Sherwood Park, AB: It hasn?t been the start to the season Sherwood Park wanted, but it?s the one they?ve got after dropping a 7-4 decision to the Drayton Valley Thunder on Saturday night. The loss comes one day after losing 6-1 in Drayton Valley. Eric award got his second consecutive start against the Crusaders, while Jordan Frey was given the crease for Sherwood Park.
The Crusaders came out of the gates flying, scoring twice in the first three minutes of the game. New addition Kyle Crnkovic scored his first for the team after a diving pass from Dylan Guenther. Guenther then scored a goal of his own, giving the Crusaders an early 2-0 lead. Drayton Valley would respond quickly though, as Tanner Hopps scored just a minute later to cut the lead to one. The teams traded chances until Kadyn Chabot scored to tie things up at the halfway mark of the period. The Thunder smelled blood, and they went after it, with Connor McClennon capitalizing on two Crusaders penalties to give Drayton Valley a 4-2 lead after 20. Shots were 18-10 in favour of Drayton Valley.
Drayton Valley pushed their advantage to three early in the second period, capitalizing on a bouncy puck to start the period. Colson Gengenbach beat Frey through the five hole on a breakaway to give Drayton Valley a 5-2 lead. The Thunder had a powerplay later in the period, with a chance to put the game out of reach, but instead, the opposite happened. Matt Savoie took the puck after a nice faceoff win from Ty Mueller, danced a defender and beat Ward, making it 5-3 after two periods. Shots were 13-9 in the period for Drayton Valley.
In what was a do-or-die period for Sherwood Park, they came out firing. Chances developed again and again, but no one could beat Eric Ward, who played incredibly for Drayton Valley. Despite only firing three shots into the net in the period, two of them were goals, as Dylan Price took advantage of a miscue at the Crusaders blue line, and beat Frey, increasing the lead to 6-3 with under half a period to go. Vincent Scott got his first of the season to give Sherwood Park hope, but a Dexton Mozell empty netter sealed the deal for the Thunder, as they took a 7-4 win in Sherwood Park. Jordan Frey made 28 saves in the loss, while Ward made 24 in the win.
Sherwood Park looks to put this losing trend next Friday in Whitecourt, as they play the Wolverines.