Dineen named coach of Canada’s women’s hockey team following Church’s resignation

CALGARY – Kevin Dineen has been named as the new head coach of Canada’s women’s hockey team.

It’s the first international coaching job for Dineen, who served as head coach of the NHL’s Florida Panthers for just over two seasons until he was fired last month.

Dineen also played in 1,188 NHL regular-season games, scoring 355 goals and adding 405 assists.

Dineen succeeds Dan Church, who unexpectedly resigned last week less than two months before the start of the Sochi Olympics.

Church said he felt there was a lack of confidence in his ability to coach Canada to a gold medal at the Games.

Assistants Lisa Haley and Danielle Goyette handled the coaching duties in Canada’s 5-1 loss to the archrival United States in an exhibition game last Thursday in Calgary.

The two women’s hockey powers meet again Friday in an exhibition game in Grand Forks, N.D.