The Sherwood Park Crusaders have had a rough start to the BCHL pre-season.
The Crusaders kicked off their pre-season weekend with a pair of games against the Blackfalds Bulldogs. Friday would see the Crusaders fall to the Bulldogs 6-4 at home, while losing 5-2 on the road the following night.
Back on Friday, the Crusaders would open the scoring on the power play, thanks to a Joseph Sinclair tap-in just eight minutes into the game.
Heading into the second, both teams would cash in twice, seeing goals from the Bulldogs’ Nikita Ivashchenko and Harout Arutyunyan, and the Crusaders’ Quincey Supprien and Tommy Coccaro, making it 3-2 going into the final frame.
The third period was all bulldogs hockey, finding the back of the net four times, including goals from Antoine Gauthier, Austin Borggaard, Tyler Chiovetti, and another from Harout Arutyunyan.
The lone goal scorer for the Cru in the period was assistant captain Cooper Sharp, wiring one past goaltender Oliver Kiraly.
“I see growth in the group,” remarked Crusaders General Manager and Head Coach Brennan Menard after game one.
“We are focusing on making small and meaningful progress to their game, understanding their habits, the style of play, expectations, and the overall speed at which they are able to accomplish things.”
Game number two of the weekend would also see the Crusaders striking first again, as rookie Danick St. Pierre would fire one past goalie Brady Smith for his first career Junior A goal just two minutes into the game.
The Bulldogs would respond just four minutes later as former Crusader Mathew Croxall would bury his first of the pre-season on the power play. The Bulldogs would follow up later in the period as Declan Bowmaster would score with just thirty-two seconds remaining in the period to give the Bulldogs the 2-1 lead.
Thomas Neu of the Bulldogs was the only goal scorer of the middle frame as he would also get his first of the pre-season on the power play.
Bulldogs would find the back of the net twice in the third with Juan Copeland getting his first of the season, while Thomas Neu would bury his second of the game.
Reily Pickford was the only goal scorer in the final frame for Sherwood Park as he would tap in his first as a Crusader on the power play.
“We are trying to take one step further every day,” Said Brennan Menard on his team’s performance over the weekend.
“We will not skip steps in the growth of our team and players. We have a plan that we are executing, and so far, we are moving it forward every day, little bits at a time.”
The Crusaders continue their pre-season campaign as they take on their cross-town rivals, the Spruce Grove Saints, on Wednesday, September 8th at the Silent Ice Center in Nisku, AB.
The Guys in Green wrap up their pre-season schedule on Saturday, September 13th, where the team will travel back to Blackfalds to take on the Bulldogs.
UPCOMING GAMES
Friday, September 20th: Crusaders Home Opener vs. Spruce Grove Saints
🎟️: https://tickets.spcrusaders.com/events/38333-spruce-grove-saints-vs-sherwood-park-crusaders
Saturday, September 27th: Crusaders vs. Brooks Bandits
🎟️: https://tickets.spcrusaders.com/events/38334-brooks-bandits-vs-sherwood-park-crusaders
