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Virtanen cracks Canadian junior team roster

Abbotsford hockey player one of 13 forwards selected to Team Canada
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Abbotsford's Jake Virtanen will suit up for the Canadian national junior team over the holidays.

Abbotsford's Jake Virtanen won't be home for the holidays.

The 18-year-old hockey player has been named to Canada's national junior team for the 2015 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, which takes place in Montreal and Toronto from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5.

The final roster for the Canadian team was announced after Friday's pre-tournament game against Russia.

The final Canadian roster includes two goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards.

Virtanen, a first-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks who plays for the Calgary Hitmen in the Western Hockey League, was one of 29 players invited to the selection camp in early December.

Canada plays in the tournament-opening game on Boxing Day when it faces Slovakia in Montreal.