The Sherwood Park Crusaders won their third game in a row Friday night as they edged out the Calgary Canucks by a score of 4-2.
The victory marked the Crusaders 13th victory at the Sherwood Park Arena this season, and clinched them the season series against the Canucks as they sweep the 2016-17 matchups, 2-0.
For the third straight game, the Crusaders allowed the game’s opening Goal, as Canuck Forward Ben Assad beat Goaltender Zac Klassen with a back hand from the bottom left side circle after receiving a feed from former Crusader Brett Van Os.
The Crusaders would answer back 22 seconds later in the fast paced, intense first Period.
Forward Merrit Oszytko put a change up past Logan Drackett for his 15th of the season at 8:46 of the opening frame.
Physicality and Penalties would dominate the second Period, fortunately the Crusaders came out on the right end of that one as they had three opportunities and converted on one.
Defensemen Cam Reagan gave the Crusaders their first lead of the game at 12:22 of the second with a blast from the right point that beat Drackett. The play was set up perfectly after a faceoff win in the Canucks zone to start the Man Advantage.
Reagan now has eight Points in his last six games and is riding a three game Point streak.
The Crusaders would go up by two early in the third Period when Brendan Stafford potted his fourth of the year as he sneaked to the front of the net and buried a rebound after an initial shot from Gage Joel.
The teams would trade goals late in the third as the Canucks got within one with six attackers, a mad scramble in front of Zac Klassen resulted in Parker Ward scoring the Canucks’ second Goal, but Forward Ty Readman negated to mark with an Empty Net Goal 20 seconds later.
The Crusaders finished 1/5 on the Power Play and outshot the Canucks 32-20 in the 4-2 victory.
The team will hit the reset button as they look to improve their 24-16-1 record as they host the Calgary Mustangs Saturday night at the Sherwood Park Arena.
-Story By Taylor Medak