Great strides
After a slow start, the Junior A Crushers have picked up the pace and have recorded six wins in their last eight games to climb back into playoff contention.
It’s time to defend the house. The Junior A Crushers, winners of three straight games – all of them on the road – and six of their past eight overall, will host the Truro Bearcats on Thursday at the Pictou County Wellness Centre (7 p.m. start), five nights after the Crushers beat the Bearcats over in the Hubtown.
Pictou County is 3-8-1 at home in 12 games this season.
“It was definitely good to go into their barn and steal two points,” said veteran forward Barrett Dachyshyn. “But they’re going to be looking for some revenge. You need to treat a home game like any other game, but you should have the advantage, not sitting on a bus for two hours and being able to set your own schedule.”
A stabilized goaltending situation, an uptick in offence and a steadying defence has helped turn things around, Dachysyhn said.
“Everything’s just coming around at a good time of the season,” he said, adding that the crushers coaching staff “has instilled a mindset into us – that you can’t give up on a season, however you start.”
After a slow start this season, Jacob Hickey has heated up in late autumn, with 10 points (5G, 5A) in his past six games.
On Dec. 8 in Truro, Hickey and Jaden Mason both had two goals in a 5-3 win and Evan Gallant also scored for the Crushers.
Crushers’ netminder Matt Normore had gone 198 minutes without allowing a goal before Truro’s G Blackmore put a puck past him 11 minutes into the game.
Alexis Quane-Arsenault had two helpers for Pictou County.
The previous night in Berwick, Normore picked up his third straight shutout as the Crushers beat the Valley Wildcats 3-0.
Kevin Mason and Hickey scored goals in the first period for the Crushers and Dachyshyn clinched things with an emptynetter. Dylan Riley collected two assists.
The Crushers finish off the 2018 calendar year with a home game Dec. 15 against the South Shore Lumberjacks, the team Pictou County is trying to chase down for the final playoff spot in the South Division.
South Shore is five points ahead of the Crushers, with three games in hand heading into this week’s games.