SURREY – Christmas came a little late for Surrey Eagles’ goalie Christian Short. The 19-year-old from Woodbridge, Ontario announced his commitment to the Rochester Institute of Technology on Dec. 29.
Short had a bright December returning from an injury to pick up two wins, including his first shut out of the season in a 34-save performance against the Chilliwack Chiefs.
"I'm really excited to be going to RIT," Short said in a release. "It's a great program and an even greater school."
The man between the pipes said attending RIT, which is located in Henrietta, New York, is the best option for him as his family is from Ontario.
"They've been after me for about a month and a half now, even before I was out with injury," added Short. "They had me come up and visit during the Christmas break and I loved every bit of it. They've got a great program there, they've just built an unbelievable rink, and I can't wait to be a Tiger next year. It's a great decision for both myself and my family, and I'm really happy."
Blaine Neufeld, head coach of the Eagles, has repeatedly said one of his jobs is to help his players get athletic scholarships and that Short’s scholarship is fully deserved.
“It's a great reward for what he's had to put up with this season, being a goalie on a team that doesn't have the most delightful record," said the former Vancouver Giants goalie in the release.
"He's been committed to the process of developing his game, and now he's taken that next step in committing to RIT. It's definitely rewarding to see hard work pay off," Neufeld added.
Short has a record of 5-14 with a 4.21 goals against average and a 0.897 save percentage.
He will join former Eagle Brad McGowan in Rochester as well as eight other current BCHL alumni currently on the roster.
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Chris Tanev and Edmonton Oilers forward Steve Pinizzotto are both former RIT players.
The Eagles are currently at the bottom of the BCHL standings, picking up 17 points from 39 games. The team started 2015 on the road with three straight losses over the weekend against Alberni Valley, Cowichan Valley and Powell River.