CanadaB次元官网网址檚 captain Dillon Dube had to pause briefly and pick at his jersey to try and count all the layers heB次元官网网址檇 put on before hitting the ice at New Era Field.
B次元官网网址淚 have three on right now,B次元官网网址� said Dube, adjusting his toque in the media room at the home of the NFLB次元官网网址檚 Buffalo Bills. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 a guy who doesnB次元官网网址檛 wear anything, really, so right now IB次元官网网址檓 getting pretty hot. But overall out there I was pretty cold. I was going to put on a facemask but I just couldnB次元官网网址檛 do it.B次元官网网址�
The Canadians had to figure out how to stay warm, keep the sun out of their eyes and deal with snow flurries before even stepping on to the ice against the United States on Friday afternoon in the first outdoor game in world junior hockey championship history. The event is expected to draw more than 40,000 fans, shattering the previous world junior championship attendance record by more than 20,000 tickets.
Layering up or even placing hand warmers in strategic areas were just some of the tactics the Canadians employed to battle the cold as temperatures hovered around -10 Celsius before the windchill.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e got two layers of socks on, I tried to wear little gloves under my hockey gloves but it was just too much,B次元官网网址� said starting goaltender Carter Hart, who used to play on the backyard rink of Team Canada teammate Sam Steel when they were growing up in Sherwood Park, Alta. B次元官网网址淚t wasnB次元官网网址檛 too bad out there, but the coldest thing was my feet.
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
B次元官网网址淭hank God I didnB次元官网网址檛 get any pucks into my feet, I think my toes would have broken off.B次元官网网址�
On top of staying warm, Canada had to figure out a way to combat the glare off the ice from the afternoon sun. Most of the players wore eyeblack on their cheeks and had tinted visors. At practice on Thursday, Dube jokingly wore sunglasses under his visor.
Although all of the players acknowledged the visors helped, none were really sold on the eyeblack.
B次元官网网址淥verall, for myself, I just wore it for looks,B次元官网网址� said Dube. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know if it helped as much.B次元官网网址�
Veteran defenceman Dante Fabbro agreed with Dube.
B次元官网网址淚 honestly have no idea,B次元官网网址� said Fabbro when asked if the eyeblack helped. B次元官网网址淭hey say it does, but I canB次元官网网址檛 tell at all.B次元官网网址�
Head coach Dominique Ducharme, while concerned about the welfare of his players, was envious that they got to skate around and stay active to keep warm while he and his staff had to stay still behind the bench.
B次元官网网址淭he longer you stay, the colder you get,B次元官网网址� said Ducharme. B次元官网网址淔or us not moving much, we need a lot of layers.B次元官网网址�
Puck drop is set for 12 p.m. (Pacific) Friday. Follow Black Press Media for details following the game.
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
Like us on and follow us on .
