Sherwood Park played Salmon Arm on Wednesday at the Silent Ice Centre. It was very nice to watch on TV. Too bad the case couldn’t be said for the mesh show that goes on in Sherwood Park. I have never been in the arena personally I can’t say for sure but on TV it looks very gloomy and dark and always looks way more empty than what they announce is there but then again a big chunk of the crowd could be hidden from camera view and quiet. Although from the view of the camera it does appear like the Crusaders have a program of some sort that some lady is reading.
The Bulldogs lost their fifth game in a row and 14th of the season securing their place deeper in the basement of the BCHL standings.
The Bulldogs had issues clearing their zone right off the get go. Thats when St. Paul, Alberta native Nicholas Beaudoin scored for the Crusaders to make it a 1-0 at 1:57 of the first period with the assist on the goal going to Chicago native Matthew Croxall
Then a mere 15 seconds later at 2:12 of the first Burlington, Ontario native and Niagara commit Nicholas DiPaolo made it a 2-0 as the Bulldogs sat and watched themselves get beat and he buried on a give and go. The assist on the goal to former Camrose Kodiak Cooper Sharp.
Shane Purves scores a beauty from the slot for the Bulldogs on the day he can legally buy beer in Alberta at 7:01 of the Power Play. The assists on the goal went to Jack Sullivan and Jack McAra. Thats Sullivan’s first point as arriving as a Bulldog.
20 year old Coquitlam native Tait Ross jumps in on the Rush with Princeton University commit Christian Chouha and the Crusaders make it 3-1 at 15:03 of the first period.
Shots on goal in the first period were 13-7 for the Bulldogs. Minus those first 2 goals that the Bulldogs slept through they played alright that period. I am still amazed at how hockey players of this caliber manage to go offsides so much. Its ridiculous. The refs delaying dropping the puck has made this game alot longer than it should be too.
Matthew Frost got credit for a strange bouncing puck that trickled in and made it 4-1 for the Crusaders. That was the end of the night for Esche. Thought this goal would of been reviewed but it wasn’t.
Newcomer Antoine Gauthier from Ottawa scores his first BCHL goal for the Bulldogs to make it only a 4-2 deficit at 15:44 of the second period unassisted. Gauthier had a few chances earlier too. Guy looks real good and should fit in really well with the team. That seemed to build s alot of momentum hopefully they can continue it.
Shots on goal in the second period were 17-11 for the Crusaders. Usually you can flip and watch the other games that are on out west due to time change in the intermissions. But now with all the delays the refs do dropping the puck this game has now matched up their intermissions with the games in BC. So I watched the Saints/Silverbacks third period during the intermission as it has already started long ago. The refs have a hard enough job as is one I could never do so I don’t know why they make it harder.
Trois Riviers, Quebec native Jeremy Loranger who is also the leading scorer in the BCHL makes it 5-2 Crusaders at 2:30 of the third period on a one time blast. The assist on the goal went to Alaska Fairbanks commit Nicholas Beaudoin. With all the movement to the CHL of players Loranger is one I thought would of been gone by now for sure. His rights are protected by the Shawinigan Cataractes.
University of Maine commit Malachi McKinnon makes it 6-2 Crusaders while they were on the Power Play. The assists on the goal went to Paol Andersen and Jeremy Loranger at 7:38.
Shane Purves scored a nice goal for his second goal of the game and 4th of the season to make it 6-3 at 14:19 of the third period. The assist on the goal went to Alexander Dimitriadis.
Ryan Shaw cuts the lead to 6-4 on a beauty snipe on the Power Play at 17:34 of the third period. The assist on the goal going to Tyler Chiovetti. Chiovetti and Shaw seem to play quite well together along with Joly on a line.
Shots on goal in the third period were 17-9 for the Crusaders. The Crusaders outshot the Bulldogs in the game 43-33
For the Crusaders their call up goalie Samuel Doyon-Cataquiz who according to eliteprospects hails from a Washington, D.C suburb made 29 saves on the 33 shots that he faced for the win for the Crusaders. For the Bulldogs Waylon Esche made 9 saves on the 13 shots that he faced until leaving in the second period. He was replaced by Dylan Adams who made 28 saves on the 30 shots the he faced.
Three Stars of the game were 1) Jeremy Loranger 2) Shane Purves 3) Antoine Gauthier
Attendance in Sherwood Park was 1112
Bulldogs next game is Saturday November 16th in Blackfalds against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks
Aaron Brown I am guessing has a season ending injury considering someone said he was walking around with his foot in a cast and he is now off the roster. The teams local media would never tell anyone any of this though so who knows.
Now it appears both the Crusaders goalies are healthy and they brought a kid in from Virginia as an AP. Well no better than against the lowest offensive output team in the league.
The Bulldogs acquired Antoine Gauthier from the Port Alberni Bulldogs for Future considerations. Gauthier hails from Ottawa, Ontario. He played last season with Berkshire School in the states. He is committed to Dartmouth University.
Yet no mention at all of Ryan Shaw returning that I could find. You would think you would announce a player returning that fans are familiar with. Too much stuff seems so hush hush. Even with guys off the roster there is no Jamie Darlison or Charles Beland listed anymore either.
With everything going on with the CHL and NCAA guys hoping ship I will try to write something about it eventually on here. It will be interesting to see what fully occurs. Before teh Bulldogs game however TSN was playing a NCAA game with Denver and North Dakota. Kind of neat I recognize a few names on their that the Bulldogs have played against in past years. Also a few NHL first rounders playing.
Former Calgary Hitmen Goalie Ethan Buenaventura is now a member of the Penticton Vees after his rights were acquired from the Cowichan Capitals. Buenaventura was released by the Hitmen earlier this month. He was backup last night for the Vees against Cranbrook.
