Your Crusaders returned home on Tuesday and Wednesday for a pair of back-to-back games at the Randy Rosen Rink. Bringing a 2-0 series lead back to Sherwood Park after a pair of 3-2 victories in Salmon Arm, including an overtime win in Game 1, the Cru looked to end the series at home and advance to the 2nd round of the BCHL playoffs. Your full recap!
Game Three ⎸ Tuesday, April 8th, 2025 ⎸ 4-0 Crusaders Win
Your Crusaders’ first period of action at home was a quiet one, with neither the Silverbacks nor your Cru able to find the back of the net. However, as was the case through the first pair of games, goaltender James Venne was outstanding, stopping ten shots in the first stanza to keep the score knotted at zeros.
The 2nd period, however, was a different story altogether. The middle stanza saw your Cru explode for a trio of goals, with Jeremy Loranger (2), Bode Sampair (1), and Lucas Brennan (1) all picking up goals in the 2nd. James Venne continued to be a brick wall in goal, stopping all eight shots sent his way in the period.
Despite falling behind 3-0, the Silverbacks came out flying in the third period, more than doubling up the Crusaders in shots (12-5). However, Venne stood tall in the Crusaders’ net, stopping each of the dozen shots in the third. An empty net goal from – who else? – Jeremy Loranger (3) put the game beyond reach for Salmon Arm, with your Crusaders heading home with a 4-0 win and a 3-0 series lead.
Game Four ⎸ Wednesday, April 9th, 2025 ⎸ 7-4 Crusaders Win
Though both teams were playing the second half of back-to-back games, there was no lack of energy from either side to kick off Game Four. However, it was the Crusaders who would strike first, as just over four minutes into the first, Malachai Mckinnon potted his first of the BCHL playoffs to give the Cru a 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, the Crusaders found themselves victims of back-to-back penalty kills, but unsurprisingly, goaltender James Venne was on top of his game once again, preserving the Crusaders’ lead through the pair of PKs.
Following the successful kills, it was all Crusaders. With just under five minutes left, it was Jeremy Loranger who found the back of the net yet again, picking up his 4th of the playoffs with the help of a beautiful pass from captain Kale Dach. However, it wasn’t the last Crusaders goal scored in the final five of the first, with Bode Sampair collecting his second goal in two games to put your Crusaders up 3-0 to close the first.
Unfortunately, the 2nd period saw Salmon Arm score their first goal in Sherwood Park of the post-season, with Ryan Philbrick picking up his first of the postseason. The goal ended James Venne’s shutout streak at over 106 minutes. It wouldn’t take that long for the Silverbacks to put another past the Crusaders goaltender, unfortunately, with Roenik Jodoin collecting his second goal of the playoffs with just over six minutes left in the period.
However, the Crusaders were able to extend their lead to 4-2 on the strength of a powerplay goal from Jeremy Loranger with 2:40 left to play.
Both teams hit the ice flying to start the third period, with each team receiving their fair share of chances to put the puck in the net. Of course, it was Jeremy Loranger who resumed the scoring, picking up his third goal of the game and league-leading sixth of the playoffs. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for Salmon Arm to respond, as Easton Walos potted his first of the postseason to bring the Silverbacks back within two.
In spite of being behind 31-20 in shots, the Cru hit the media break with a 5-3 lead. It wouldn’t take long to double up that lead, however. With 8:25 remaining in the third, Masun Fleece picked up a powerplay marker for his second of the playoffs. On the goal, Crusaders captain Kale Dach extended his BCHL playoff lead in assists, collecting his fourth of the game and eighth of the postseason. Just seconds later, unfortunately, the Silverbacks were awarded a penalty shot, and on the resulting play, Roenik Jodoin tallied his second goal of the game, bringing Salmon Arm back within two.
With just under four minutes to play and a two-goal deficit to overcome, the Silverbacks both earned a powerplay and pulled their goalie for a two-man advantage. Despite some close calls on a pair of quality chances, your Crusaders successfully killed off the penalty. With just nine seconds remaining, Poul Anderson locked down the win with an empty net goal, earning your Crusaders a 7-4 victory and the series sweep.
News & Notes
- At the time of this writing, Jeremy Loranger is now the leading scorer of the BCHL playoffs, collecting 11 points (6 goals, 5 assists) through the first-round sweep.
- Kale Dach also leads the league in playoff assists, bringing his total to 8 in four games.
- James Venne finished the game with 32 shots on 36 shots.
- This marks the Crusaders’ second straight first-round sweep. Last season, your Crusaders defeated the Blackfalds Bulldogs 4-0 in last year’s BCHL playoffs.
Next Up:
Your Crusaders return to action next week, pending the results of the remainder of the BCHL’s first-round series. Updates on both our second-round schedule and ticket availability will be found on www.spcrusaders.com as they become available.
