Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

Cristall/Bedard face-off Tuesday

“We are great buddies”

Nov 24, 2022 | 3:20 PM

Never let them see you sweat.

It was the catchphrase Gillette used in the early 80’s TV commercial for ‘Dry Idea’ and its assortment of antiperspirants.

Kelowna Rockets forward Andrew Cristall has seen projected first-overall NHL draft pick Connor Bedard perspire profusely several times as the two train together in the off-season on the Lower Mainland.

Cristall is from Burnaby. Bedard, whose Regina Pats are at Prospera Place Tuesday night, was raised in nearby North Vancouver.

“That game is going to be fun”, Cristall told RocketFAN. “It is a sold-out crowd and at home, so that should be a great game and it will be fun to play him”.

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Not only do the two work out in the same gym together, and compete hard during on-ice sessions, but the draft-eligible prospects were also former teammates.

“I grew with him since I was about six”, Cristall added. “We played on the same spring hockey team. We are great buddies and we both had this game circled on the calendar for a while, so it will be good to see him.”

The two friends would have played against one another as 16-year-olds, but due to the pandemic, the Western Hockey League canceled inter-conference play, meaning teams from the Western Conference (Kelowna) wouldn’t play their Eastern Conference cousins (Regina).

Tuesday’s game won’t be the last time the two play on the same ice surface together during their junior careers. Undoubtedly, both will be chosen to participate in the NHL/CHL Top Prospects game in late January in Langley.

“He is a pretty good player,” Cristall said with a chuckle. We train in the summers all the time, so I’ve seen him do his thing (on the ice and off it) and he is just incredible”.

Rockets Captain Colton Dach is also familiar with the dynamic Pats forward. As a member of the Saskatoon Blades, Dach played against Bedard when he was granted exceptional playing status when he was only 15.

“Obviously he is a skilled player. I played against him in Regina during the bubble season”, Dach recalls. “He likes to shoot the puck. If we can limit his time and space, we should do pretty good.”

Bedard was one of only two players last season in the WHL to score over 50 goals. With 54 goals and 100 points in 62 games and now leading the league in scoring with 48 points in only 22 regular season games, NHL scouts are watching his every move, which can only benefit those draft eligible players that compete against him.

“I don’t know if I will compare myself to him [Tuesday], but it will be fun to have a challenge and go up against him”.