Luck O The Irish, Once Again, Covets The Canadian Cup:
Results of The Coffee Time 241 Pizza
Canadian Multicultural Hockey Championships (CMHC) 2006
Irish Shamrocks 6 Iroquois Silver Hawks 2
(A News Release from the CMHC)
Toronto, Dec. 31, 2006: Last night at Scarborough Arena Gardens, the Irish Shamrocks conquered the Canadian Cup, for the second consecutive year, bringing to a magical close the 2nd annual Coffee Time 241 Pizza Canadian Multicultural Hockey Championships.
The Championships, known to at least the 26 communities of diverse ethnic heritage represented in the teams (combined men and women divisions) that currently participate in the tournament, gives Toronto something extra special to be proud of.
In the short two-year existence of the CMHC, a First Nations team and the Irish team, the first people in Canada, have by sheer coincidence, come face to face in the final game of a championship that is, without question, gaining tremendous popularity amongst talented and passionate Canadian hockey players aged 19-43, who believe CMHC offers them an ideal platform on which to manifest not only respect for their roots but also what it means to be Canadian and participate in the historical evolution of this countrys legendary game of hockey. At least 15,000 combined spectators from the four arenas, where the mens and womens games were held, cheered for the players representing their respective communities.
In the Mens Division, the Iroquois Silver Hawks coveted the Silver medal and the Polish Hussars, the Bronze. The Ojibwe Northern Storm won the Womens Division, which launched successfully this year with six teams. The European Sirens won Silver and the Japanese Typhoon won Bronze. The Gold Olympic Medalist Vicky Sonohara made an exclusive appearance playing in the Japanese Typhoon game vs. the Mayhem Dragons (Chinese).
Three new awards were presented for excellence of sportsmanship and play throughout the Championships: the Hon. Mike Colle, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration presented Wayne Yamashita (Japanese Arachi) with the first Dalton McGuinty Award for sportsmanship, perseverance and dedication to the game of hockey and inter-community relations. Stan Papulkas, Founder and Advisor to the CMHL, presented the John Tory Award (MVP, Woman) to Deanna Boissoneau–Ojibwe Northern Storm and the Howard Hampton Award (MVP, Men) to Mike Wiseman–Irish Shamrocks.
The Irish Shamrocks, as the 2006 champions of the Canadian Cup are invited to Barrys Bay on April 1, 2007, to play the Champions of the (Madawaska Valley hosted) 2nd Annual Opeongo Heritage Cup, for the Heritage Bowl.
For more information on this years Coffee Time 2 4 1 Pizza Canadian Multicultural Hockey Championships, including all scores and its history, please visit www.cmhl.ca.
Media Contact: Clara Northcott, Northcott Communications Inc. Tel. 905-274-1620, [email protected]