Crushers drop 4-1 game to Bearcats

It had to end sometime. The Pictou County Crushers suffered their first loss of the season Thursday, a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Truro Bearcats.

Coach Doug Doull didn’t mince words after his team’s won-loss record dipped to 4-1, suggesting his team didn’t want the game as much as the Bearcats.

“We lost the game when we read 4-0 in the standings,” he said.

After a scoreless opening 20 minutes at the Pictou County Wellness Centre, the Bearcats (4-2) built a 3-0 lead early in the second on goals from Denver Lynds, Jarrod Shipley and Dylan Burton, all of which came in a span of a little more than three minutes.

“We were soft in all areas of the game,” Doull said.

“In their red zone they boxed us out. In ours, it was three shots for a dollar. Our D were soft (but) Daniel Vautour played well in net – it could have easily been 8-1.”

A power play goal by Benji Curtis, with assists going to Dylan Riley and Michael Dill, gave the Crushers some life 26 seconds into the final frame, and while the Crushers had a couple of good chances to get closer, Luke MacMillan scored for Truro with seven minutes to go, just as a Crusher penalty had expired.

Curtis took a fighting major off the ensuing faceoff and with Truro on a power play for five minutes, they killed the clock and hung on for the win.

“We got out-worked, outmuscled in six-to-ten foot puck races,” Doull said.

“We need to put it behind us and saddle up again (Friday).”

Pictou County (4-1) was at the South Shore Lumberjacks on Friday and will be in Amherst Saturday to play the Ramblers.