For Andrew Cristall, Monday's preseason game between the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers was about showing his willingness to stick up for his teammate.
Skating on the top line with Dylan Strome and Ryan Leonard, Cristall took exception to Leonard being hit hard into the boards by Hunter McDonald. As a result, Cristall came right to his teammate's aid, and retaliated with a hit of his own.
It ended up being a bit high, as Cristall caught McDonald in the face/neck area and received a five-minute cross-checking major and game misconduct, and he was ultimately fined $2,250.86, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for his actions.
Cristall, who stands at 5-foot-10 and weighs in at 178, willingly took on the 6-foot-4 McDonald, along with veteran enforcer Garrett Wilson and Zach Aston-Reese in a scrum afterward.
Ultimately, though, it showed the Capitals a lot about his character, as the team appreciated how he immediately reacted to support and stand up for Leonard, a key core member of the group who just signed an eight-year, $84 million extension in D.C.
“His heart’s in the right place. He’s trying to stick up for one of his brothers. He’s trying to do the right thing," coach Spencer Carbery said, adding, "I know where he was coming from and I appreciate that. You just try want to try to do that as clean as you can in those moments.”
Dylan Strome agreed, noting that he didn't think it was a dirty play and was a reflection of Cristall's dedication to his teammates.
"IÂ thought it was great. It was kind of a weird play, it didn't look like much then (McDonald) finished and kind of follows through. I don't think AC is really a dirty player, I don't think he's trying to cross-check the guy in the face, just kind of go scrum it up a little bit," Strome said. "Obviously, with no review in this game, maybe that's a four-minute, high-sticking penalty.
"It's one of those (plays) that he's sticking up for his teammate, and you can never get mad at a guy for that," he added. "I don't think it was a dirty hit on Leno, but I think when a big hit like that (happens), it's good on AC to step up there."
