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Sidney Crosby famously lined his mother’s garments dryer with a whole bunch of puck marks. Carson Rehkopf destroyed his household’s washer.
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Humorous the issues children will do to develop their photographs.
Until you’re Mrs. Crosby and Mrs. Rehkopf, in fact.
“Mother sort of kicked me out of the basement once I was possibly eight or 9 … I broke her washer,” Rehkopf, a Crew Canada ahead from Barrie, Ont. recalled after the morning skate main into Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Germany and one other Carter George shutout. “(Capturing) is at all times one thing I liked to do. I used to be fortunate sufficient to sort of develop up with out of doors rings, so I spent quite a lot of time on them as properly.”
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Rehkopf clarified he wasn’t deliberately firing on the washer.
“It was simply behind my internet,” he stated. “I broke the glass a couple of times, and she or he was not too joyful.”
All of the apply has paid off although.
Rehkopf has scored 72 objectives in 87 video games during the last season and a half, enjoying with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers and Brampton Steelheads.
He was chosen within the second spherical, fiftieth general by the Seattle Kraken within the 2023 NHL entry draft, and sure has a promising profession forward of him.
Marksmen like Rehkopf are exhausting to search out.
“He’s in all probability received the most effective shot within the OHL,” stated Canada defenceman Sam Dickinson, a London Knights blue liner in his full-time gig. “He’s among the best simply pure objective scorers I’ve ever seen.”
And but it wasn’t till Canada fell to Latvia on Friday, after scoring simply twice on 57 photographs, that Rehkopf moved from the pressbox to the lineup.
Requested why he was a wholesome scratch for the primary two video games, coach Dave Cameron stated the sensation was different combos gave the staff its finest likelihood to win.
Rehkopf, who had 4 factors in 5 video games for Canada ultimately yr’s WJC and scored a hattrick in an exhibition towards the U Sports activities all-stars throughout choice camp final week, didn’t take the snub personally.
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“You respect their determination,” stated the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder. “It’s an excellent event. The most effective gamers in Canada. So that you simply attempt to keep humble and watch for a possibility.”
And he didn’t let it harm the arrogance that has helped make him a sniper.
“I believe it may possibly, however I attempt to not let it,” stated Rehkopf. “I sort of concentrate on myself. I do know what I can do. I do know I may also help the staff win. So I’ll simply attempt to present that once I get the possibility.”
Dickinson stated “a tough play type” comes within the package deal that’s Rehkopf.
“I believe you noticed it within the first couple of pre-tournament video games,” stated Dickinson. “He’s been exhausting on the forecheck and was a tough man to play towards. I believe that’s a giant factor he’ll convey for us tonight.”
Rehkopf’s apparent impression wasn’t quick – till he crushed German captain Edwin Tropmann into the offensive finish boards late within the second interval.
It was a success heard loud and clear approach up within the press field.
At that time, Canada had the sport’s lone objective on a blast from Oliver Bonk arrange by London Knights teammate Easton Cowan and Berkly Catton that quickly took scrutiny off the staff’s struggling energy play.
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One other defenceman, Caden Value, helped the capability crowd of 18,526 breathe simpler with an unassisted effort that noticed the puck simply trickle over the road with 4:58 left within the third.
Mathieu Cataford cemented the victory with an empty internet objective 2.4 seconds from the ultimate buzzer that was assisted by George, who made 25 saves for the shutout.
Profitable the sport in regulation time was necessary because the three factors again in a Group A primary-place tie with the usand completely set the stage for a New 12 months’s Eve showdown with the People.
If that one comes all the way down to particular groups play, the Bonk blast did served as a response to Cameron’s directive his gamers shoot extra with a man-advantage.
“Generally we overpass and we’re in search of one thing higher,” Cameron stated earlier than the sport. “You’re not going to interrupt PK till you shoot the puck. It’s off photographs and rebounds that stuff occurs, and so it’s a must to stick with the shot. That’s at the beginning.”
Across the similar time, Cameron additionally raved about Rehkopf’s shot.
“And he’s not scared to shoot,” stated Cameron, who hates nothing greater than chopping a participant or scratching him from the lineup. “He doesn’t want many possibilities to attain. He’s a major shooter, that’s the primary trait of a great objective scorer.”
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Don’t be shocked if he will get a giant one earlier than this event is finished.
Cowan says Rehkopf “finds a method to rating nearly each sport he performs.”
Perhaps it should come on towards the staff Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews — a man with a shot Rehkopf has studied and tried to repeat – was the co-leader of in scoring with Matthew Tkachuk by racking up 11 factors when the U.S. received bronze on the 2016 world juniors.
“I’ve been watching Matthews shoot since he got here into (the NHL),” stated Rehkopf. “Clearly you attempt to fiddle, do stuff your self, and sort of work out alternative ways to shoot and whatnot, (however)
“(Matthews’) pull and drag is one thing and I’ve actually taken to … it’s one thing that he introduced within the league and scores so much with so much. I believe it simply messes with the goalie, so it’s one thing I’ve labored on so much.”
His days of firing pucks in his mom’s basement are over, nevertheless.
“I’m not allowed to shoot at my home anymore,” stated Rehkopf. “I’ve gotta go to the store, so she has sort of kicked me out of that space of the home.”
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