PICTOU COUNTY - The Atom AAA Crushers began the New Year by hosting the Glace Bay Miners to a pair of exhibition games over the weekend, splitting the games by winning 3-2 and losing 5-4.
On Saturday the Miners were the first to find the back of the net midway into the second period. Blake Kontuk, on a feed from Brycen MacDonald, scored the first Crushers goal and at the end of the second the Crushers had a 2-1 lead with a goal by Kyle Reim assisted by Connor MacLeod and MacDonald.
With less than a minute left to play Raymond Chisholm sealed the win for the Crushers, picking up the rebound on Kontuk’s rush. The team won 3-2. Brayden LeBlanc was the winning goalie.
Sunday at the Wellness Centre, the Miners opened the scoring again early in the first period. The Crushers dug deep scoring two of the sticks of Ryan Alexander and Kontuk in the first to regain the lead.
The Miners tied the score midway in the second and the Crushers regained the lead with a power play goal by Reim assisted by MacLeod and Chisholm. In the third after another Miners goal Kontuk scored early on a power play goal with the assist to MacDonald to take the lead again. The Miners scored a shorthanded goal to tie the game late, scoring the game-winning goal the next shift, earning a 5-4 win. Cody MacDougall was between the pipes. Crushers see action next weekend against the Truro Bearcats Sunday at 10:00 a.m. at the Wellness Centre.
