Prince George, BC – For the third time in eight months, Prince George Cougars forward Brett Connolly will be off to a high level international hockey tournament. Connolly is one of 22 players named to Canada’s Under-18 men’s squad that is bound for the Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament in the Czech Republic and Slovakia from August 11-15.

“It’s a big relief, I had a lot of nerves heading into camp,” said Connolly, who played at the World Under-17 challenge in Port Alberni in January and suited up for Canada in Fargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota at the Under-18 World Championship. “Now that it’s over, I’m on the team and it’s a great feeling and hopefully we can go to Europe and bring back gold.”

Connolly was one of 40 players invited to the National Men’s Under-18 selection camp, which opened Saturday in Calgary.  The players were divided into two teams, red and white, that played three intrasquad games, with the final contest today at Father Bauer Arena. In the first game Sunday, Connolly, who played for team White, collected a goal and three assists. Team Red won each of the three games during the camp.

Connolly has collected six goals and eight assists for 14 points in 12 games in his two previous international events, collecting a silver medal in Port Alberni at the Under-17 Challenge. Connolly and Team Canada placed 4^th at the U-18 World Championship. Connolly was named CHL Rookie of the Year and the Cougars MVP after leading the team with 30 goals and 60 points during the 2008-09 Western Hockey League season.

Connolly and the rest of Canada’s Under-18 team will depart for Europe Wednesday. Canada will play two pre-tournament games this week, against Slovakia Friday followed by a date with the United States Sunday. Canada will begin defense of its Ivan Hlinka Tournament title with the first round-robin game next Tuesday vs. Sweden. The top team in each pool will meet in the gold medal game Saturday.