Well done Sheffield Steeler Cole Shudra - just 326 goals to catch up your Dad!
“You wait for a single goal to come along - and then three come all at the same time!”
Steelers teen Shudra collected his first goal (and two more) for Sheffield at Edinburgh Capitals last Sunday.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAnd team-mate O’Connor was as chuffed as anybody at the unexpected return.
Shudra, 19, revealed: “Ben put it perfectly. I think my team-mates were more shocked than me by the hat trick.”
Shudra had been playing forward to fill in for injury absentees - that’s his natural position, but coach Paul Thompson has tried the 6ft 2ins GB junior on defence.
“Thommo has been trying to develop me and saw I have some defensive abilities as a forward so why not learn the game as a defenceman, so I can fit in anywhere at any time” said Shudra. “My favourite position is forward, I’ve spent my career there but it’s nice to jump in. I just want to help the team wherever they feel its needed.”
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdShudra said it took a day for his feat to sink in. “It all happened fast” he said. “I scored two and Liam (Kirk) said in a period break that if he got the chance he’d pass me the puck for a third.
“But I didn’t really know if my first goal had gone in off a team-mate’s skate. So I wasn’t sure whether I’d be awarded that one.
“For the third, there was a scrum around their goal, I sort of dug the puck out, and took it to the net and it went in. It was only later I found out I’d definitely got a hat trick; it was the best achievement of my life.
“It’s not special to score a hat-trick in junior - it is almost expected of you. But this was a great experience and the bus journey home from Scotland was a nice one even if we didn’t get back until 4am!”
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdCole, son of Steelers’ most popular ever franchise player Ron, said his Dad gave him a hug after becoming the youngest Steeler to net a hat-trick.
Ron scored 329 for Steelers - so he has got some way to catch him up!