World Junior exhibition schedule announced

Before the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship captures the fancy of hockey fans worldwide, the RBC Road to the World Juniors pre-tournament tour of exhibition games will take place in eight cities over five days.

The exhibition schedule from Dec. 19-23 will include cities outside the two tournament host cities, Toronto and Montreal.

"Toronto and Montreal will be the center of the junior hockey world this December, but we're thrilled to be able to take the excitement of the World Juniors to other communities before the first puck drops on Boxing Day (Dec. 26)," executive director of the 2015 WJC Pat McEleney said in a statement. "The RBC Road to the World Juniors will be the perfect kick-off to the biggest and best World Junior ever."

The preliminary round of the 2015 WJC runs Dec. 26 through Dec. 31 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto and Bell Centre in Montreal. The medal round will be held Jan. 2 through Jan. 5. The gold-medal game is scheduled Jan. 5 at Air Canada Centre. The 10-team tournament consists of the United States, Canada, Finland, Germany and Slovakia in Group A and the Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia and Denmark in Group B.

2015 World Junior Championship exhibition schedule

Dec. 19

Russia vs. Canada at Air Canada Centre, Toronto

Czech Republic vs. Finland at Stratcona Paper Centre, Napanee, Ontario

Dec. 21

Sweden vs. Canada at Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa

Slovakia vs. Switzerland at Peterborough Memorial Centre, Peterborough, Ontario

United States vs. Germany at K-Rock Centre, Kingston, Ontario

Russia vs. Finland at General Motors Centre, Oshawa, Ontario

Dec. 23

Switzerland vs. Canada at Bell Centre, Montreal

Slovakia vs. Czech Republic at Peterborough Memorial Centre, Peterborough, Ontario

Sweden vs. United States at K-Rock Centre, Kingston, Ontario

Denmark vs. Germany at Centre D'Excellence Sports Rousseau, Blainville, Ontario