TSN heads to Bratislava and Košice, Slovakia for the 2011 IIHF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP with live coverage beginning Friday, April 29 at 2 p.m. ET with Canada’s opening game against Belarus. The network’s coverage continues through to the championship on May 15.
In total, TSN will cover 20 games, including action from the preliminary and qualification rounds, plus all the quarter-final and semifinal match-ups, and the Bronze and Gold Medal games (see complete broadcast schedule below). Games are also available live on TSN MOBILE TV. TSN MOBILE TV is currently available on video-enabled mobile devices subscribing to the Bell Mobile TV Sports Package.
TSN play-by-play commentator Dave Randorf and analyst Mike Johnson will travel across the pond to Slovakia to call the action from the broadcast booth, while TSN analyst Rod Black will be joined in studio by former Team Canada coach and Stanley Cup winner Mike Keenan. SPORTSCENTRE’s Brent Wallace, who has been covering Team Canada from Europe since their first practice last week, will also be on site in Slovakia to file daily reports.
The 2011 IIHF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP features the top men’s hockey teams from 16 countries. The annual event involves a talented crop of NHL stars not participating in the NHL Playoffs representing their home countries in international competition.
Team Canada general manger Dave Nonis and head coach Ken Hitchcock have lined up a talented roster, including Team Captain and Olympic gold medallist Rick Nash, tournament veterans Jason Spezza and Dion Phaneuf and rising stars Jordan Eberle, John Tavares, Devan Dubnyk, James Reimer and Calder Trophy finalist Jeff Skinner.
Canada sits in Group B with Switzerland, Belarus and France. The squad will look to push past its group and improve on its seventh-place performance at last year’s tournament, which saw the Czech Republic win a dramatic 2-1 gold medal game against Russia, the 2008 and 2009 champion.
On top of the broadcast coverage, hockey fans can visit TSN.ca or download TSN MOBILE apps for BlackBerry, iPhone and iPad for all the latest news, expert analysis, scores and standings from the 2011 IIHF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.
TSN’s broadcast schedule for the 2011 IIHF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP is as follows:
Friday, April 29
Belarus vs. Canada at 2 p.m. ET
Saturday, April 30
• USA vs. Austria at 10 a.m. ET
Sunday, May 1
• Canada vs. France at 10 a.m. ET
Monday, May 2
• USA vs. Norway at 10 a.m. ET
Tuesday, May 3
• Canada vs. Switzerland at 10 a.m. ET
Wednesday, May 4
• USA vs. Sweden at 2 p.m. ET
Friday, May 6
• Qualification Round:1B vs. 2C at 10 a.m. ET
• Qualification Round: 1C vs. 3B at 2 p.m. ET
Saturday, May 7
• Qualification Round: 1B vs. 3C at 10 a.m. ET
Sunday, May 8
• Qualification Round: 1C vs. 2B at 10 a.m. ET (TSN2)
Monday, May 9
• Qualification Round: 2B vs. 2C at 10 a.m. ET
• Qualification Round: 1B vs. 1C at 2 p.m. ET
Wednesday, May 11
• Quarterfinal 1 at 10 a.m. ET
• Quarterfinal 2 at 2 p.m. ET
Thursday, May 12
• Quarter-final 3 at 10 a.m. ET
• Quarter-final 4 at 2 p.m. ET
Friday, May 13
• Semifinal 1 at 10 a.m. ET
• Semifinal 2 at 2 p.m. ET
Sunday, May 14
• Bronze Medal Game at 10 a.m. ET
• Gold Medal Game at 2:30 p.m. ET
