Christian to start 1,300th pro game tonight

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – When the puck drops tonight at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum, another milestone will be reached in the 21-year pro career of Mississippi RiverKings forward Jeff Christian.

As the RiverKings battle the Bloomington PrairieThunder, the 40-year-old Christian will be playing in his 1,300^th game as a professional and is just four points short of being the 23^rd player to score 500 career points in the CHL (currently at 185 goals and 311 assists in six Central Hockey League campaigns).
Christian made his pro hockey debut with the American Hockey League’s Utica Devils in the 1990-91 campaign. Since then, the Burlington, Ontario native has played in the National Hockey League, the American Hockey League, the International Hockey League, in Europe, and in the Central Hockey League.  
Drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the 1988 National Hockey League Entry Draft (23rd overall), Christian has made 18 appearances in the NHL – 15 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, two with the New Jersey Devils and one with the Phoenix Coyotes.
Christian also played for four seasons in Europe; three in Germany and one in the United Kingdom before returning to North America in 2005, joining the CHL’s Youngstown SteelHounds, where he played for two seasons. He was named the league’s Most Valuable Player after the 2006-07 season, during which he posted 116 points (38 G, 78 A) and 125 penalty minutes.
In 2007-08, Christian signed with the Tulsa Oilers, where he led the team in scoring for two seasons. He became the first player in team history for expansion Missouri Mavericks in 2009-10, where he served as a player/assistant coach. In 2010, his then eight-year-old daughter Ryan was diagnosed with Pediatric Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma, a rare form of cancer.
Despite his daughter’s diagnosis, Christian, who was already known as an inspirational player, continued to contribute to the Mavericks’ success on the ice, interspersed with leaves of absence granted by the league to join his wife and daughter at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital i n Memphis.
After leading the Mavericks in scoring, Christian opted to sign a deal to play for the RiverKings, who play in Southaven, Mississippi, just 20 minutes away from St. Jude’s, where Ryan continues her treatment. In 46 games played thus far, Christian has tallied 36 points (12 G, 24 A), including three game-winning goals.
The RiverKings (22-22-2), currently in fifth place in the CHL’s Berry Conference are joining other CHL teams’ efforts in the fight against cancer this weekend.
During the course of Sunday’s game, eight pink sticks will be used by eight members of the RiverKings. At the conclusion of the game, the sticks will be put up for auction, along with the special jerseys the RiverKings will be wearing during the game.
All proceeds from the auction will be split equally between the Jill Russell Foundation and the Ryan Christian Fund. Russell, a long time fan and supporter of the RiverKings, has been battling cancer the past couple of years.
The stick auction and special jersey auction will be only part of the post-game events to beat cancer after the RiverKings game with the Thunder.
If $2,500 is raised for the DeSoto County Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society by Sunday, forward R.G. Flath will have his head shaved by the person who donates the most money to the cause. 
Please visit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life website here for more information on how you can donate and get involved in your community.
Contact the writer at robert.keith@prohockeynews.com

Contact the photographer at daniel.russell@prohockeynews.com