CALGARY, AB – It was a bad ending to a disappointing road trip for the Sherwood Park Crusaders as they fell 8-5 to the Calgary Mustangs on Sunday to end a three day, three game road trip.
Things looked good early on as the Crusaders were able to open the scoring at the Father David Bauer Arena just 1:26 into the game as Forward Brandon Wallis scored his second goal of the weekend as he now has a career high with 10 in a season.
The Crusaders only lead of the game would be short lived as the Mustangs tied things up at 8:46 and then take the lead on the power play with eight minutes left in the period.
Sherwood Park would tie the game 2-2 just 58 seconds after the Mustangs took their first lead of the game as Erik Miller would score his eighth of the season.
The Mustangs would score four goals in the second period including a short handed goal and the eventual game winner of the stick of Danial Rybarik with 23 seconds remaining in the frame.
The Crusaders would score in the second as well, converting on a power play at 18:12, Forward Ryan Cox would score his 30th of the season, but it was the Mustangs on top 6-3 after 40 minutes.
Goaltender Brandon Vogel would be replaced by emergency backup Nathan Sheppard of the Capital Junior League’s Edmonton Mustangs in the third period.
Vogel allowed six goals on 32 shots, while Sheppard would allow one goal on seven shots in his AJHL debut.
Calgary would score their seventh goal of the game on the power play at 9:20 off the stick of Chase Miller.
Sherwood Park made things interesting as Ty Readman and Dylan Stewart would score just over two minutes apart at 11:07 and 13:13 of the third to make it 7-5.
Desperate for points, the Crusaders would pull Sheppard early for an extra attacker, but the Mustangs would ice things quick, making it 8-5 with 2:24 remaining in the game to give them the victory.
Sherwood Park went one for four on the power play while the Mustangs converted twice on seven opportunities.
The Crusaders will return home for two pivotal games this upcoming weekend as they host the Bonnyville Pontiacs for the second time this season and then on Sunday to cap off the season series against the Fort McMurray Oil Barons.
With being held pointless on the weekend and losing their last five the Crusaders are having to be more inclined about the teams behind them rather than the one in front of them in the Viterra North Division standings, example being with Lloydminster as they trail Sherwood Park by only four points.
BOXSCORE: Mustangs 8 Crusaders 5
VIDEO: Highlights