Malcolm Subban named Canada's starting goalie at world juniors

Malcolm Subban has been handed the starting reins in net when Team Canada opens the World Junior Hockey Championship on Boxing Day in Ufa, Russia.

It was announced on Tuesday the Belleville Bulls goaltender would be between the pipes as the Canadians square off with Team Germany in their first game of the tournament, while Owen Sound Attack goalie Jordan Binnington will back him up.

Subban, the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens defenceman P.K. Subban, is a six-foot-two, 201-pound native of Toronto. He was in net for Canada in this year's summer series against the Russians, going 2-0 in the four-game set.

He's got a sparkling 2.17 goals-against average and .932 save percentage with the Bulls this year with a 15-7-3 record.

Saginaw Spirit netminder Jake Paterson is the team's alternate goalie.

Canada's path to a gold medal won't be easy, though. The Canadians are in a group with five other countries, including two gold-medal contenders in Russia and the United States, and they haven't won gold since 2009 in Ottawa.

They'll also have to overcome adversity as centre Boone Jenner was given a three-game suspension Monday by the International Ice Hockey Federation for a late hit that left Swedish defenceman Jesper Pettersson with a fractured wrist and dislocated shoulder.

The Canucks' next game after Wednesday is Friday versus Slovakia.