Two talented Burnaby Winter Club-trained hockey players are on Canada Hockey’s radar.
Both Mathew Barzal and Dante Fabbro received invitations to represent Canada at two different tournaments.
Barzal, currently fourth overall in the Western Hockey League’s scoring race as a member of the Seattle Thunderbirds, was one of 32 players invited to attend this weekend’s selection camp in Toronto. From there, a roster will be picked to represent Canada at the World Junior championship tournament, which runs Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Finland.
Taken 16th overall by the New York Islanders in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Barzal has nine goals and 34 assists in 24 games.
The World Junior championships begin Dec. 26.
Fabbro, who played with Barzal in the BWC’s bantam program, was one of 22 players named to the Canada West roster, which will launch the 2015 World Junior A Challenge on Sunday against the Czech Republic in a preliminary game in Cobourg, Ont.
The 17-year-old Fabbro, recently ranked among the top-10 prospects for the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, anchors the Penticton Vees blueline in the B.C. Hockey League. In his second season in the league, Fabbro sits ninth in league scoring with seven goals and 32 assists over 24 games.
sinclair scores early
Canada kicked off the 2015 International Tournament of Natal in Brazil with a sturdy 3-0 victory, thanks to a two goal effort from Christine Sinclair.
The Burnaby native counted two early markers against Mexico and moved one-goal away from Mia Hamm as the second all-time scorer in women’s soccer.
Sinclair gave Canada the lead just 13 minutes into the contest Wednesday, then doubled it six minutes later. Sinclair now has 157 international tallies, while the U.S.’s Abby Wambach holds the record with 184.
Canada’s next match is Sunday against Trinidad and Tobago, one of the teams they will face in the group stage of February’s CONCACAF Olympic qualfying championship.
burnaby to host taekwondo
The World Taekwondo Federation World Junior championships are coming to Burnaby.
The federation’s council awarded the World Junior championships to Burnaby, following the withdrawal of the bid from Turkey.
The event will take place November 2016, and is the first major taekwondo event to take place in Canada since the 1999 world championships in Edmonton.
