The Sherwood Park Crusaders head into the regular season with a 4-3 record, splitting the last two games against the Blackfalds Bulldogs and the Whitecourt Wolverines; taking a loss and a win, respectively.
Coming off a nail-biter 4-3 win just two nights before, the Crusaders go south and drop a 2-1 decision to the Blackfalds Bulldogs. Josh Rule continues to come in clutch, opening the scoring on a short-handed goal with under two minutes to play in the first period. Unfortunately, back to back goals from Blackfalds put the Cru down late in the 2nd and that’s how the score line stayed. A goaltending battle through and through, Marek Pocherewny stopped 30 of 32 shots in the loss.
Looking for a comeback game, the Crusaders visited the Whitecourt Wolverines, and took home a 4-1 victory to finish the pre-season on a high note. After some sparse scoring in the first two periods, with Sherwood Park and Whitecourt trading tallies, Ashton McNelly and Levi Fesyk chip in with two goals in six seconds; Evan Arnold got his second goal late in the period to close it out, and Gus Bylin made 31 saves en route to the victory.ӬӬ
The regular season is now upon the AJHL, beginning September 17, which sees the Sherwood Park Crusaders take on the Spruce Grove Saints in Grant Fuhr arena and returning to Randy Rosen Rink for the home opener on the 18th.