Brothers named all-stars in different age groups

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This article was published 21/01/2017 (3387 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An old expression suggests that iron sharpens iron.

But when it comes to hockey, brothers are even better.

Riley and Calder Crossin were both named to their respective provincial all-star hockey games after many, many hours spent on the ice together playing in a way that only brothers can.

Riley, 14, a goaltender with the Brandon Bantam AAA Wheat Kings, played in the Winnipeg AAA Hockey League’s all-star game last weekend. Calder, 11, who plays with the Peewee AA Wheat Kings in the Hockey Winnipeg circuit, gets his turn today at noon at the Seven Oaks Arena in Winnipeg.

When the family lived outside of Brandon, the brothers used to play on an outdoor rink their father made for them. Now that they live in the Wheat City, they take their hockey wars to the Westridge Community Centre.

“There’s been many of them,” Riley said. “On the rink we’d always have one-on-one games and I would go as a player, which kind of helped with my skating. Once in a while, maybe once or twice a year, I would go as a goalie and take some shots.”

Calder said that wasn’t much easier as his older brother gobbled up the pucks in the net.

“Trying to score on him is tough,” Calder said. “It’s got to be a great shot or a good deke to get it past him.”

Both age groups hold two all-star games, with one for the older players and one for the younger players.

Riley’s Brandon teammates Daemon Hunt, Cole Jordan, Nolan Ritchie and Calder Anderson also played in the 14-year-old game, with Crossin sharing the crease with goalie Nathan Falloon of the Yellowhead Chiefs. Nolan Wallace and Jackson Gudz participated in the 13-year-old all-star game.

Calder will be joined on the 12-year-old team today by Cayden Glover and Braden Keeble, while Nolan Chastko, Luke Lepper, Cole Slobodian and Clarke Caswell of Brandon will all play in the 11-year-old game.

“He actually got his letter first,” Riley said. “The team announced it and he came home and showed us the letter. We were so excited for him. I think it was two or three days later my dad showed me the email that I made it as well. I was even more excited.”

Riley had the same reaction when his older brother got the happy news.

“I was so excited for him,” Calder said. “He got four shutouts this year and won so many of his games. He’s played really good.”

The Bantam AAA Wheat Kings are in third in the West Division with a record of 17-5-0-2. In 13 games, Riley has a

1.92 goals-against average with .916 save percentage. The Peewee AA Wheat Kings are sixth in their 10-team league with a record of 9-12-0-0.

The brothers have played together once, in a summer hockey league tournament when a team had to be thrown together at the last minute.

While you might think it would be hard to get the competitive brothers to say nice things about each other’s game, exactly the opposite is true. They’re big fans of one another.

“I think he’s very smart on the ice,” Riley said. “He’s able to read the play well and know what’s happening before it happens.”

While he’s earned an all-star berth, it hasn’t been an easy season for Calder, who broke his wrist after being slashed in early November. After some initial difficulties diagnosing the injury, Calder went from a cast to a playing cast, and is now in a brace.

He said Riley is a very good netminder.

“He’s an amazing, committed goaltender,” Calder said. “He’s great in the crease.”

Riley played the second half of his all-star game last weekend, which as most of them go, turned into a track meet of odd-man rushes and breakaways with very little defence. Still, the Grade 9 student had a great time.

“It was an amazing experience,” Riley said. “It was really great to hang out with all the other players around the league.”

Calder was able to get to Riley’s all-star game, but Riley will be unable to reciprocate tonight because his team is in action in Shoal Lake against the Chiefs.

The younger brother, who is in Grade 6, can’t wait for his chance to play. He’s quick to share the credit for his all-star selection.

“My coaches and my teammates are amazing,” Calder said. “I’ve had one injury this year and they’ve really helped me out with that and getting it strengthened.”

He looks forward to being eligible for the Western Hockey League’s bantam draft, while Riley thinks it would be nice to have hockey pay for some of his education.

Like his brother, he’s thankful for his team and coaches. And like all good goalies, he knows who butters his bread.

“I don’t think I would have been able to go to the all-star game without my coaches Craig Anderson and Dave Andrew,” Riley said. “They’ve been my coaches for many years and the team in front of me this year has been amazing. There’s no way I would have made it without my defence.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

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