Ference, Komarniski Make Final Cut For Team Canada Chiefs Defensemen Off To Sweden To Prepare For World Junior Tournament

Spokane Chiefs defensemen Brad Ference and Zenith Komarniski were on their way to Sweden on Wednesday as official members of Team Canada, the Canadian national team that will play in the World Junior Tournament.

Ference and Komarniski survived Wednesday’s final cut announced by coach Real Palement.

Goaltender Patrick Desrochers of Sarnia (Ont.), defenseman Nicholas Boynton and forward Colin Pepperall of Erie (Ont.) and forward Dan Cleary of the National Hockey League Chicago Blackhawks were released on the last day of tryout camp at Kitchener, Ont.

The Chiefs’ Ty Jones has earned a spot on Team USA.

Marian Cisar has been announced as a member of the Slovakian team.

The World Junior Tournament will be played in Helsinki, Finland, Dec. 25-Jan.3.

The Canadians, gold medalists for five straight years, will play exhibition games in Stockholm against Sweden and Switzerland.

They open the tournament on Christmas Day against Finland at 8:30 a.m. PST.

Elsewhere, the Western Hockey League reviewed the checking-from-behind major that Chiefs center Derek Schutz picked up last week. No additional penalty will be levied, GM Tim Speltz said.

“If they had ruled again, the call would have been boarding,” Speltz said.

The Chiefs are home for Christmas. Their next action is Dec. 27-28 at Prince George.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Color photos