Justin Fillion and RJay Berra had no trouble fitting into their Prince George Spruce Kings warmup jackets for one more official duty with their hometown team.
They were sporting their team colours at a news conference Thursday at the Coliseum to announce they've been picked to play for Team Canada at the Russian Invitational tournament later this month in Podolsk, Russia.
The Canadian team, a selection of all-stars from the B.C. Hockey League, will take on the Russian national junior team, a Russian select team and the Slovakian national junior team in a four-team round-robin tournament, April 15-17.
Fillion, a 20-year-old defenceman, and the 20-year-old Berra, a forward, each played the better part of three seasons with the Spruce Kings.
The IIHF-sanctioned tournament will be first chance for either hockey player to represent Canada.
"It's a unique experience for myself and I can't think the Spruce Kings enough, they gave me my shot in the BCHL and because of them I got to develop into the player I am," said Fillion. "You dream of wearing that Maple Leaf on your jersey and sharing that experience with RJay is going to be a memorable one we'll both cherish the rest of our lives."
Berra spent a year in Italy five years ago and played as a 15-year-old for the Italian under-19 national team, where he faced other national teams, but this will be much different for him.
"I've never represented Canada doing anything so to be picked for this team means a lot to me and to be going with Justin, one of my best friends, it's going to be a good experience," Berra said. "The BCHL is the best junior hockey league in Canada and I appreciate being selected for the team. We know these European teams are going to be really skilled, they'll be quick and they'll have pretty good hands."
Fillion was sent from the Spruce Kings to Victoria at the Jan. 10 deadline, where he helped the Grizzlies reach the second round of the playoffs. The Michigan Tech recruit totalled 19 goals and 56 points in 62 regular season games and picked up 12 points in 12 playoff games. The Grizzlies lost a seven-game second-round series to Powell River.
As captain of the Spruce Kings, Berra was leading the BCHL with 34 goals when he was traded in January to the Grande Prairie Storm of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He finished the season with 42 goals and 73 points. The Storm lost a first-round playoff series in five games to Lloydminster.
n In other Spruce Kings player news, 20-year-old forward Faiz Khan has signed a scholarship agreement to play college hockey next season for the NCAA Division 3 UMass-Boston Beacons. Khan, a native of Santa Clarita, Calif., totalled 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points in 43 games this season.
n The Spruce Kings spring prospects camp starts today at noon with practices at the Coliseum. About 105 players are expected for the three-day evaluation camp, which ends Sunday with the Top Prospects game at 2 p.m. Scrimmages begin tonight at 5 p.m.
