Men's Hockey | 7/15/2017 7:06:00 PM

MONTREAL – A pair of McGill University graduates have struck gold and silver at the Maccabiah Games in Israel. Head coach Adam Shell guided the Canadian men's open hockey team to a perfect 5-0 record, including a 7-2 victory over the USA in the championship game on Saturday, while Earl Morris skated for the Canuck master's squad that settled for silver after a 6-2 setback to Ukraine on Friday.

Two other McGillians, assistant basketball coach Madhav Trivedi and former Redmen point-guard Ave Bross, finished fifth in the men's open basketball tourney.

Canada collected 17 gold medals at the Games -- held every four years and billed as the world's third largest sporting event -- which serve to promote Jewish identity, culture and heritage. This year's event attracted more than 10,000 athletes from 74 countries competing in 42 sports.

Shell, a 36-year-old native of Thornhill, Ont., left the gold medal game temporarily after being struck by a puck in the face but returned to his perch after being stitched up. Earlier in the tourney, he guided the squad to preliminary-round victories over the USA (3-2, July 5), Germany (20-0, July 9), Israel (16-2, July 12) and Russia (5-3, July 13).

Shell patrolled the blueline at McGill from 1999 to 2003. He graduated with a commerce degree, achieving honours in accounting. A certified professional accountant, Shell also served as an assistant coach with the Redmen from 2005 to 2007, then took over the reins for eight seasons at Royal Military College from 2007 to 2015, followed by one season as head coach at UBC (2015-16). He achieved Level 3 coaching certification from Hockey Canada and guided the Serbian senior men's national team to a bronze medal at the 2008 IIHF Div. II world championship in Romania. Shell currently operates Golden Boy Consulting, a hockey program management and player development company.
 
Morris, a 53-year-old Montrealer now living in Toronto, helped lead Canada to a 5-4 win over the USA on July 5, followed by a 10-2 loss to Ukraine (July 10) and an 11-2 decision over Israel (July 11). the Canadians advanced to the final after an 8-4 semifinal conquest over the USA (July 12).

Morris was making his third appearance as a player at the Games. He previously helped Canada win gold at the 1997 Maccabiah Games, on a team coached by former Montreal Canadiens, mentor Jacques Demers. Morris returned to the Games in 2013, winning silver in the master's category (40 years and older). He skated at centre for the McGill Redmen from 1984 to 1987, earning a bachelor's degree in sociology and psychology, followed by an MBA from UNB in Fredericton. Morris currently serves as vice-president of business development at Supertek Canada in Toronto.
 
The Canadian open team, under Shell and manager Lewis Allen, was composed of Devon Becker, Kyle Becker, Aaron Berisha, Beni Berisha, Jake Danson, Jonah Goodman, Jacob Hanlon, Corey Kalk, Ryan Kruss, Jacob Meltzer, Daniel Radke, Billy Seligman, Matthew Shuckett, Jordan Simon, Zachary Smith, Zachary Springer and Zachary Sternberg.
  
The Canadian master's team, guided by head coach Jeff Snyder, was composed of Morris, along with Leonard Asper, Aaron Cohen, David Davidson, Jeffery Farkas, Ron Fine, Steven Forberg, Shawn Frydberg, Cory Gelmon, Paul Gurza, Anthony Kirstein, Jonathan Levy, Laurie Litwin, Howard Manis, Robbie Manis, Russell Masters, Brian Mendelson, Launy Schwartz, Avi Steinberg, and Brian Wilks.
 
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
McGill Athletics & Recreation
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca
(514) 398-7012