Supporters of the Coquitlam Express may be able to cheer on one of the team’s own at the upcoming IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship Dec. 26 to Jan 5, 2025, in Ottawa.
But it could mean rooting against Canada for at least one game.
Express defensemen Leo Eperjesi has been invited to the selection camp for Slovakia’s national junior team in December.
Eperjesi, a 19-year-old originally from Kosice, Slovakia, is in his first season with Coquitlam. He has no points in 15 games.
Eperjesi previously played with the Chicago Steel in the US Hockey League and the North American Hockey League’s Wisconsin Windingo and Chippewa Steel. He’s committed to the University of Maine for next season.
Eperjesi has played for his country before, amassing 13 points in 47 games at various U17, U18, U19 and U20 international tournaments. He said being a part of two such competitions last summer gave him a taste of the effort it will take to make Slovakia’s roster headed to Ottawa.
“Being with the Express has given me the perfect opportunity to get better every single day and prepare myself for the camp,” Eperjesi said in a news release.
“I am very excited to go to the camp and hopefully get a spot on the final roster for the World Juniors.”
Express assistant coach Kyle Johnson said the 6’3” defender has earned the opportunity.
“He’s a great person and teammate. We’re all going to be rooting for him.”
Eperjesi and his Express teammates return to the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex for a pair of games this weekend. The team hosts the Alberni Valley Bulldogs at 7 p.m. Friday and the Victoria Grizzlies visit Saturday, also at 7 p.m.
The Bulldogs are in third place in the BC Hockey League’s Coastal Conference, just a point behind Coquitlam, while the Grizzlies are in fourth place, another point back. Both teams have played one less game than the Express.
Coquitlam split its games against the Powell River Kings last weekend, shutting out the last place team in the Coastal Conference 2-0 in their first meeting then falling 6-5 in overtime the next night.
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