2006 World Junior A Challenge

The World Junior A Challenge 2006 was an international Junior "A" ice hockey tournament hosted by Hockey Canada. The 2006 World Junior A Challenge was hosted by the Canadian City of Yorkton, Saskatchewan.

Summary
The final was between Canada East and Canada West. The West came out on fire early with two quick goals from Jordie Johnston of the La Ronge Ice Wolves, and took a 4-0 lead before the halfway point of the game. The East came back, led by two third period goals by David Kostuch of the Markham Waxers, but in the end they came up short. The West won the first ever WJAC with a 4-3 victory. The Gold Medal game was the only game of the tournament to be nationally televised. It was pre-taped and played on November 18, 2006 by TSN, a week after the game was actually played. All games, except the final, were webcasted by Hockey Canada. The Final, due to a contractual agreement with TSN, was not allowed to be webcasted.

The Bronze Medal Game was played between Slovakia and Russia. After 3 periods, the game was tied 1-1. After an Overtime and Shootout, the Russians came out on top 2-1. They outshot the Slovaks 49-16.

Canadian Controversy
Following the Championship game, Hockey Canada officials told members of their own two national teams that if they wanted to keep their game-worn jerseys, they would have to flip their own bill. For a price of $225, players were allowed to take home their own "Home" jersey. For an additional $40 they could even keep their shin socks. Another interesting aspect of this situation was that players were told by Hockey Canada officials that the entire team either had to buy their jerseys or no one on the team could. In contrast, at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships last year players were allowed to keep their white home jerseys for free, but their red away jerseys were kept by Hockey Canada to auction off at a fundraiser.

2006 Exhibition Play
November 1, 2006
 * Canada East defeated Nipawin Hawks/Melfort Mustangs Combines (SJHL) 4-3 at Nipawin, Saskatchewan
 * Canada West defeated Weyburn Red Wings (SJHL) 12-0 at Weyburn, Saskatchewan
 * Russia defeated Dauphin Kings (MJHL) 4-2 at Dauphin, Manitoba

November 2, 2006
 * Canada East defeated Russia 4-2 at Melfort, Saskatchewan

November 3, 2006
 * Winkler Flyers (MJHL) defeated Germany 4-2 at Winkler, Manitoba
 * Canada West defeated Slovakia 4-0 at Weyburn, Saskatchewan

November 4, 2006
 * Canada West defeated Germany 11-2 at Estevan, Saskatchewan
 * Neepawa Natives (MJHL) defeated Belarus 8-4 at Brandon, Manitoba
 * Russia defeated Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL) 8-2 at Esterhazy, Saskatchewan

November 5, 2006
 * Canada East defeated Belarus 3-2 at Yorkton, Saskatchewan

Results
November 6, 2006
 * Canada West defeated Russia 6-2

November 7, 2006
 * Russia defeated Belarus 7-1

November 8, 2006
 * Canada West defeated Belarus 10-2

Results
November 6, 2006
 * Slovakia defeated Germany 3-1

November 7, 2006
 * Canada East defeated Slovakia 4-1

November 8, 2006
 * Canada East defeated Germany 4-1

Championship Round
Note: Qualifier games on November 9, Semi-final games on November 11, Final game on November 12, 2006.

Bronze Medal Game on November 12, 2006
 * Russia defeated Slovakia 2-1 in Overtime Shootout

5th Place Game on November 11, 2006
 * Germany defeated Belarus 8-3

Belarus
Players: Vitali Bialinski, Anton Mitskevich, Mikhail Karpeichyk, Vitali Marchanka, Ivan Nachaunoi, Siarhei Sheleh, Aliaksandr Yeronau, Nikolai Goncharov, Viachaslau Raitsou, Aleh Haroshka, Philip Maistrenka, Aliaksandr Famin, Pavel Razvadouski, Igor Revenko, Kiryl Brykun, Andrei Kolasau, Dzmitry Verameichyk, Valeri Bojarskih, Artsiom Dziamkou, Yauheni Salamonau, Andrei Zaleuski, Ihar Varashylau, Uladzimir Mikhailau

Staff: Sergei Opimakh, Pavel Perapekhin, Aliksandr Haurylionak, Valery Ivanis, Andrei Kanstantsinovich

Canada East
Players: Scott Greenham, Cameron Talbot, Ryan Burkholder, Alain Goulet, Scott Levigne, Brock Matheson, Brendan Smith, Jeff Terminesi, Mike Ward, Will Acton, Spencer Anderson, Jean-Phillipe Beaulieu, Glenn Belmore, Louie Caporusso, Scott Freeman, Mike Gailbraith, Kyle Goodchild, Jordan Knox, David Kostuch, Michael Lecomte, Keif Orsini, Paul Zanette

Staff: Brent Ladds, Paul Currie, Jerome Dupont, Marty Abrams, Troy Ryan, Dave Campbell, Bill O'Connor

Canada West
Players: Keanan Boomer, Guillaume Perusse, Deron Cousens, Ryan de Vries, Maury Edwards, Jason Gray, Kyle Haines, Damon Kipp, Evan Oberg, Cody Danberg, Justin Fontaine, Justin Gvora, Tyson Hobbins, Jordie Johnston, Joel Malchuk, Tyler McNeely, Chad Nehring, Kyle Ostrow, Casey Pierro-Zabotel, Kyle Reed, Kyle Turris, Ben Winnett

Staff: Kim Davis, Darcy Rota, Boris Rybalka, Bruno Campese, Ken Pearson, Dwight McMillan, Ron Holloway, Don Pindus

Germany
Players: Markus Keller, Bjorn Linda, Andreas Tanzer, Nikolaus Senger, Andre Mangold, Sinan Akdag, Sebastian Eickmann, Florian Muller, Andreas Gawlik, Gregor Stein, Denis Reul, Jens Heyer, Nicolas Ackermann, Robin Thomson, Markus Ruderer, Michael Rimbeck, Martin Buchwieser, Michael Christ, Martin Leismuller, Patrick Geiger, Dennis Fischbuch, Andre Huebscher, Alexander Oblinger, Daniel Möhle, Daniel Oppolzer, Thomas Dreischer, Steven Rupprich, Gerit Fauser, Marc Wittforth, David Wolf, Martin Hinterstocker, Phillip Michl

Staff: Michael Pfuhl, James Andrew Setters, Thomas Schadler, Alfred Stockbauer, Yasser El-Laymony, Dennis Sattler

Russia
Players: Dmitri Voloshin, Sergey Gayduchenko, Yakov Seleznev, Maxim Isaev, Andrey Kolesnikov, Maksim Goncharov, Vladimir Repin, Nikolay Lukyanchikov, Andrey Konev, Albert Polinin, Mikhail Churlyaev, Denis Trakhanov, Alexander Vasiliev, Vladimir Bakika, Vitaly Karamnov, Dmitry Tsyganov, Kim Dovlatyan, Denis Fakhrutdinov, Egor Averin, Sergey Korostin, Maksim Mayorov, Nikita Klyukin, Egor Dubrovskiy, Ilya Fedin, Evgeny Dadonov, Ruben Begunts

Staff: Andrey Fedorov, Radj Dovlatyan, Miskhat Fakhrutdinov, Vladimir Koluzganov, Igor Semenov, Yuri Leonov, Nikolay Kulikov, Viktor Tsyplakov, Sergey Vinnikov

Slovakia
Players: Jaroslav Janus, Matus Andreanin, Marek Daloga, Branislav Horvath, Jan Brejcak, Martin Baca, Marek Pekar, Matus Vizvary, Antonin Hruska, Michal Kozak, Dalimir Jancovic, Marek Mertel, Tomas Vyletelka, Martin Stepan, Milan Kytnar, Matej Misura, Adam Bezak, Ondrej Rusnak, Juraj Paulen, Martin Filo, Lubos Dobry, Vladimir Mikula,

Staff: Jan Filic, Tibor Danis, Dusan Halahija, Josef Hrtus, Juraj Nemcek, Pavol Klobusicky

Awards
Most Valuable Player
 * Kyle Turris (Canada West)

All-Star Team
 * Goaltender - Jaroslav Janus (Slovakia)
 * Defenseman – Deron Cousens (Canada West)
 * Defenseman – Maxim Isaev (Russia)
 * Forward – Louie Caporusso (Canada East)
 * Forward – Sergey Korostin (Russia)
 * Forward – Kyle Turris (Canada West)