Can Andrew Cristall be crowned WHL scoring champion?

“It is pretty nice being up with those other guys [in overall scoring],” Cristall told RocketFAN. “We would like to get wins and I am trying to help with what I can do, but it is nice to be with the best, but there is a lot more games to be played.”

Cristall is six points back of Jagger Firkus of the Moose Jaw Warriors for the WHL scoring lead. The second-round NHL draft pick of the Washington Capitals has 28 goals and 77 points in just 40 games, which is fourth in league scoring.

“Once in a while I will look at the statistic or one of my teammates will tell me, so I can’t ignore it,” Cristall added. “I don’t think about it too much. I try to go out there and be the type of player I can be on the ice.”

What makes Cristall’s offensive numbers this season so impressive is he has been on 47 percent of the team’s 164 goals, an uptick from the 45 percent of the 210 times the Rockets found the back of the net last season.

“You always want to put the puck in the net, but I wasn’t scoring as much at the start of the year,” he admitted. “I’ve been scoring more, which is a good feeling, but I am not afraid to dish the puck off and get assists to help out the team.”

Cristall has been held off the scoresheet just four times this season, with his longest goalless drought a mere four games.

“Both [Gabriel Szturc and Tij Iginla] are great shooters,” Cristall commented. “They can find the open spots well, and I can look at feed them where they want it, and it usually turns out pretty well.”

Szturc is 12^th in the league scoring with 61 points while Tij Iginla is 15^th with a team leading 32 goals and 57 points.

“He [Iginla] works really hard,” Cristall continued. “He is always moving and scanning the ice to find the open spot when he doesn’t have the puck. When he gets the puck on his stick it is almost automatic.”

Head Coach Kris Mallette has been reluctant to put Cristall with Iginla and Szturc all on the same line, believing a three-headed monster is needed most either on the power play or with time ticking down and the team looking for the tying goal.

“He [Szturc] is super reliable,” Cristall said about the 20-year-old team captain. “He is always there for support up the ice. He works so hard; he can score and can defend. He is an unsung hero for sure.”

With 19 of his 28 goals scored at Prospera Place this season, Cristall has 158 shots on net, which is second to only Iginla, who leads the team with 194 pucks on net.

With Nick Merkley earning 250 career points in 2016-2017 and Tyson Baillie reaching that same milestone in 2015-2016, Cristall is three goals shy and four points away from joining those two terrific players.

“The standings are tight right now, so we want to stack up wins,” he said.

“Every game matters, so you can’t take anyone lightly. It is going to be a good finish here, and hopefully we can keep moving up.”

by Regan Bartel

Can Andrew Cristall be crowned WHL scoring champion?

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