It’s almost as if a contest to come up with a goalie-mask design for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship was drawn up with Tayler Anderson in mind.

Anderson’s design beat out hundreds of others and was worn by Canada’s goalie, Jake Paterson on Boxing Day.

Jake Paterson against Germany on Boxing Day. Photo Credit: Frank Gunn – Canadian Press

“I’m really honoured, really excited,” the 18-year-old from Langley said. “It’s just a great feeling.”

Anderson, who is studying fashion design at Kwantlen, won with her Canada-themed design in the 13-18 age category. Twelve-year-old Myriam Beaupre of Terrebonne, Que., won in the under-12 category.

How big a fan is Tayler?

She has, her mom said, a necklace with a ceramic tooth. Not just any tooth, but a tooth of Canucks forward Zack Kassian, who happens to be missing one.

“I’m not a hard-core hockey fan, so I don’t quite get it,” said mom Cindy Anderson.

Canada goaltender Jake Paterson makes a save against Germany during second period qualification round IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in Malmo, Sweden. Photo Credit: Frank Gunn – Canadian Press

When the phone call came to let Tayler know she’d won, she was out so Cindy texted her daughter with the news.

“She was shaking, she said, even though she plays it pretty cool.”

Tayler has loved drawing since she was a little girl and took up sewing in Grade 8.

Her art teacher at Brookswood Secondary chose her and two other students to put up 18 pieces of art each for an exhibit.

“Man, Tayler is the biggest hockey fan,” Gordon Hamilton said. “In my ceramics class her work was always NHL-themed.

“She’s prolific in her art, she was always working in her sketchbook.”

Tayler became a hockey fan during the Canucks’ run to the Stanley Cup final in 2011.

On Thursday, she took a bus from Langley to North Vancouver to be part of a Canucks tweet-up for the team’s game at Dallas.

Canada started its road to redemption on a positive note, beating Germany 7-2 in the 2014 IIHF

MALMO, SWEDEN – DECEMBER 26: Canada’s #28 Anthony Mantha netted his second of the game as Canada took the lead against Germany during preliminary round action at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship. Photo Credit: Francois Laplante

World Junior Championship opener at Malmö Isstadion on Thursday, December 26th.

Anderson’s mask was worn by Jake Paterson, who recorded his first career World Junior victory. Germany’s Marvin Cüpper, returning between the pipes for the second straight year, took the loss.

As expected, it was a energetically played affair with the workmanlike Germans, whose skill level couldn’t match Canada’s.

Sources:

The Province – Gordon McIntyre

World Junior Championship 2014