RALEIGH, NC – Paul Strand, Youth and Amateur Hockey Coordinator for the Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the Carolina Junior Hurricanes finished first in the International-B bracket at the 2011 Quebec International Pee Wee Hockey Tournament. This marks the 10th consecutive year that the 11-and-12 year old Junior Hurricanes have participated in the 12-day tournament, and is the first time the Junior Canes have won their bracket.

Strand, who served as the team’s head coach for the sixth consecutive year, will be available to the media along with members of the team on Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 6 p.m. in the RBC Center media room prior to Carolina’s game against the New York Rangers.

The Junior Canes posted a perfect 6-0 record through the International-B bracket, finishing with a 5-3 win against Suisse Romande Lynx from Switzerland. The team outscored its opponents 32-6 in its six games, and earned wins against Team Northwest Regulators from Salt Lake City (9-1), Team Angleterre from England (4-1), the Moncton Wildcats from New Brunswick (8-0), the Colorado Avalanche (3-1) and the Anaheim Junior Ducks (3-0). The Junior Canes also went 4-0 in exhibition games while in Quebec, including a 2-1 win against the Barrie Colts of the higher-rated AA bracket.

The Junior Canes had eight of the top 10 scorers in the International-B division. John Moncovich led all International-B skaters with eight points (4g, 4a) in the team’s six games. Captain Riley Stillman (4g, 3a), Colby Pederson (4g, 3a) and Nicholas Wildgoose (2g, 5a) finished tied for second among all International-B bracket skaters with seven points. Goaltender Britt League posted a 0.96 goals-against average and one shutout while earning wins in all six games.

Since beginning in 1960, more than 600 National Hockey League players have participated in the tournament, including Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Guy Lafleur, Ron Francis and current Hurricanes Tim Gleason, Chad LaRose Sergei Samsonov, Jeff Skinner and Jiri Tlusty. The Junior Hurricanes first gained acceptance into the Quebec International Hockey Pee Wee Tournament in 2002. The team scored its first tournament game victory in 2004, and won four tournament games in 2005 en route to their bracket’s semifinals, including a win over Littleton, CO, the team that went on to win the U.S. Ice Hockey National Championship later that year.