The Âé¶čAV Rockets are preparing for a battle with the top ranked Seattle Thunderbirds in the first round of the WHL playoffs.
Before the postseason gets started, the team hosted their annual awards ceremony on Sunday, March 26 from the Âé¶čAV Community Theatre.
With catering from Train Station Pub, attendees were treated to a terrific spread of food.
Team president and GM, Bruce Hamilton thanked the Rockets staff and doctors for keeping the team âready to go.â
âWe should all be excited that weâve got the opportunity to continue to play,â he said. âI think our brightest days are ahead of usâ
Head coach Kris Mallette also spoke, thanking his staff, along with their âheroâ bus driver Shane, for âgetting us from A to B as safe as possible.â
He also shouted out their social media manager, Paige Bednorz, calling her a special talent and that âin dark times you brought us out and put us on the map more than we already are.â
The three overage players; Talyn Boyko, Adam Kydd and Carson Golder, each said their thanks to fans and coaching staff, before the captain, Gabriel Szturc addressed the audience.
âI really want to thank the billets for helping out this year in Âé¶čAV,â he said. âTo my teammates, itâs been a pleasure and I really enjoyed every single day so thank you for that, but job is not done.â He ended his speech with thanking the fans.
The awards winners are listed below:
Scholastic player- Trae Johnson.
Most Improved Player- Jari Kykkanen (14 wins this year, compared to eight a season before).
Top Scorer- Andrew Cristall (39 goals, 56 assists for 95 points in just 54 games).
Unsung Hero- Carson Golder (40 points in 40 games after coming over from the Edmonton Oil Kings).
Top Defensive forward- Gabriel Szturc.
Top defenceman- Caden Price (40 points, 35 assists).
Most sportsmanlike- Adam Kydd (just 37 penalty minutes in 50 games).
Rookie of the Year- Ismail Abougouche (five assists in his rookie year).
Humanitarian Award- Mike Babcock.
MVP- Andrew Cristall (finished sixth in the WHL in scoring).
Abougouche said that it was âunexpectedâ and âa big honourâ to win the rookie of the year award.
âI wasnât expecting the award, but it was a bonus for all the hard work I put on and off the ice.â While Abougouche will be unable to play in the playoffs due to undergoing surgery, he promised to cheer on his team as loud as possible.
Cristall, the MVP for the Rockets, called getting the award an âhonour.â
âIt has been a crazy season, but I am looking forward to the playoffs.â
The Rockets playoff series against the Thunderbreds will begin in Seattle on Friday, March 31 for game one, and Saturday for game two.
The series will shift back to Âé¶čAV on Tuesday, April 4 and Wednesday, April 5. You can purchase playoff tickets at .
READ MORE: Âé¶čAV Rockets to face familiar foe in first round
