It would be a successful home game for the Bobcats tonight, as they were rewarded with 4 unanswered goals to give the Bobcats their 14th win on the year thanks to a 4-1 victory over the Sherwood Park Crusaders.
The Bobcats were looking to get back to their winning ways at home on Wednesday night as they welcomed the Sherwood Park Crusaders to town. The 13-10-2 ‘Cats were sitting in fourth place in the North Division standings, and with a win would be within 2 points of third place Whitecourt Wolverines. Meanwhile Sherwood Park hadn’t won a game in 28 days, translating into an 8 game losing streak. This match up would be a sneak peek when of the two team’s that will meet up again at the Civic Centre for their showdown on Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada on January 18th.
It would be the Crusaders taking the lead 15 minutes into the first period, Sean MacTavish from Nicholas Jones on a Bobcats turnover to give the visiting team the 1-0 edge. That’s how the period would end, with shots favouring the Crusaders 9-4 after 20 minutes.
But the Bobcats would put it into drive in the second period. Braden Crone would get things started in 9 minutes in to the 2nd as Eric Therrien would feed Braden Crone on a 2 on 1 to tie up the game at 1-1. Five minutes later Ryan Swier scored a quick one off a face-off win from Cole Porter. Bobcats’ Patrick Geary and Crusaders’ Nicholas Jones were both give game misconducts for a second fight during a scrum while Bryce Woodward lay on the ice in pain for numerous minutes. Woodward would leave the game but appeared to be okay during postgame warm down. The Bobcats would take their 2-1 lead in to the second intermission after outshooting Sherwood Park 16-3 in the second period.
The scoring continued in the Bobcats favour in the third period as Cole Porter would put one past Tommy Nixon to get the Bobcats a 3-1 lead, with assists from Troy Rapuano and Lukas Biensch. Ryan Swier would then add his second of the night, coming off the wing to put it shortside on Nixon to give the ‘Cats their 4th goal on the night. Taylor Mulder and Tyler Kunz helping Swier seal the deal. Bobcats would hold on to win 4-1 in front of an energetic weekday crowd of 1,009 people.
Ryan Swier led the way with a 2 goal effort tonight, Cole Porter added a goal and an assist and Devin Green was solid when called up brushing aside 17 of 18 shots tonight. The Bobcats improve to 14-10-2 on the season and remain in 4th place in the North Division.
Despite the win GM/Coach Garry VanHereweghe was not happy with the team’s slow start, “We have to find a way to be mentally ready to play, when we get on the ice it falls in the player’s hands. We talked about it before the game, we certainly talked about it at the end of the first period, and I think it was a wakeup call.”
The Bobcats now have 9 days off till their next game, and fly to North Dakota via Courtesy Air for a team bonding experience this weekend. The Bobcats next home game is on Wednesday, November 27th when they host the Whitecourt Wolverines, puck drop is 7:30 PM.