RED DEER, Alta. – Canada won its 23rd summer under-18 gold medal, downing Sweden 4-1 in the gold medal game Saturday night at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

The game was a rematch of the 2018 final in Edmonton, Alta., also a win for the Canadians. The unbeaten run in Red Deer improved Canada’s all-time summer U18 record to 116-16-6 since 1991.

Canadian forward Andrew Cristall was fantastic through the best-on-best tournament finishing in the tournament scoring’s Top-10 tied for seventh in points (6 points, 1G, 5A). The Kelowna Rockets star was a dynamic playmaker all over the ice driving offence for the powerhouse Canadians consistently throughout the tournament.

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Canada confirmed its place as Group A winners following a 3-0 victory over Sweden Wednesday at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. The Canadians took the lead 3:29 into the first period and held a 1-0 advantage through 20 minutes, outshooting the Swedes 17-6. Andrew Cristall tallied his fourth assist of the tournament on a Canadian power play, extending his point-scoring streak to three games in the process. The final shot tally was 43-18 in Canada’s favour.

The Kelowna Rockets forward ,Cristall, finished the preliminary Round Robin of the tournament tied for fifth in tournament scoring with five points through three games, scoring once and adding four assists.

Canada now advances to a semi-final matchup versus Finland Friday night at the Peavey Mart Centrium in Red Deer, Alberta. The other semi-final pits Group B winner Czechia versus Sweden.

Hockey Canada announced its roster for the upcoming Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Red Deer Alberta earlier today. Amongst the best U18 players in the country named to Team Canada was WD Sports and Entertainment client Andrew Cristall.

Cristall was stellar during the U18 selection camp scoring three goals in two team scrimmages, sharing the lead for top goal scorer.

The Kelowna Rockets star previously represented Team Canada as part of the U17 Capital City Challenge where he put up six points during the course of the tournament serving as an assistant captain for Team Canada White.

The Hlinka Gretzky Cup is an annual invitation-only tournament that is the only best-on-best competition at the U18 level, the Hlinka Gretzky Cup serves as the first opportunity for fans and scouts to see that year’s NHL Draft prospects, almost a full year before the draft takes place. This year, it’s the Class of 2023 that has its chance on the international stage.

In the past, the tournament has included a who’s-who of Canadian hockey – names like Kariya (1991), Iginla (1994), Thornton (1996), Crosby (2003), Price (2004), Stamkos (2007), MacKinnon (2012), Ekblad (2013) and Lafrenière (2018), to name only a few.

The tournament will take place in Red Deer, Alberta from July 31 to August 6th, 2022.

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