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HALIFAX — Eric Staal has left the Canadian team at the IIHF World Hockey Championship after the death of his grandfather.
He travelled back to Thunder Bay, Ont., today and will attend the funeral Wednesday.
Staal will miss Wednesday's quarter-final game against Norway but will rejoin the team in Quebec City for the semifinals if it advances.
Teenager Sam Gagner will dress in his place against the Norwegians.
Team Canada's Eric Staal cheers to a shot on goal during the practice for the 2008 IIHF World Hockey Championships in Halifax on Sunday. (Paul Darrow/Reuters)
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He is Canada's extra forward at this tournament and has watched the first six games from the press box.
Staal won gold at last year's world championship and had four goals and seven points in six games here.
