Six X-Men to compete in AUS all-star game and vie for spot on Canadian team for upcoming Winter Universiade

Athletes announced for the Tim Hortons Team Canada men's hockey all-star game

(FREDERICTON, N.B.) – The Team Canada coaching staff is pleased to announce the student-athletes selected for the Tim Hortons Team Canada men's hockey all-star game. 

Returning for the first time since 1999, this year's event will be held Friday, Nov. 8 at the new Grant-Harvey Centre in Fredericton, N.B. on the St. Thomas Tommies' home ice, with the puck set to drop at 7 p.m. All proceeds from the game will help fund Canada's men's hockey team's trip to Trentino, Italy for the 2013 FISU Winter Universiade, December 11-21.  

The all-star showcase will also serve as the final identification game before Team Canada is officially selected.    Following Friday's all-star game, the 22-man team selected to represent Canada in Trentino will stay in Fredericton for an orientation camp which will take place Saturday through Monday, Nov. 12. The team will practice together on the Grant Harvey Centre's Olympic-sized rink.

The players for this all-star game were selected by the Team Canada coaching staff comprised of head coach Gardiner MacDougall (head coach, UNB) and assistants Forbes MacPherson (head coach, UPEI) and Brad Peddle (head coach, StFX), who will be accompanied in Italy by equipment manager Serge LeBlanc (Moncton) and trainer Joe Glenn (UNB).

Forwards:
Jason Bast, StFX (4th year – Regina, Sask.)
Lucas Bloodoff, Saint Mary's (4th year – Castlegar, B.C.)
Cam Braes, UNB (2nd year – Shawinigan Lake, B.C.)
x – Tyler Carroll, UNB (3rd year – Strathroy, Ont.)
Mike Cazzola, Acadia (2nd year – Guelph, Ont.)
Cam Critchlow, UNB (2nd year – Summerside, P.E.I.)
Chris Culligan, UNB (5th year – Howie Centre, N.S.)
Chris Desousa, UPEI (3rd year – Mississauga, Ont.)
Eric Faille, Moncton (4th year – Lachine, Que.)
Dana Fraser, UPEI (4th year – Tatamagouche, N.S.)
Joe Gaynor, Acadia (4th year – Goderich, Ont.)
Liam Heelis, Acadia (3rd year – Georgetown, Ont.)
Ryan Hillier, Saint Mary's (4th year – Halifax, N.S.)
Stephen Johnson, Saint Mary's (3rd year – Guelph, Ont.)
Michael Kirkpatrick, StFX (3rd year – North Sydney, N.S.)
Nick MacNeil, UNB (4th year – Creignish, N.S.)
Jordan Mayer, UPEI (2nd year – Kingston, Ont.)
Thomas Nesbitt, UNB (3rd year – Ottawa, Ont.)
x – Alex Quesnel, Moncton (4th year – Dorval, Que.)
Stephen Sanza, St. Thomas (3rd year – London, Ont.)
Rob Slaney, StFX (4th year – Portugal Cove, N.L.)
Cory Tanaka, Saint Mary's (5th year – Stouffville, Ont.)
Brett Thompson, Acadia (2nd year – Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.)
(Alternate) Matt Tipoff, Saint Mary's (3rd year – Toronto, Ont.)
x – Pierre Vandall, Dalhousie (4th year – Saint-Louis de France, Que.)

Defencemen:
Josh Day, StFX (5th year – St. John's, N.L)
Marc-Antoine Desnoyers, UNB (4th year – Saint-Hippolyte, Que.)
(Alternate) Jamie Doornbosch, Saint Mary's (3rd year – Richmond Hill, Ont.)
Michael D'Orazio, Saint Mary's (3rd year – Richmond Hill, Ont.)
Samuel Groulx, Moncton (3rd year – Gatineau, Que.)
Simon Jodoin, Moncton (3rd year – Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.)
Simon Lacroix, Moncton (4th year – Orleans, Ont.)
Matthew Maione, UPEI (4th year – Unionville, Ont.)
Spencer McAvoy, StFX (5th year – St. Albert, Alta.)
Cullen Morin, Acadia (4th year – Meadow Lake, Sask.)
Jordan Murray, UNB (1st year – Riverview, N.B.)
Christopher Owens, Acadia (4th year – St. John's, N.L.)
Ben Shutron, UNB (4th year – Orleans, Ont.)
Reggie Traccitto, UPEI (4th year – Oakville, Ont.)
Alex Wall, UPEI (3rd year – Mount Pearl, N.L.)

Goalies:
Jonathan Groenheyde, St. Thomas (2nd year – Surrey, B.C.)
Charles Lavigne, UNB (5th year – Vankleek Hill, Ont.)
Evan Mosher, Acadia (3rd year – Conception Bay, N.L.)
Drew Owsley, StFX (2nd year – Lethbridge, Alta.)
Mavric Parks, UPEI (3rd year – Eganville, Ont.)
x – Anthony Peters, Saint Mary's (3rd year – Blyth, Ont.)
Wayne Savage, UPEI (4th year – St. Thomas, Ont.)

x – player selected but unable to play due to injury

The Winter Universiade takes place every two years and Canada is represented in men's hockey by each of the three CIS conferences on a rotation basis. Since the rotation system was implemented prior to the 1997 Games, AUS all-stars have represented the country on two occasions, bringing home silver in 2001 (Zakopane, Poland) and claiming gold in 2007 (Turin, Italy).
 
Since the inaugural Universiade tournament in 1960, Canada has also claimed gold in 1981 (University of Alberta Golden Bears) and 1991 (senior national team).

Advanced tickets for Friday's all-star game are on sale at the Aitken University Centre box office, the J.B. O'Keefe Fitness Centre and MacTavish's Source For Sports, at a cost of $10 each. Season tickets are not valid for this game.
 
The final selection of student-athletes who will form Team Canada's men's hockey team and compete in the World Universiade in Trentino this December will be announced Saturday, Nov. 9, following Friday night's all-star game.