Team Canada Jr. begins title defense today.

The World Junior Hockey Championships begins today for Canada as they play their first pool game this afternoon against the host team, the Czech Republic. Canada will try to win a 4th gold medal in a row.

Goaltender Jonathan Bernier should see plenty of action during this tournament. Bernier compared the pressure of winning the gold for Canada to the pressure he faced during the Los Angeles Kings season opener played in England early this last October. A game that Bernier won, registering his first NHL shutout. Jonathan Bernier has kept a 1-3 record during his short trip in the NHL with the Kings.


Canadian head coach Craig Hartsburg defined his lines before the start of the competition. Here are his offensive lines: First, Claude Giroux and Brad Marchand will play with Kyle Turris at centre, Brandon Sutter will have Stefan Legein and Wayne Simmonds as wingers, Steve Stamkos will play in centre with Matt Halischuk and Shawn Matthias then four other players are available. John Tavares, Riley Holzapfel, Colton Gillies and Zach Boychuk.

As for the defensive pairs, Karl Alzner and Drew Doughty should be paired together, Thomas Hickey and Luke Schenn, then Logan Pyett and Josh Godfrey. P.K. Subban is kept as an extra defensemen.

Will Canada successfully defend their triple title?

(Picture: Jonathan Bernier, Canadian Press.)