Monday, February 8, 2010

2011 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR SCHEDULE & POOL GROUPINGS ANNOUNCED

Press Release

The Buffalo Sabres and USA Hockey today announced a tentative schedule and pool assignments for the 2011 World Junior Championship that will take place in Buffalo from December 26, 2010-January 5, 2011. The Sabres also announced that four games originally scheduled for Dwyer Arena will now be played at HSBC Arena, bringing the number of games in Buffalo to 21. This will not affect the previously announced ticket package pricing.

A total of 31 games will be played over 11 days at HSBC Arena, and Dwyer Arena on the campus of Niagara University in Lewiston, NY. Team USA will be in Group A along with Finland, Germany, Slovakia and Switzerland. Group B will feature Canada, Sweden, Russia, Czech Republic and Norway. The Gold Medal game will take place on Wednesday, January 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Team USA will begin defense of its 2010 World Junior title on Sunday, December 26 vs. Finland at HSBC Arena at 8 p.m. The opening day of the tournament will also feature two other games at HSBC Arena, including Canada/Russia at 4 p.m. The tournament officially opens up at 12:30 p.m. with a game at HSBC Arena between Germany and Switzerland. Norway and Sweden will face-off at Dwyer Arena that day in a 4 p.m. start.

Another highlight of Team USA’s schedule is a New Year’s Eve game against Switzerland beginning at 8 p.m. They will also face Slovakia (Dec. 28, 8 p.m.) and Germany (Dec. 30, 7 p.m.). All four of USA and Canada’s preliminary round games will be played at HSBC Arena.

The addition of four games to the HSBC Arena portion of the schedule will not affect the prices of the previously announced Gold (31 games; $1,240 per ticket), Silver (21 games; $833) and Bronze (21 games; $493) ticket packages. In fact, ticket buyers will receive added value by purchasing a full package with four additional games at HSBC Arena.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

3 comments:

Brock Otten said...

Wow. Poor Norway!

Frederik Fogstad said...

Maybe in the short run Brock, but looking 5 -10 years ahead we will compete with anyone

Dan Brumm said...

Improved coaching and development of today's young Norwegian players will be key to Norway competing successfully with the likes of this group in the future.