Rested and ready

Kevin Mason returns to team after major junior stint with Saint John

The Pictou County Crushers have a hectic schedule ahead, including a date tonight with the rival Bearcats, as they look to gain ground in the MHL’s South Division.

After an 11-day break, the Junior A Crushers will be back at it tonight for a Maritime Hockey League game against the Truro Bearcats.

“We’ve had time to heal up and re-group,” said Crushers head coach Doug Doull, whose team hasn’t played since a 4-0 road loss to the Yarmouth Mariners on Nov. 11.

“We’ve put a lot of work in, but we still got some much-needed time off.”

Thursday’s game is at 7 p.m. at the Pictou County Wellness Centre.

The Crushers welcomed forward Kevin Mason back to the fold this week. Mason played 13 games with the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL this season, recording one assist. In 27 games with the Crushers a year ago, the winger tallied eight goals as a 17-year-old and was beginning to establish himself offensively before getting the call-up to the Q.

“Hopefully, it will put the fun back in it for him,” said Doull of Mason’s return to junior A.

“And maybe Kevin can breathe some life into our offence.”

Doull said he might put Mason on the top line with Barrett Dachyshyn and Jacob Hickey, and is reluctant to break up the combination of Evan Gallant, Jaden Mason and Isaac Chapman, a trio of 18-year-olds that have started to build some chemistry together.

The Crushers are scoring an average of 2.3 goals per game and have the worst record in the MHL (3-12-5), but are just seven points out of a playoff spot with plenty of time to make it up.

“Clawing back and showing some character is what I’m looking for,” said Doull.

“It’s going to take everybody.” Pictou County has a busy stretch of games to end the month of November. The Crushers are at the Valley Wildcats on Nov. 24, play the Amherst Ramblers at the PCWC two nights later and have a Nov. 29 game at home against the St. Stephen Aces.