Mahura happy to be back with Team Canada

Fabbro still day-to-day, but questionable with lower-body contusion

LONDON, Ont. — One of Josh Mahura’s top priorities after Canada’s junior team wrapped up practice Thursday was to find a laundromat.

The Regina Pats defenceman was cut from the world junior championship roster last Friday and returned to Saskatchewan, but was then recalled to Canada’s team base in southern Ontario on Sunday to sub in for the injured Dante Fabbro.

Zipping back and forth across Canada meant Mahura didn’t even get a chance to unpack, let alone do laundry.

Fabbro’s ongoing issues with a lower-body contusion has kept him out of the lineup and opened the door for Mahura.

“Who knows what can happen? We need to prepare for everything,” said head coach Dominique Ducharme. “We said it before, Josh is a great kid, a great player. We had a lot of depth at camp on defence. It’s good to have him back with us, we’ll have to see what happens in the next few days.”

Fabbro played in an exhibition against Denmark last Friday but left the 5-2 win early as a precautionary measure.

Ducharme says Fabbro is day-to-day, but he hasn’t skated this week.

Canada will face Switzerland in Hamilton today in another exhibition before beginning the world championship tournament on Dec. 26 against Finland in Buffalo, N.Y.

“Just taking it day-by-day and having fun with it. It’s a great experience to be a part of so far,” said Mahura, a 19-year-old draft pick of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks.