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Cholowski invited to world junior team camp

Dennis Cholowski knew he was on Hockey Canada’s radar.
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Prince George Cougars defenceman Dennis Cholowski had four goals and two assists to help the Cougars gain three of a possible four points in their weekend series in Langley against the Vancouver Giants.

Dennis Cholowski knew he was on Hockey Canada’s radar.
As a first-round NHL draft pick playing what will likely be his one and only season in the WHL with the Prince George Cougars, it was no surprise Wednesday when Cholowski was invited to the Canadian under-20 national team world junior camp, which starts next week in St. Catharines, Ont.
He’s been everything the Cougars expected when he arrived in camp, having signed a pro contract this past summer with the Detroit Red Wings, the team that picked him 20th overall in the 2016 draft.
Cholowski will join 31 other players  and nine other defencemen at the camp, which starts next Tuesday and runs through Friday. He’s among 13 Western Hockey League players on the invitation list announced Wednesday afternoon.
“Hopefully I can make the team, said Cholowski, the Cougars’ captain. “It’s one of my main goals this year and hopefully I can get it done.
“My confidence is up. I’m skating around and making plays and hopefully that’s what got me an invite.”
Cholowski is on a point-per-game pace this season, with eight goals and 16 assists in 24 games, and ranks third in team scoring. He has a plus-five rating and has scored three power-play goals, second on the team only to winger Kody McDonald, who has five.
Cholowski has points in seven of his last nine games heading into Sunday’s game against the Victoria Royals. He will leave for Ontario the day after that game.
“We’re excited for Dennis and the opportunity for him to hopefully represent the Cougars and Canada at the world juniors,” said Cougars general manager Todd Harkins.
“He’s not only one of our top players but also a great leader inside our dressing room. Dennis is a special talent and we couldn’t be happier to see him get the recognition he deserves.”
Team Canada, which lost in a shootout to the United States in the final of the 2017 world junior championship in Buffalo, begins its world title quest with two exhibition games against a U Sports (Canadian university) team next Tuesday and Wednesday and will play another exhibition against Denmark on Thursday, Dec. 15.
Canada will also face the Czech Republic and Switzerland in pre-tournament play before opening the tournament on Boxing Day against Finland. The 2018 tournament will be played in Buffalo.
Cougars winger Vladimir Mikhalchuk, 18, has already made Team Belarus for the WJHC. He is expected to join his national teammates in Buffalo following the Cougars’ game in Everett on Dec. 16.

World junior camp roster

THE CANADIAN PRESS
Players announced Wednesday by Hockey Canada to attend the 2018 World Junior Championship selection camp, to be held at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont., starting on Dec. 12 (with position, name, home town, current club and league in parentheses; x-played on silver-winning team in 2017 tournament):
 
Goaltenders
Michael DiPietro, Amherstburg, Ont., Windsor (OHL); x-Carter Hart, Sherwood Park, Alta., Everett (WHL); Samuel Harvey, Alma, Que. Rouyn-Noranda, (QMJHL); Colton Point, North Bay, Ont., Colgate University (NCAA, ECAC).
 
Defencemen
x-Jake Bean, Calgary, Calgary (WHL); Dennis Cholowski, Langley, B.C., Prince George (WHL); x-Kale Clague, Lloydminster, Alta., Brandon (WHL); x-Dante Fabbro, Coquitlam, B.C., Boston University (NCAA, Hockey East); Mario Ferraro, King City, Ont., Univ. of Massachusetts (NCAA, Hockey East); Cal Foote, Kelowna, B.C., Kelowna (WHL); Josh Mahura, St. Albert, Alta., Regina (WHL); Cale Makar, Calgary, Univ. of Massachusetts (NCAA, Hockey East); Logan Stanley, Waterloo, Ont., Kitchener (OHL); Conor Timmins, Thorold, Ont., Sault Ste. Marie (OHL).
 
Forwards
Jonathan Ang, Markham, Ont., Peterborough (OHL); Drake Batherson, New Minas, N.S., Cape Breton (QMJHL); Maxime Comtois, Longueuil, Que., Victoriaville (QMJHL); x-Dillon Dube, Cochrane, Alta., Kelowna (WHL); Alex Formenton, King City, Ont., London; Jonah Gadjovich, Whitby, Ont., Owen Sound (OHL); Cody Glass, Winnipeg, Portland (WHL); Brett Howden, Oakbank, Man., Moose Jaw (WHL); Tanner Kaspick, Brandon, Man., Brandon (WHL); 0 Boris Katchouk Waterloo, Ont., Sault Ste. Marie (OHL); Jordan Kyrou Toronto, Sarnia (OHL); Kole Lind Shaunavon, Sask., Kelowna (WHL); x-Michael McLeod Mississauga, Ont., Mississauga (OHL); x-Taylor Raddysh Caledon, Ont., Erie (OHL); Sam Steel, Sherwood Park, Alta., Regina (WHL); Tyler Steenbergen, Sylvan Lake, Alta., Swift Current (WHL); Nick Suzuki, London, Ont., Owen Sound (OHL); Robert Thomas Aurora, Ont., London (OHL).