Cristall doesn’t play second fiddle to NHL draft phenom
While consensus first-overall pick Connor Bedard’s stock likely didn’t fall with a quiet performance last night at Prospera Place, another draft-eligible player may have seen his stock rise – significantly.
Bedard, the WHL’s leading scorer earned an assist on a power play goal in overtime, lifting the Regina Pats to a 6-5 win over the Kelowna Rockets.
While extending his point streak to a league-leading 24 games, the best player on the ice was Kelowna Rockets sophomore forward Andrew Cristall, Bedard’s childhood friend.
The 17-year-old, who nine days ago was upgraded from a ‘B’ to an ‘A’ prospect by NHL Central Scouting for next summer’s draft, which essentially means consideration of being chosen in the first-round, chipped in with two goals and two assists in a losing cause.
That is all fine and dandy. However, whilst Bruce goes out and brings in (yet) another over-age big strong forward, it is a shame that he did not bring in an over-age big strong defender instead. The Rockets has had no problem scoring goals – it is at the other end of the ice where they have problems, letting in goals from all angles and all distances. While the Rockets allegedly have two fine goalkeepers, the problem is the defenders in front of them. Part of the problem is mental strength. The game is (at least) a 60 minute game – not a 50 minute game, not a 55 minute game, but a 60 minute game. Players at both ends of the ice need to be reminded of this – Colton Dach’s miss in front of the Moose Jaw open net towards the end of the game, and the defenders seem to switch off in the closing part of numerous games this season has cost them a lot of points. A strong overage defender might have been a better choice of Mr Hamilton and not another big forward (though the goal that Calder scored last night was sweet )
WHAT are you smokin Nigel ?? Without Cristal we would be in dire straits for scoring, it’s the strength of our “D” men that have carried the team thus far !!