An all-star performance from Richmond Troy Stecher helped Canada West win silver at the World Junior "A" Challenge in Yarmouth, NS.
The 18-year-old blueliner played a key role in Canada West reaching the championship game where it dropped a 6-3 decision to the United States on Sunday night.
The defending champions opened the tournament with a 7-0 win over Czech Republic, then pulled out a dramatic 43 overtime victory against Russia with Stecher netting the game winner. Canada West then trimmed Canada East 1-0 in the semi-finals to advance.
The Americans took a 4-3 lead into the third period and pulled away with a pair of unanswered goals. The win marked the fourth time the U.S. has won the tournament, while Canada West has also finished runners-up three times over that span.
Stecher was joined on the tournament all-star team by Penticton Vees teammate Wade Murphy and former Richmond Sockeyes goaltender Jonah Imoo who now plays for Powell River of the B.C. Hockey League. The all-stars also included Americans Vince Hinostrorza and Ian Brady, along with Sandro Zannger of Switzerland.
Since the first World Junior "A" Challenge in 2006, more than 100 NHL draft picks have played in the tournament, including 18 first-round selections.
Meanwhile, Richmond's Leah Lum and Jodi Gentile were just edged out of a medal as members of Team B.C. at the 2012 Women's National U18 Championship in Dawson Creek.
Goals from Lum and Hannah Miller gave B.C. a 2-0 second period lead before Ontario Red scored late in the frame, then added the equalizer in the early stages of the third.
Ontario Red then completed the come-back by scoring with four minutes left in overtime for a 3-2 win.
B.C. had earlier dropped a 4-1 decision to Manitoba in the semi-finals after going 2-1 in round-robin play.
The National Women's U18 Championships brings together teams made up of the best female hockey players born 1995 or later. The tournament serves as an important platform for Hockey Canada scouts.
Lum and Gentile play for the Pacific Ravens and Fraser Valley Phantoms respectively of the B.C. Female Midget AAA Hockey League.
