Clocks, Christmas moving forward
SUDBURY, Ont. – Clocks move forward this weekend. Kevin Christmas can relate to that.
Christmas, playing centre, scored his second goal of the season Friday night in the Brampton Battalion’s 4-1 Ontario Hockey League victory over the Sudbury Wolves. The goal capped a comeback from a 1-0 first-period deficit and helped solidify the Troops’ hold on the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Chosen as a defenceman in the sixth round of the 2005 OHL Priority Selection, Christmas has played 12 games with the Battalion, the last seven at centre or right wing. With the Troops well stocked on defence and several highly regarded prospects expected to compete for blue line spots next year, coach Stan Butler has said he’ll deploy Christmas up front for the rest of this season.
“He’s done a really good job up there,” said Butler, whose team hosts the Mississauga IceDogs at 2 p.m. Sunday. “He’s a big body and he’s showing good hands.”
The goal by the six-foot-two, 203-pound Christmas helped the Battalion move four points ahead of the Peterborough Petes for the eighth conference playoff spot.
“I didn’t even know where I was going to shoot it,” said Christmas, who snapped the puck over the shoulder of Sudbury goaltender Sebastian Dahm from deep in the left-wing circle at 15:45 of the second period. “I just threw it at the net and saw it land in the back.”
Christmas’s fellow rookie linemates, right winger Kyle DeCoste and left winger Conor O’Donnell, assisted on the goal.
“I’m really enjoying playing with those guys,” said Christmas. “We have a lot of chemistry and we’re all buddies. It’s fun to go out there with them.”
Christmas, 17, also has one assist for three points. His other goal came as a defenceman in his first OHL game, an 8-1 road win Sept. 28 over the Toronto St. Michael’s Majors, but Christmas said he’s getting more comfortable with every game up front.
“It was tough at the start to try to generate scoring chances as a forward. But lately I’ve learned how to get around the net and I’ve got far more confidence when it comes to shooting the puck. I know my first job is to bang some bodies, bring a physical presence and some energy and let other guys get goals.”
He hasn’t ruled out a permanent change of position.
“It’s in the back of my mind. I’m just enjoying it right now. It’s fun playing up there. I just want to help any way I can. We’ll see what happens next season.”
The Battalion, which got a solid 24-save performance from goaltender Bryan Pitton, has three games left in its regular season. All are at home.
“You have to give the guys credit,” said Butler. “They played really hard, and we got contributions from lots of guys. Bryan was stellar. He played like a No. 1 goalie has to. With the way the forwards backchecked and our defence stood up, it was just a great team effort.”
Butler said the Troops seem to be coming together at the right time.
“They’re a close-knit group right now. They’re young, and when you coach a team like this it’s fun to watch them go through this stretch and experience a playoff race.”
