Andrew Cristall scores twice in return to Kelowna, Spokane Chiefs blank Rockets 10-0
KELOWNA, B.C. – Andrew Cristall scored a lot of goals in his time with the Kelowna Rockets. On Wednesday, in his first game against his former teammates, he got his first against the Rockets. And his second.
Cristall scored twice, tying teammate Shea Van Olm for the league lead at 31, and added a pair of assists and the Spokane Chiefs routed the Kelowna Rockets 10-0 in a Western Hockey League game at Prospera Place on Wednesday.
The Chiefs have scored 22 goals in their past two games.
Chiefs goalie Dawson Cowan made 27 saves in the shutout. Berkly Catton registered a hat trick and an assist while Chase Harrington scored twice with an assist. Spokane (28-14-0-0) generated 50 shots.
Cristall, the reigning WHL player of the week for his three-goal, four-assist game against Wenatchee on Saturday, was playing his third game for the Chiefs since the trade that brought him to Spokane in exchange for Hayden Paupanekis and a host of draft picks.
Midway through the first period, Harrington collected a Kelowna turnover in the left wing circle then found Mathis Preston cruising through the slot. Preston gathered the pass and let go of a wrist shot in one movement and beat Rockets goalie Rhett Stoesser for the 16-year-old’s 14th goal of the season.
Just seconds after goalie Cowan made a terrific save, Catton sprung Cristall on a breakaway and he buried it for his 30th goal of the campaign. It was Catton’s 40th assist in 31 games this season.
Catton and Cristall connected again early in the second. Catton backhanded a pass to Cristall in the high slot and he sent it back to Catton, who snapped a wrister past Stoesser for his 16th of the season 58 seconds into the second period.
Harrington made it 4-0 less than a minute later, going top shelf for his 11th of the campaign. Sam Oremba scored his third goal in his last two games – and 13th of the season – at 7:30 of the second playing four-on-four to make it 5-0.
Cristall’s second of the contest, his 31st of the season, came with just under 4 minutes remaining in the second.
With the outcome no longer in doubt, and the goals piling up, the only question remaining in the third period was whether Cowan would complete the shutout. Kelowna (15-20-2-1) had a couple of chances during two late power plays, but Cowan was up to the task making nine saves in the frame.
Spokane returns home Friday for a contest against Prince George at 7:05 p.m. at the Arena.