For a change, the first part of the Buffalo-Niagara moniker might end up helping the latter.

Buffalo has pitched its case for hosting the 2011 World Junior Under-20 Hockey Championships and Niagara University’s Dwyer Arena could host a number of games as a secondary site if the International Ice Hockey Federation grants the event to the Queen City.

If so, the tournament — which will be held from Dec. 26, 2010, through Jan. 6, 2011 — would give Dwyer some precious Canadian air time as all games are expected to be broadcast on TSN. HSBC Arena would be the primary site for games.

The other two finalists are Grand Forks, N.D., and Minneapolis-St. Paul.

“Canadians take this seriously,” Niagara men’s hockey coach Dave Burkholder said. “It’s at a great time because it’s at Christmas and everyone’s off. For us to have any of these games at Niagara would be unbelievable.”

IIHF representatives will tour Dwyer as part of a Buffalo trip in September. The event would be an economic boon for Western New York, bringing an estimated $6 million into the area. A total of 31 games would played over 12 days with the world’s best players from 10 countries in attendance.

It’s an event a number of Sabres are familiar with. A total of 17 of the team’s players or prospects have played in the World Juniors, including Maxim Afinogenov, Derek Roy, Drew Stafford and Thomas Vanek. The 2008 event will be held in the Czech Republic, the 2009 event was awarded to Ottawa and the 2010 tournament will be held in Saskatoon. USA Hockey was awarded the elite event as part of a three-tournament package with the IIHF, with the other two being the 2009 Under-18 championships in Fargo, N.D., and the 2012 World Women’s Championships, which will be held at a yet-to-be-determined site.

“It will be a real treat for sports fans in our country to have the World Junior Championship back in the United States,” Ron DeGregorio, president of USA Hockey, said in a release. “It’s a very special event with an extremely high level of talent.”

As for Burkholder, it would be just another event in what’s growing into a full schedule of events at Dwyer. The school hosted the College Hockey America men’s and women’s hockey tournaments last year and the Buffalo Sabres moved their instructional camp to the Niagara facility this summer.

Contact sports editor Tim Schmitt at 282-2311, ext. 2266.