A Grade 6 student in Annaheim is looking to win a national contest.

Edward Knittig is one of two finalists in the Under-13 category for Hockey Canada's goalie mask design contest.

He says that it all began after seeing the contest displayed in a local restaurant.

"I was looking through my sister's menu at Boston Pizza and I saw it and thought it would be cool," he explained. "I watch the World Juniors every year and I've never gone to a live game, so I thought it would be a good chance to go."

Knittig also spends time on the ice, playing left wing for a team in Melfort.

He says his dad used a creative method in letting him know his mask was a finalist.

"We had a family gathering and my dad had come wearing a Hockey Canada jersey and he said 'why am I wearing this?', and I said 'I don't know'," noted Knittig. "Me and my cousin were trying to figure it out and we couldn't, and then he showed me a picture on his phone of the two goalie helmets and then I had got it and seen that my mask was a finalist."

Knittig's design has the standard Hockey Canada logo, with several maple leafs all over the design. On the front, it also has a map of Canada, which he says was a key to his design.

"I thought the map would represent Canada, and hockey unites Canada," he said. "I talked with my dad a bit and he gave me some ideas."

The winner of the contest will have their mask worn by Canadian goaltenders throughout the World Juniors, which begin on December 26. They also get a replica of the mask, and a trip to one of the games in Toronto.

You can vote for Knittig's design by visiting the Hockey Canada Facebook page. His design is in the Under-13 vote and is the mask on the left. Voting ends at 11:59pm on November 21.


You can hear more from Knittig below.