Sherwood Park, AB: The Sherwood Park Crusaders hit the road tomorrow night to take on the Bonnyville Pontiacs. The two teams met at R.J. Lalonde Arena last Friday, with the Cru leaving as 4-2 winners.
Jacob Kendall scored twice on the night, while Arjun Atwal and Jacob Franczak scored the other two goals. Forward Jarred White (University of Alabama-Huntsville) also played an important role, adding three assists.
The Pontiacs have a lot of talent amongst their roster, and three of their players are heading South of the border to play NCAA Division I hockey next season. The most notable name is Matthew McKim, who has recently agreed to play for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. The 19-year-old leads the Pontiacs with 61 points (15G, 46A).
Lucas Thorne and Reilly Connors will also be moving to the States to play for college teams. Thorne leads the Pontiacs in goals this season, having netted 22 so far. He has committed to the College of the Holy Cross. Connecticut native Connors is returning to his home state, joining Yale University to play under the leadership of long-serving coach Keith Allain.
The teams are playing for the fifth time this season when they go head-to-head Wednesday, and the Cru have won three of the last four meetings. Jacob Franczak and Jarred White lead the way in points against Bonnyville. Franczak has five points (2G, 3A), and White has six (3G, 3A).
Puck drop is at 7 P.M. at R.J. Lalonde Arena. Fans who wish to travel to the game can purchase tickets at the arena?s box office. Adult tickets are $15, and students can enter for $10. Fans who are not travelling can watch the game live at Average Joe?s Sports Bar on Baseline Road.