Duo of athletes will don maple leaf in international play

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This article was published 22/12/2023 (936 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Eastman region of Manitoba will once again boast players stepping onto the ice on the international stage for Team Canada.

Dominion City’s Denton Mateychuk and St Adolphe’s Avery Pickering will both wear the maple leaf in the coming weeks at the World Junior Hockey Championships and U18 Women’s World Championships respectively.

The duo, who are cousins, have both represented Canada before, with Pickering bringing home a gold medal from the same tournament last year and Mateychuk winning the men’s U18 championship in 2021.

Mateychuk is enjoying an outstanding season for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League. Before getting the invite to Team Canada’s selection camp, he had posted 35 points in 24 games, beginning the year with a 23-game point streak.

The 2021 Columbus Blue Jackets first-round draft pick didn’t need to suit up for Canada’s two pre-tournament games against a team of university all-stars, and was still named to the final roster.

The world juniors are in Sweden this year, with three pre-tournament games set on Dec. 19, 22 and 23 before the annual boxing day kick-off.

Mateychuk will be joined on Team Canada by fellow Manitoban and top 2022 NHL draft pick Connor Geekie. The two players have become friends off the ice after competing on it for their entire lives, especially as the two played provincial level baseball. The two were even selected 11th and 12th in the NHL draft.

“Mateychuk’s a man right now,” Peter Anholt, who leads Canada’s management group told the Winnipeg Free Press.

“Plays so much, plays smart. He’s learned to play within the system, but uses his talent to help his team. His game has matured so much over the last couple of years.”

All tournament games, including the pre-tournament action on the 22nd and 23rd will be broadcast on TSN. The broadcaster is also set to show the medal rounds of the U18 Women’s World Championships as well.

Pickering is looking for back-to-back gold medals, as she enjoys her first year of collegiate hockey. The freshman has appeared in every game for the Colgate Raiders, helping her team to an impressive 14-2-1 record to start the season.

Pickering will be joined on Team Canada by La Salle’s Sara Manness. The 16-year-old is lighting up older competition for the U22 Burlington Jr. Barracudas in the Ontario Women’s Hockey League. She has 46 points in just 16 games, and won tournament most-valuable-player at the recent 2023 national U18 championships.

“Throughout the past few years, both athletes have been integral pieces within the Team Manitoba program and have become role models for young female athletes in Manitoba,” Hockey Manitoba Manager of Female Hockey Development Dustin Stewart said in a news release.

“Hockey Manitoba is very proud of everything Avery and Sara have achieved to this point and our entire membership look forward to cheering them on as they look to bring home a gold medal at the World’s in Switzerland.”

Pickering will get a chance to shut down a budding women’s hockey superstar in Czechia’s Nela Lopusanova, who shot onto the scene during last year’s tournament with nine goals in an MVP-performance as a 14-year-old. Czechia is in the same group as Canada, with

The tournament will take place from Jan. 6-14 in Switzerland.

With files from Joshua Clipperton