains will each be joined by an additional teammate in the event, which features five men and five women from Team Canada, beginning at 2:30 p.m. local (3:30 a.m. EST).

Team Canada website: http://english.usports.ca/universiade/winter/2017/index

Almaty 2017 website: https://almaty2017.com/

WOMEN’S SCHEDULE (all times local / 11 hours ahead of EST)

Saturday, Jan. 28 (16:30): Canada vs. China (www.livefisu.tv)

Monday, Jan. 30 (16:30): Canada vs. Great Britain

Wednesday, Feb. 1 (20:00): Canada vs. Kazakhstan

Saturday, Feb. 4 (16:30, 20:00): Semifinals (www.livefisu.tv)

Monday, Feb. 6 (16:30): Bronze (www.livefisu.tv)

Monday, Feb 6 (20:00): Gold (www.livefisu.tv)

MEN’S SCHEDULE (all times local / 11 hours ahead of EST)

Monday, Jan. 30 (19:30): Canada vs. USA (www.livefisu.tv)

Wednesday, Feb. 1 (16:00): Canada vs. Great Britain

Friday, Feb. 3 (12:30): Canada vs. Slovakia (www.livefisu.tv)

Saturday, Feb. 4 (16:00, 19:30): Quarterfinals (www.livefisu.tv)

Sunday, Feb. 5 (16:00, 19:30): Quarterfinals (www.livefisu.tv)

Tuesday, Feb. 7 (16:00, 19:30): Semifinals (www.livefisu.tv)

Wednesday, Feb. 8 (11:00): Bronze (www.livefisu.tv)

Wednesday, Feb. 8 (15:00): Gold (www.livefisu.tv)