For the second week in a row, Ryder Riedel from the Town of Didsbury is the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Rookie of the Week.
Riedel (2007) had the game winning goal in overtime plus two assists to lead the Olds Grizzlys to a 5-4 home win over Drumheller last Saturday. The Black & Gold rallied from deficits of 2-1, 3-2, and 4-3 to claw back and eventually earn the victory. About the skate away play in O.T., Riedel says “yeah, it was awesome. Me and Jordin (St. Louis) have been buddies since day one here, so him passing the pill over to me and me scoring was just a great feeling for the group.” Riedel notes that he couldn’t ask for a better place to be playing hockey at, the boys here have been great and it has been so much fun. He says “it obviously feels great, but it was a big win for the guys. We are chasing down Drumheller right now, so I’m going to do whatever it takes for the team and we are going to keep winning games.” He added another goal and one assist in Sunday’s 6-3 loss to the Kodiaks in Camrose to finish the week with two goals and three assists in two games.
The 18-year-old forward has at least one point in all six games he has played for Olds this season and he has a total of 3 goals and 10 points. Head Coach Tyson Soloski called Riedel a 200-foot player. Soloski says “that is something we really preach and I think if he can keep doing that he is going to find a lot of success in this league. Ryder is a tremendous player. He has a compete level that is second to none. He just has a motor that just always has him engaged and around the puck. He has a skill set that allows him to make plays when he does have the puck. When you combine that with the motor and the compete level it seems the puck is always on his stick and he is able to make plays. He does a tremendous job of just being a gritty player, goes to the hard areas, wins a lot of puck battles for his linemates and his teammates, and it has allowed him to have success.”
After being named the Inter Pipeline AJHL Rookie of the Week for the first time, Riedel stated that just getting back in the line up and playing this last week with the guys has been great and if they keep winning games then individual success happens more and more often. He says “I think I’m a very smart hockey player. I don’t believe I’m the fastest or biggest or strongest but I feel like my IQ can separate me from other players sometimes, and when I play with the right people – good things can happen.”
The Grizzlys will visit Drumheller on Friday, November 21st and then they will host the Dragons on Saturday, November 22nd at 7pm.
Members of the Bonnyville Pontiacs picked up the other weekly honours. Maxwell Pendy (2006) from Far Hills, New Jersey leads the league with 36 points in 19 games and he is the Canalta Hotels AJHL Player of the Week after scoring three times and dishing out five assists between November 10-16. Pendy’s teammate – Ben Constantino – is the Alberta Ford Dealers Defensive Player of the Week. Costantino (2005) is from St. Albert and contributed points from the blueline in all three of the games for the Pontiacs during the week with a total of two goals and three assists.
96.5 The Ranch spoke with Ryder Riedel following the O.T. win over Drumheller on Saturday, November 15th.
