WESTVILLE ROAD, N.S. –
It might go down to the final weekend.
The Junior A Crushers and South Shore Lumberjacks, battling for the final playoff spot in the South Division, play a home-and-home series against each other in early-March to bring the Maritime Hockey League regular season to a close. It’s likely those games will determine the fate of both teams.
The Crushers picked up three of a possible four points in two home games this past week, moving two points ahead of the ’Jacks in the South Division standings.
On Feb. 9, the Crushers did just enough to win, beating the St. Stephen Aces 4-2 in a ragged game at the Pictou County Wellness Centre (PCWC). Chase Ellis snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period with a high backhand for his second goal of the night, and an empty-netter from Barrett Dachyshyn clinched the game.
Crushers forward Isaac Chapman scored in the second period with a deft re-direct of a Harry Sanders point shot.
Liam Smith and Nick French scored for St. Stephen.
On Thursday, the Crushers coughed up a two-goal lead in the final minutes against the Campbellton Tigers and lost 5-4 in a shootout.
With the Tigers trailing 4-2, Francis Thibeault and Pascal Valcourt scored goals to send things to OT. Nothing was decided there, and Jared Janke had the only goal in the shootout to send the Crushers to their first home loss in nine games.
The Crushers held a 2-0 lead after the first period on goals from Evan Gallant and Isaac Chapman, Kyle Patten scored for Campbellton in the second and Antoine Gauthier tied the game four minutes into the third.
Goals from Sam Meisenheimer and Gallant’s second of the night restored Pictou County’s two-goal cushion before the late-game unravelling.
The Crushers are home to the Amherst Ramblers on Feb. 14.
