2008 World Junior Quarter & Semi Finals Schedule

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The Preliminary Round is over for the U-20 Pool A teams. Now the Quarter and Semi Final Rounds are about to be played. Team Sweden of Group A has won all four of it's games so far, sending them to the Semi Finals. Team USA of Group B has also won all four of their games, putting them into the Semi Finals as well. The Quarter Final game between Group B's Russia (3W, 1L) and the Czech Republic (2W, 2L) of Group A will decide who plays Sweden, while USA will face the winner of Group A's Canada (3W, 1L) vs Group B's Finland (1W, 1OTW, 2L). Both Quarter Final games will be played at the Cez Arena in Pardubice, Czech Republic on Wednesday Jan. 2, 2008.

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The teams that didn't do as well in the Preliminary Round will have to play in the Relegation games at Tipsport Arena in Liberec, Czech Republic on Wednesday Jan. 2 and Thursday Jan. 3, 2008. Yes, Relegation can be as bad as it sounds, as the teams with the worst records drop down from Pool A to the lesser Division I for the 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship games. The worst teams of the lesser Divisions also drop one level. Of course, the teams who have won the Finals of the Divisions I, II and III this year, move up one level for next year. .

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2008 World Junior Championship

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The 2008 World Junior Championship got under way for the Elite group U-20's in the Czech Republic today with the preliminary round. Team USA opened with a 5-1 win over Kazakhstan. Both Kyle Okposo and James Van Riemsdyk each had a goal and an assist. Later on, defending champs Team Canada shut out the Czech Republic 3-0 in front of a sell out crowd at the arena in Pardubice. Canada started off by getting into penalty trouble. Eventually, they straightened up and got two goals from John Tavares and another from Matthew Halischuck. The Washington Capitals' goaltending prospect Michal Neuvirth of the Czech Republic lost with a respectable .900 save percentage. Capitals' prospect Josh Godfrey playing for Canada, had one assist in the game. Meanwhile Russia clobbered Finland 7-4.

Three Capitals Prospects To Play In World Junior Championship

This afternoon, the Washington Capitals web site included an article on the three Caps prospects who are scheduled to play in the 2008 World Junior Championship which will be held in the Czech Republic December 26, 2007 to January 5, 2008.

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Karl Alzner of the WHL's Calgary Hitmen has been chosen to be the Captain for Team Canada. Alzner, a 19 year old defenseman from Burnaby, British Columbia, was the Capitals' first pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, number 5 overall. He is currently Captain of the Calgary Hitmen. Among other awards, Alzner also won Gold with Team Canada at the last World Junior Championship.

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Josh Godfrey of the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds has also been chosen to play for Team Canada. Godfrey, also 19 years old, is from Kingston, ON. He was born in Collingwood, ON. He is currently the top defensive scorer for the Greyhounds. Godfrey was chosen by the Capitals in the second round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, 34th overall.

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Michal Neuvirth, also 19, was chosen as goaltender for the Czech Republic. Neuvirth is from Usi Labem of the Czech Republic. He played for the Plymoth Whalers last season & the start of this season. He now plays for the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL. With combined totals of a .924 save percentage & being fifth in goals against with a 2.39 average, he currently ranks third in the league. Last season, with the Whalers, he led his team to the OHL championship & a berth in the Memorial Cup, along with winning other awards for himself. Neuvirth was the Capitals second round choice, 34th overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Team Canada & Team Czech Republic will open the tournament playing against each other in a preliminary round game on December 26, 2007 at the CEZ Pardubice Arena.