Royals’ Hicketts proves adaptable at Hlinka
The beds are strange and the food even stranger.
But Joe Hicketts of the Victoria Royals and his Canadian teammates are surviving the vagaries of overseas hockey at the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka U18 tournament in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
It came down to a roll of the dice in a shootout Wednesday at Breclav, Czech Republic, as Canada closed out pool play by edging the stubborn Swiss 4-3 to advance to a semifinal date Friday against Russia in Piestany, Slovakia.
A loss against Switzer- land would have meant elimination for Canada after blanking the Czech Republic 4-0 on Monday and losing 4-3 to Sweden on Tuesday.
“You have to be ready for the quick turnarounds in international tournaments,” Hicketts said, noting the three games in three days.
That’s not all for which you have to prepare.
Hicketts was asked about the differences between Europe and home.
“The food portions are small, and I think we’ve eaten the same thing the last nine days,” he said with a chuckle. “And small beds are common in Europe.”
But the ice sheets are larger, which is just fine for a quick and mobile defenceman like Hicketts.
The Kamloops native has already been cited by Central Scouting on its list of players to watch for in the 2014 NHL draft. It’s no surprise he was chosen an assistant captain for the Canadian team.
“To receive an ‘A’ is humbling, because we have such a strong leadership core here among the players,” Hicketts said by phone from Breclav.
The Czech Republic faces the U.S. in the other semifinal Friday. The goldmedal final is Saturday.
ICE CHIPS: The Royals’ banging utility forward Tim Traber, going into his 20year-old season, was picked off waivers by WHL rival Vancouver Giants. The native of Quesnel is of Swiss ancestry, and turning pro in the Swiss league is also an option. . . . That still leaves the Royals with an over-the-limit four returning 20-yearolds on the roster — forwards Logan Nelson, Ben Walker, Mitch Deacon and defenceman Jordan Fransoo. Each WHL team is allowed only three 20-yearolds. . . . Graduated forward and 2012-13 Royals MVP Alex Gogolev was invited to the KHL summer training camp of the St. Petersburg pro club SKA, which took place recently in Worb, Switzerland. . . . Royals-protected forwards and Prairie boys Matthew Campese and Regan Nagy have received invites to the Team West (Saskatchewan-Manitoba) summer camp in Portage la Prairie, Man., from which the Team West roster will be selected for the 2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge to take place in Nova Scotia during late December/early January.