Canada names young blue-line for Four Nations Cup

Hockey Canada released its roster of 21 players Friday for the upcoming Four Nations Cup.

The squad for the Nov. 4-9 tournament in Lake Placid, N.Y., features a young defence. All but three of the nine women named to the blue-line are 23 years of age or under.

The annual competition pits Canada against the United States, Finland and Sweden. The Canadians have won the event four straight years, beating the U.S. in the final each time.

Ten of the 12 titles in the tournament's history have gone to Canada. The U.S. won the other two, in 1997 and 2003.

Canada opens this year's event on Nov. 4 against Finland.

Veterans and Olympic gold medallists Cheryl Pounder of Mississauga, Ont., and Becky Kellar of Hagersville, Ont., will anchor the youthful defence corps along with Montreal's Caroline Ouellette, who plays both forward and defence.

Tessa Bonhomme of Sudbury, Ont., Annie Guay of Rouyn-Noranda, Que., Edmonton's Megan Mikkelson and Bobbi Jo Slusar of Swift Current, Sask., are 23 years old. Jocelyne Larocque of Ste. Anne, Man., is 20 and Montreal's Catherine Ward is 21.

Bonhomme and Mikkelson have played for Canada at world championships in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Pounder returns to the national team after taking last season off to have a child.

Olympic champions Gillian Apps of Unionville, Ont., Jennifer Botterill of Winnipeg and Cherie Piper of Scarborough, Ont., are among the forwards.

Kim St-Pierre of Chateauguay, Que., Shannon Szabados of Edmonton and Laura Hosier of Sharon, Ont., will tend goal.