Mission’s Chad Cromar returned home with a little extra hardware following last weekend’s National Aboriginal Hockey Championships.
Cromar, the starting goalie for Team BC, helped his home province earn a bronze medal at the six-day event in Cowichan.
Team BC opened with a 7-4 win over the Eastern Door and North team on May 1, and Cromar stopped 29 shots in the victory.
The winning continued on May 2, as Cromar backstopped Team BC to a 4-2 against Ontario.
Cromar’s back-up took over the crease for BC’s third game against Team Atlantic on May 3, which was a 9-0 for the locals.
BC capped off the round robin with a 7-2 win over Team Alberta on May 4, with Cromar stopping 22 shots for the win.
The team’s hot streak came to an abrupt end in the first round of the playoffs on May 5, as Ontario blanked BC 5-0.
Cromar made 23 saves in a losing cause. The loss meant BC would play for bronze on May 6.
Cromar was strong in the bronze-medal game, making 29 saves to lead BC to a 5-2 win.
The medal win caps off an excellent 2016-17 hockey season for the Mission Minor Hockey Association product.
The 16-year-old appeared in 16 regular-season games and one playoff match for the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League this season, picking up six wins.
He also suited up twice for the Langley Rivermen of the B.C. Hockey League, earning one win.
The strong year comes off an equally excellent 2015-16 season, which saw Cromar help the Mission Secondary Roadrunners win the B.C. High School Hockey League Tier 2 championships and lead the Mission Stars Midget A1 hockey team to the provincials.