PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. -- Pat Quinn expects a Western flavour at this year's world junior selection camp.

Quinn, the head coach of the Canadian world junior team, was in Prince Albert, Sask. Thursday watching the Western Hockey League defeat the Russian Selects 2-1 in the final game of the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge. Following the Canadian Hockey League's 5-1 series victory in the Challenge, the upbeat Quinn was candid in speaking about the possibility of a Western-dominant selection camp roster.

"Going East to West I think the play improved (in the Challenge)," said Quinn, who attended each game except the opener in Cape Breton. "I think there's probably more candidates in the team here than in the Ontario league or the Québec league, although there will be a good representation out of Ontario as well with the camp."

One of the players who caught Quinn's eye during the WHL leg of the trip was on the Canadian world junior team last year. Lethbridge Hurricanes forward Zach Boychuk stood out in the Challenge after he was reduced to limited ice time as the 13th forward on last year's world junior team.

"I don't think any spots (on the world junior roster) are etched in stone," Boychuk said following Thursday's win. "Even a guy like (Oshawa forward John) Tavares, he's been saying all along that he's going to work as hard as he can and I think he's the type of guy that should be on the team no matter what."

Boychuk played in both games against the Russians, scoring both nights. He was the player of the game Thursday after his goal gave Team WHL a 1-0 lead and was constantly buzzing in the offensive zone, playing on a line with Medicine Hat's Tyler Ennis and Kelowna's Jamie Benn.

"When it looks like he was covered, he got free real fast," said Quinn, referring to Boychuk's tap-in goal off a point shot by Colten Teubert. "That was a big play in my opinion and that's probably why he's as successful as he has been. As a smaller guy, he competes hard and he doesn't get stationary. He uses his quickness to be a good player."

The WHL is often regarded as the most physical of the three leagues, which could be one of the reasons for a potentially Western-heavy selection camp roster.

"What I would like is consistency in what you call Canadian hockey; that's finishing checks and taking the body as often as possible," Quinn said.

Three of the more physical players who played in the Challenge were: Everett's Kyle Beach, Rimouski's Patrice Cormier and Lewiston's Danick Paquette. Although Quinn was reluctant to tip his hand towards any players, he admired the gritty style displayed by Cormier during his audition.

"I like the fact he's looking to use his body," Quinn said. "I want all of our players, if we can get it, to use their bodies when we don't have the puck and we're trying to get it back. Cormier does that and he moves around the ice quite well."

Montreal Juniors forward Angelo Esposito had a goal and an assist in both Québec Major Junior Hockey League games. Esposito was cut in three previous attempts at making the team. With this being his last year of eligibility, Esposito will need a strong camp to make what is shaping up to be a competitive camp.

"He's a skilled kind of player, doesn't give you that element of hits and that sort of thing," Quinn said. "We have some skilled players so he'll be certainly in the mix based on his skill level."

The team's goaltending situation could be interesting. Quinn said as many as five goaltenders could be attending the camp in Ottawa from Dec. 11 to 15 with the most likely number being four. Both WHL goaltenders, Chet Pickard and Dustin Tokarski, appear to be locks to receive an invitation while Montreal's Jake Allen could also be attending the camp.

Allen could earn consideration more for the backup role, which would give him the inside track on the starter's role the following year, after his rise to prominence came on a Quinn-coached team. Allen became the darling of the Under-18 World Championship in April where he backstopped Canada to the gold medal with Quinn serving as that team's head coach.

"The Russians had less chances to score here than they did in the other games in the East but both boys (Pickard and Tokarski) performed very well here," Quinn said, adding that he also liked what he saw from Allen. "I don't know where we had the edge (in goaltending) yet but perhaps also out here in the West."

The Challenge, which is viewed as a measuring tool for Hockey Canada's brass to evaluate potential candidates for their world junior team against international competition, certainly served its purpose.

"It was a good measure for me (but) I won't make any decisions based on watching these games," said Quinn, who added as many as 35 players could be attending the camp.

"There haven't been any big surprises," Quinn concluded. "They're fitting in where our scouting staff has pretty much slotted them. At the bottom end of the roster we're going to have some real competition."