Crushers overwhelmed by Ramblers, lose 8-3

It was like the Battle of Culloden back in 1745: over in a hurry.

The Junior A Crushers gave up four goals in the first five minutes of the game on Thursday, in an 8-3 loss to the Amherst Ramblers.

By the time the Maritime Junior Hockey League contest was 50 seconds old, Jordan King and Layton Parsons had given Amherst a 2-0 lead. Less than two minutes later, Cole Waugh made it 3-0, then Liam Conrad scored for Amherst.

A Michael Dill wrister upstairs gave Pictou County a bit of hope, until Conrad and Brady GriffinHefford potted goals for Amherst late in the opening period, sending Crushers’ netminder Luke Melanson to the bench after the first intermission.

Dill picked up another goal in the second period (his fifth in five games) and Pictou County had a strong middle 20 minutes — but Matt Sartoris and King had third-period tallies before Evan MacLennan scored a late one for Pictou County. Jon Vandermolen was credited with two assists for the Crushers.

Matt Normore was expected to start in goal for the Crushers on Friday in Yarmouth, as the Crushers looked to snap a three-game losing streak against the South Division-leading Mariners.

On Wednesday in Woodstock, N.B., Pictou County picked up a valuable point in their push for a playoff spot, losing 4-3 in a shootout to the Slammers.

Jake Stewart, Jaden Mason and Alex Bonaparte scored for the Crushers and Nick Jessome had two assists in the game.

The Crushers return home next Thursday to take on the Yarmouth Mariners.

Game time is 7 p.m. at the Wellness Centre.