The United States Hockey League announced today that the Sioux City Musketeers will compete in the 2014 Junior Club World Cup, representing the USHL and the United States in the international tournament that takes place August 22-30, 2014 in Ufa, Russia.
The JCWC, which is sanctioned by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), is the most prestigious international club championship in hockey and features top junior hockey teams from around the world as nine different countries will send representatives for the 2014 tournament. The Sioux City Musketeers are competing in “Group B” against teams from Austria, Latvia, Sweden, and Russia. “Group A” consists of teams from Belarus, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, and Russia.
“This tournament is highly regarded in international hockey circles, attracting clubs from the premiere junior leagues in the world,” said Bob Fallen, USHL President and Commissioner. “The USHL is excited to once again represent the United States with honor on and off the ice, and we know the Sioux City Musketeers will be prepared to compete at the highest level.”
It is the third consecutive year that a USHL team is participating in the event, following the Dubuque Fighting Saints in 2013 and the Waterloo Black Hawks in 2012. Dubuque won a bronze medal and Waterloo earned a silver medal during their appearances, making the United States the only country to medal twice over the three-year history of the tournament.
“We are delighted to host the Sioux City Musketeers at the Junior Club World Cup this year,” Dmitry Efimov, Managing Director of the MHL and lead organizer for the JCWC. “The USHL has proven to be a great partner as both the Waterloo Black Hawks and Dubuque Fighting Saints demonstrated outstanding hockey during their time here and went back home with medals. I’m sure that the Musketeers will bring that same excitement and quality representation of their country to this year’s tournament. We will do everything possible to make it an unforgettable experience for our American friends.”
The 2014 JCWC is being hosted in Ufa, Russia after the three previous tournaments were held in Omsk, Russia. Tournament games are being played at two different venues – the Ufa Arena, opened in 2007 and home to Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the professional Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), and the Ufa Sports Palace, opened in 1967 and previous home to both the KHL and junior league teams.
Ufa was the host city for the 2013 IIHF World U20 Championship, an event in which the United States captured a gold medal with a team that included 17 players who had competed in the USHL. The JCWC is jointly organized by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, the Russian Junior League (MHL), and the Russian Ministry of Sport.
2014 Junior Club World Cup Participants
Group A Group B
Belarus – Dynamo-Shinnik Austria – Red Bull Salzburg
Canada – Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) Latvia – HC Riga
Czech Republic – Pirati Chomutov Russia – Spartak Moscow
Finland – Espoo Blues Sweden – Malmo Redhawks
Russia – Tolpar Ufa United States – Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
Russia has two representatives in the tournament, including Spartak Moscow, 2013-14 champions of the MHL, and Tolpar Ufa, the team from the host city and also a member of the MHL.
Following round-robin play in both Group A and Group B, the top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinal round and the opportunity to compete for a medal. The remaining six teams will compete in the consolation round. Sioux City begins tournament play on Friday, August 22nd against Red Bull Salzburg from Austria. The Musketeers will first fly to Moscow, Russia for an exhibition game before flying to Ufa for the start of the Junior Club World Cup.
2014 JCWC Schedule – Sioux City Musketeers
Friday, August, 22nd, 5:00 PM vs. Red Bull Salzburg (Austria)
Sunday, August 24th, 8:00 PM vs. HC Riga (Latvia)
Monday, August 25th, 4:00 PM vs. Malmo Redhawks (Sweden)
Wednesday, August 27th, 4:00 PM vs. Spartak Moscow (Russia)
Friday, August 29th, TBA, Semifinal and Consolation Round
Saturday, August 30th, TBA, Gold Medal and Bronze Medal Games
“Our organization is absolutely thrilled to represent the USHL and the United States in the Junior Club World Cup,” said Rich Zaber, Executive Vice President of the Sioux City Musketeers. “We have heard nothing by positive things about the tournament, and it is an honor to be part of an event of this magnitude. It will be an outstanding hockey experience, but also a unique life experience for our players, coaches, and staff.”
Under first-year head coach Jay Varady, the Sioux City Musketeers finished the 2013-14 USHL regular season with a 38-19-3 record (79 points) to equal the team record for most wins in the USHL Tier 1 era (2002-present). They qualified for the Clark Cup Playoffs and defeated the Omaha Lancers in the opening round, the first playoff series win for the Musketeers since 2005, to advance to the Western Conference Final before losing to the Waterloo Black Hawks.
Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the USHL celebrates its 12th season as the nation’s only Tier I junior hockey league in 2013-14. A record 32 players were chosen in the 2013 NHL Draft and more than 300 players on team rosters last season have committed to NCAA Division I schools, further establishing the USHL as the world’s foremost producer of junior hockey talent. For more information, visit us on the web at www.USHL.com or visit the League’s social media platforms, including Facebook (www.facebook.com/ushlhockey), twitter (www.twitter.com/ushl), and YouTube (www.youtube.com/ushlinteractive). Fans can also watch USHL action all season long, live or on-demand via FASTHockey (ushl.fasthockey.com).
It’s not just hockey. It’s the USHL.
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