Canadian goalies Subban and Binnington compete for starts at world juniors

The Canadian Press

CALGARY - Malcolm Subban and Jordan Binnington will battle for the starting job on Canada's junior team.

Head coach Steve Spott said Saturday that Jake Paterson will be Canada's alternate goalie at the world junior hockey championship in Ufa, Russia.

The Canadian team is taking a third goalie to Russia as insurance against injury and because of the travel distance.

Countries can add a goalie to their rosters after the tournament starts Dec. 26, but that isn't allowed at forward or defence.

Paterson, 18, was the youngest of the four goalies invited to camp. He was the only one not to give up a goal in the intra-squad or exhibition games.

Canada held its first practice as a team Saturday in Calgary and were to depart later in the day.

The team will have a pre-competition camp in Finland and play exhibition games against the host Finns and Sweden there.

Canada travels to Ufa on Dec. 23 and opens the tournament against Germany.