The individual accomplishments keep piling up for Bragg Creek hockey player Dylan Holloway. The 17-year-old forward, who plays for the Okotoks Oilers in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), competed for Canada West at the 2018 World Junior A Hockey Challenge, held in Bonnyville, Alta., from Dec. 9 to 16, 2018. Though Canada West didn't clinch the gold, Holloway said it was still amazing to represent the Maple Leaf for a second time in 2018. “Any time you get to put the Canada jersey on and play for your country, it’s pretty cool,” said Holloway, who also won a gold medal with Team Canada at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in August 2018. Canada West got off to a great start in Bonnyville, with a 2-1 victory against the United States Dec. 9, 2018, and a 6-1 thumping of Canada East the following day. But the team faltered in its next games, shut out 3-0 by Russia and falling 5-4 to the Czech Republic. The team’s disappointment continued in the semi-finals, with a 3-2 overtime loss Dec. 15, 2018 against the United States. After three straight defeats, Canada West got back to its winning ways in the bronze-medal game Dec. 16, 2018. The team got its revenge against the Czech Republic, winning the game 3-1 to finish with a place on the podium. Holloway had a positive output at the tournament, personally – recording two goals and three assists in six games. Both goals came against the Czechs in the bronze-medal game. “We obviously didn’t get the result we wanted – we got bronze – but it was still really nice to not come home empty-handed,” he said. Shortly after returning, Holloway learned he made the cut to play in the Canadian Junior Hockey League Prospects Game, set for Jan. 22 in Okotoks. The game will feature the top Junior A players from across Canada, and Holloway is one of just five representatives from the AJHL. “It’s obviously a huge honour,” he said. “I’m excited it’s going to be in Okotoks and that I’ll be playing in front of a home crowd.” Holloway said his focus in the meantime will be continuing what has been a positive season for the Oilers. As of Jan. 2, Okotoks is in third place of the AJHL South Division, with a 23-14-1 record after 38 games. Holloway has led in scoring for Okotoks this season, putting the puck in the net 23 times while chipping in with 31 assists in 33 games. With 54 points, he is currently second on the AJHL’s scoring charts for 2018-19. “The coaches have been unbelievable and we have a great group of guys, too,” he said. Though he’s only in his second season with the Oilers, Holloway will be concluding his Junior A career at the end of the 2018-19 season. Next summer, he’ll move to the University of Wisconsin, where he’s committed to play for the Badgers in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. He is NHL draft-eligible in 2020.
