Well done Sheffield Steeler Cole Shudra - just 326 goals to catch up your Dad!

Ben O'Connor used the perfect phrase to sum up hat-trick scorer Cole Shudra's achievement.
Cole ShudraCole Shudra
Cole Shudra

“You wait for a single goal to come along - and then three come all at the same time!”

Steelers teen Shudra collected his first goal (and two more) for Sheffield at Edinburgh Capitals last Sunday.

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And team-mate O’Connor was as chuffed as anybody at the unexpected return.

Shudra, 19, revealed: “Ben put it perfectly. I think my team-mates were more shocked than me by the hat trick.”

Shudra had been playing forward to fill in for injury absentees - that’s his natural position, but coach Paul Thompson has tried the 6ft 2ins GB junior on defence.

“Thommo has been trying to develop me and saw I have some defensive abilities as a forward so why not learn the game as a defenceman, so I can fit in anywhere at any time” said Shudra. “My favourite position is forward, I’ve spent my career there but it’s nice to jump in. I just want to help the team wherever they feel its needed.”

Rocket Ron ShudraRocket Ron Shudra
Rocket Ron Shudra
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Shudra said it took a day for his feat to sink in. “It all happened fast” he said. “I scored two and Liam (Kirk) said in a period break that if he got the chance he’d pass me the puck for a third.

“But I didn’t really know if my first goal had gone in off a team-mate’s skate. So I wasn’t sure whether I’d be awarded that one.

“For the third, there was a scrum around their goal, I sort of dug the puck out, and took it to the net and it went in. It was only later I found out I’d definitely got a hat trick; it was the best achievement of my life.

“It’s not special to score a hat-trick in junior - it is almost expected of you. But this was a great experience and the bus journey home from Scotland was a nice one even if we didn’t get back until 4am!”

Rocket Ron ShudraRocket Ron Shudra
Rocket Ron Shudra
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Cole, son of Steelers’ most popular ever franchise player Ron, said his Dad gave him a hug after becoming the youngest Steeler to net a hat-trick.

Ron scored 329 for Steelers - so he has got some way to catch him up!