Jujhar Khaira had his feet moving Friday before the Prince George Spruce Kings hit the ice for a preseason game.
"I was coming to the rink with one of the players, Ben Woodley, and we were listening to some good music and it really got me pumped up," said the 17-year-old heading into his second season with the BCHL club.
But, while Woodley picked up a pair of second-period assists in the first half of a home-and-home series with the Dawson Creek Rage of the North American Hockey League, Khaira was watching from the stands. It wasn't an injury that kept Khaira on the sidelines as his teammates skated to a 8-5 win.
The forward from Surrey is already assured a roster spot with the Kings and on Sunday morning Khaira will head to Canmore, Alta., joining 60 players from western Canada trying to earn a spot on Canada West for the World Junior A Challenge, which will be held in Langley from Nov. 7 to 13.
"Every since I got the call I've been counting down the days, hopefully, it'll work out nicely," said Khaira.
With 10 goals and 42 points, Khaira led the Spruce Kings in his rookie season - after the team made a pair of trades before January's deadline - which allowed him to attract attention from Hockey Canada and the NCAA Division 1, having committed to Michigan Tech for next season.
"If it weren't for the coaches I could have been sitting on the bench," said Khaira. "The coaches gave me an opportunity to play and show my stuff. I surprised myself. I can to camp just looking for experience and the coaches really liked how I played; that really surprised me."
Khaira probably won't be able to slip under the radar at the Canmore Recreation Centre from Sept. 11 to 15, where he'll battle with players from B.C. to Northwest Ontario to crack the Canada West roster. Prince George will be well-represented at the tryout, as Michael King, a defenceman with the Westside Warriors, and Gus Correale, a forward with the AJHL's Grand Prairie Storm, were also invited.
After spending years in Surrey trying to crack the A teams and not having things go his way in the junior B league or with major midget, Khaira is riding high these days, which is no surprise to Prince George general manager Matt Hawes.
"He had a tremendous season and did everything we asked of him as a 16-year-old," said Hawes, adding Khaira worked hard over the summer and grew two inches - he's six-foot-three - and packed on 20 pounds of muscle. "He was definitely a breath of fresh air [in a otherwise disappointing season].
"We need more players like him in Prince George," added Hawes. "He's a good role model and used his hockey to get himself an education."
The future engineering major credited his parents for instilling him with good values.
"Education is the number one goal and hockey is just a gift," said Khaira. "To be playing at [such] a high level, I'm really excited."
The goal scorers for the Spruce Kings in the win were: Cody Bardock, Dylan Tappe, Trevor Esau, Paul De Jersey, Myles Fitzgerald with two, Connor Tiechko and Sean Landrey. Prince George fired 44 shots on Rage goalie Edward Dyson, while Cameron Large gave up three goals in 30 minutes and Marcus Beesley let in two as they faced a combined 25 shots.
The teams hit the ice tonight in Dawson Creek, before Prince George wraps up the exhibition season Thursday when the Westside Warriors visit at 7 p.m. The regular season begins Sept. 23 when the Spruce Kings host the Merritt Centennials Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.
