Joe Hicketts has become the first member of the Victoria Royals to represent Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship.

The defenceman survived the final cuts made by Hockey Canada’s national junior team Friday following a 2-1 overtime loss to Russia in an exhibition game in Toronto. Hicketts did not dress for the game which led to speculation that he had already made the club. The news was made official after the final few roster parings.

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Hicketts joins Royals head coach Dave Lowry, an assistant with Team Canada, for the tournament, which begins Boxing Day against Slovakia.

Hicketts, who has eight goals and 38 points to lead all Canadian Hockey League defencemen in scoring, has represented Canada before. He won a bronze medal at the World Under-18 Hockey Championships in Finland in April.

mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com