Brent Kisio has won a gold medal as an assistant coach with Team Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. (Photo: Lethbridge Hurricanes)

By Justin Goulet

Lethbridge Hurricanes coach captures gold at World Juniors

Jan 6, 2023 | 9:03 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes is coming back home with a gold medal. Brent Kisio served as an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The Canadians defeated Czechia 3-2 in overtime Thursday night, January 5, 2023 to win the tournament. The victory earned Canada its second straight gold medal at the World Juniors.

READ MORE: Guenther scores in OT, Canada beat Czechia for 20^th world junior gold

Thursday night’s gold-medal victory marked the second gold for Kisio as a coach for Team Canada. He previously served as the head coach of the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup U18 team that won gold in Slovakia.

Additionally, Kisio won a silver medal at the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. At that event, he served as an assistant coach for the Canada Pacific U17 team.

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The 2023 World Juniors marked Kisio’s second time on the staff of the National Junior team. He served as an assistant at the 2019 tournament in Vancouver, when the Canadians lost in the quarter-finals.

Kisio is the longest serving active coach in the Western Hockey League (WHL) and is the winningest coach in Lethbridge Hurricanes history, with 251 career coaching victories.

Previous Hurricanes to have won medals at the World Juniors include:

• Dylan Cozens with Team Canada in 2020 (Gold)
• Calen Addison with Team Canada in 2020 (Gold)
• Zach Boychuk with Team Canada in 2009 (Gold) and in 2008 (Gold)
• Michael Gulasi with Czechia in 2005 (Bronze)
• Brent Seabrook with Team Canada in 2005 (Gold) and 2004 (Gold)
• Lee Sorochan with Team Canada in 1995 (Gold)
• Wes Walz with Team Canada in 1990 (Gold)

Brent Kisio is anticipated to return to the Hurricanes this weekend as the team hosts the Edmonton Oil Kings at the ENMAX Centre on Saturday, January 7.

Read more local sports at Lethbridge News Now.