The cuts have started for Canada's world junior hockey team.

Team Canada cut forwards Nick Merkley, Brett Howden and Austin Wagner as well as defenceman Victor Mete Tuesday following their 3-0 exhibition win over the U Sports all-stars.

Both Howden and Mete scored in the game. 

This marks the second straight year Merkley, an Arizona Coyotes prospect and member of the Kelowna Rockets, has been released at selection camp.

There are 27 players left on the roster with five cuts still to come. The goalie situation could be much clearer after Wednesday's scrimmage as well.

Merkley, 19, has eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points over 24 games for the Rockets in the Western Hockey League this season.

"It's tough. My second kick at the can and I came up short. Hopefully I can learn from this," Merkley told TSN's Mark Masters. "I think I put my best foot forward and left it all out there."

Howden is a 2016 first-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning and has netted 14 goals with 12 assists over just 17 games this season with the Moose Jaw Warriors.

"It's obviously not very fun right now. I worked hard, did everything I could...just didn't work out this time," said Howden. "It was a good experience. A tough way to leave, but things will get better from here."

Mete, an 18-year-old Montreal Canadiens prospect, has eight goals and 16 assists over 27 games with the London Knights while Wagner, 19, has tallied 14 goals and 13 assists over 23 games with the Regina Pats. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of the 2015 Entry Draft.

The team is expected to release two defenceman of the nine remaining defenceman on Wednesday night, per Masters.