Drayton Valley, AB: The Sherwood Park Crusaders were on the road on Tuesday night making their first trip to Drayton Valley to face the Thunder. Headed into the game, the Crusaders had a 2-0-0 road after beating the Lloydminster Bobcats twice while the Thunder were handed two one goal defeats by the Spruce Grove Saints but did earn a point in the shootout.
It was a tight opening period with neither team able to open the scoring. Between the pipes, Carter Gylander (Colgate University) stopped all 18 shots he faced while the offence couldn’t beat Eric Ward at the other end with any of their nine shots.
It wasn’t until midway through the second period when a goal was scored. A shot from Arjun Atwal beat Ward but couldn’t beat the post. However, the shot rebounded out and was deflected in by Will Zapernick (University of Alabama-Huntsville) for his third goal of the season. Four minutes later, Drayton Valley tied the game up from Brett Bamber. The two teams would head into the second intermission locked at 1-1.
In the third period, the captain, Atwal sealed the points for the Crusaders the powerplay when he buried a Carter Savoie (University of Denver) rebound.
Final score at the Drayton Valley Omniplex finished 2-1 in favour of Sherwood Park. With the win, they now move to 3-0-0 and sit at the top of the North Division.
Next up, Sherwood Park takes on the Whitecourt Wolverines and Fort McMurray Oil Barons over the weekend at Sherwood Park Arena. Tickets are available right here.