(FREDERICTON, NB) Five members of the UNB Reds men's hockey team have been chosen to participate in the upcoming U SPORTS Men's Hockey All-Star Series, against Hockey Canada's National Junior Team prospects.
UNB's Gardiner MacDougall, in his 20th season as head coach of the Reds, will serve as the head coach of the U SPORTS team.
The two-game series will take place in Oakville, Ontario, December 9-12.
"It is an outstanding lifetime opportunity and a real privilege, when you look at the outstanding coaches across our country, to get a chance to lead an amazing group of student-athletes," said MacDougall, who served as an assistant with the U SPORTS team last year. "Last year's experience, in Victoria, was one of the top experiences I've enjoyed as a coach at the U SPORTS level."
Defencemen Tristan Pomerleau (Riviere-du-Loup, QC) and Matt Murphy (Fredericton, NB) will join MacDougall in Oakville, along with forwards Mark Simpson (Rothesay, NB), Kris Bennett (Brampton, ON), and Tyler Boland (St. John's, NL).
"It's such an honour to be selected and recognized to be on the U SPORTS All-Star team again," said Bennett. "I'm looking forward to representing UNB with pride, and it's going to be an unbelievable experience. It's special that we're playing in Oakville, it's where I played junior hockey when I was 16 and 17, and it's close to home. I'm going to have a lot of family and friends at the games."
Former Danish junior team captain Mikkel Aagaard, now a member of the Guelph Gryphons, headlines the U SPORTS All-Stars.
He led Denmark to an eighth-place finish at the 2015 World Junior Hockey Championship, in Montreal and Toronto.
This year's U SPORTS roster features seven returning players with All-Star Series and FISU Winter Universiade experience, including Bennett, Murphy and Simpson.
"It's an honour for me to be named to the U SPORTS All-Star team," said Boland. "To be representing our team is a privilege as well. I'm looking forward to the opportunity of playing with some of the best players in U SPORTS."
This will mark the fifth consecutive year the U SPORTS All-Stars have faced the Canadian junior team prospects, who are vying for roster spots on the team that will represent Canada at the 2020 World Junior Championship, in the Czech Republic, December 26 through January 5.
"This is an excellent opportunity for U SPORTS to show our continued support for Hockey Canada in helping them best prepare the Canadian team for the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship," said Lisette Johnson-Stapley, Chief Sport Officer of U SPORTS. "We are honoured to be invited annually to the Sport Chek Selection Camp, while simultaneously showcasing some of the best talent Canadian university hockey has to offer."
Joining MacDougall on the U SPORTS coaching staff will be Brett Gibson, of the Queen's Gaels, Todd Johnson, of the Regina Cougars, and Clarke Singer, of the Western Mustangs.
This year's series will feature games on December 11th, at 6:00pm Atlantic, and December 12th, at 3:00pm Atlantic.