Sherwood Park double up on West Kelowna Warriors 6-3 Saturday

Photo: Wayne Moore

The Sherwood Park Crusaders got some semblance of revenge on the West Kelowna Warriors Saturday night.

After falling 6-3 to the Warriors on home ice six weeks ago, the Crusaders turned the tables at Royal LePage Place, upending the home side by the same 6-3 score.

The visitor’s top line of league leading scorer Jeremy Loronger, Kale Dach and Nicholas Beaudoin did much of the damage early, accounting for their first five goals as the Crusader built up a 3-1 lead after one and 5-2 after two.

Loranger and Beaudoin each scored twice while Dach chipped in with a pair of helpers.

Loranger opened the scoring on the power play off the rush when his backhand hit iron but was ruled a goal. After reviewing the play the officials determined the puck hit the back bar however replays appeared inconclusive.

Luciano Bruno tied it with his first of two, beating James Venne to the glove side on a breakaway, and launching several stuffed animals on the ice as part of the Teddy Bear Toss promotion.

The game was delayed about 10 minutes while the stuffed animals were cleared.

For the next 30 minutes it was all Crusaders as they built up a 4-1 and 5-2 lead in the second.

“I thought we started real well the first 10 minutes we dictated and played the way we wanted to,” said head coach Simon Ferguson.

“They got a couple of breaks where we probably cheated and pucks went in then we slouched for 30 minutes then played another good 20 after that.”

Dylan Krayer kept the Warriors close with a tally in the second then Bruno was credited with his second 13 minutes into the third. His cross-ice pass on a two-on-one hit a defender who was sliding to block the pass.

He slid into his goaltender and into the net with the puck under him.

The Warriors did control some of the play the rest of the way but were unable to get any closer.

The story was the Crusaders top line and their ability to connect with the man advantage while the Warriors continued to struggle on the power play.

However, Ferguson says it was as much the way his team played as it was what the visitors were doing.

“It’s more how we’re playing and what we’re doing. Are we winning puck battles, are we managing the puck properly?

“For the first 10 minutes we did that…we controlled the pace of play but then they got a quick one…then they got another after that.”

Dawson Labre started but was pulled in favour of Jack Lisson after allowing four goals on just 11 shots over 24 minutes and 18 seconds of action.

The Warriors are off until the weekend when they close out the calendar year with back-to-back games against the Penticton Vees Friday at the SOEC and Saturday back at RLP.