Crusaders earn 5-5 tie against Vikes
Saturday, October 3/2009
After dropping a disappointing 2-1 decision in their home opener to the visiting University of Victoria Vikes on Friday night, the Okanagan Crusaders had nothing but motivation heading into tonight’s rematch. Cam Beskidny got his first start in goal and an early lead to work with. Just seven seconds after the initial puck drop, Matt Elia slid a pass to Aaron Hocking who sped in from the blue line and teed up a laser slapshot that beat Vikes goalie Federico Angel high over the blocker-side shoulder. Midway through the period the Crusaders ran into penalty trouble but weathered a near 2 minute 5 on 3 powerplay for the Vikes. The Crusader penalty killers did not allow UVIC a single shot on goal during the 5 on 3. After the kill, Defenseman Dave Mann made a brilliant stretch pass from below his own faceoff circle,finding a streaking Justin Dooley at the UVIC blue line.Dooley cruised in on the breakaway but lost control of the puck just before he could get a shot on goal.UVIC took advantage of some defensive mis-communications in the neutral zone that led to two goals in 12 seconds. Both Vikes goals were 2 on 1 cross ice feeds that didn’t lend much chance for Crusaders goaltender Cam Beskidny.In the second period the Crusaders re-established their fore checking pressure and were rewarded with 3 unanswered goals. Matt Elia led the frenzy with a dazzling display of inside out moves that immobilized the Vikes defence and promptly wired a hard, low shot underneath the blocker of Angel. A mere 16 seconds later, Kelly Loudoun sprung the speedy Craig Materi in all alone and he made no mistake, deking the UVIC tender into submission. A few minutes later, the Crusaders flexed some powerplay muscle scoring in the first 6 seconds of the man advantage.Dave Mann found Justin Dooley across the ice for a hard one-timer that Dooley ripped past Angel on the blocker side to put the home side up to a commanding 4-2 lead. But the reigning BCIHL Champion Vikes stormed back with 3 unanswered goals of their own in less than 4 minutes. With the momentum now in the visitor’s corner the Crusaders opted to relieve Cam Beskidny for the evening as Adam Butler was summoned off of the bench for the remainder of the second period. The third period saw a furious attack by the Crusaders who came out flying and fired 9 shots at the UVIC netminder, pinning the visitors in their end for nearly 9 minutes before the Vikes registered their first shot on goal. The puck control domination continued and with 2:39 remaining in the third, the home side was rewarded. Defenseman Jordan Urban dished a breakout pass to Aaron Hocking who blazed up the sideboards and into the Vikes zone. Hocking cut around the defender and nosed his way directly to the goal where he out waited Angel and buried his second goal on the night, knotting the game at 5 apiece. All said and done the Crusaders out played, out muscled and again heavily outshot UVIC, this time by a 41-26 margin while in relief goaltender Adam Butler stopped all 13 shots he faced. It still did not earn them their first victory of the season but it did convey a positive message to the Crusaders fans and coaching staff. The Crusaders are fighters and will battle to the end.A very promising message indeed.
