==== Weeks Crushers MJAHL Hockey ====

Crushers set for Busy Weekend

New Glasgow - Five weeks into the regular season, the Pictou County Weeks Crushers find themselves two games above .500 and sitting alone in 2nd place in the always tough Bent Division. Considering their schedule so far, the Crushers coaching staff say they are pleased with the outcome. " We've had a pretty tough schedule to start the season" says Crushers assistant coach Chad McDavid, "and to be sitting in 2nd place in our division says alot about what kind of team we have."

The Crushers have already faced off twice with the Woodstock Slammers, the Summerside Capitials, the Truro Bearcats and the Amherst Ramblers, all of whom have spent time in the top 15 in the nation this season. With that being said, eight of the Crushers first twelve games have come against teams that have been or still are ahead of them in standings. "Its definitely not a bad thing" says McDavid, " playing against good teams early on in the season allows us to see exactly where we stack up against them."

It doesn't get any easier for the Crushers in the near future either. This Thursday they get set to host the Woodstock Slammers, who currently sit tied with Truro for first overall in the MJAHL and 11th in the nation. Following Thursdays home game, the Crushers travel to Truro to take on the Bent Division leading Bearcats. Following that game, less then 24 hours later, they travel to Bridgewater Sunday afternoon for a game with the Lumberjacks.

Next Thursdays home game against the Amherst Ramblers has been postponed due to the Team Canada East and MJAHL Prospects game in Truro. After this weekend, the Crushers don't see action again until next Saturday, Oct 31st when they travel to....yep, you guessed it. Truro, to take on the Bearcats.

Stellarton plans some fearsome fun

By Monica Graham

Julia Young knows where to find blood and guts galore, not to mention the odd body art and out-of-date medical equipment.
"The blood is from the bottle," she said Friday, as she helped Ben Cameron smear the red stuff all over his surgical gown and mask.
More fake blood spattered a tray of surgical instruments, needles and a not-so-surgical kithen knife.
"There are no real drugs and the stuff is all ecpired," she said.
As medical trainer for the Pictou County Weeks Junior A Crushers hockey team, Mc Young has no trouble finding the props for a tableau at the 9th annual Haunted Hall of Horrors fundraiser for the loclal United Way campaign.
Aside from her personal access to expired medical bits and pieces, she's found that discount stores are a great source for bloody footprints or severed hands and heads.
The hardest part of preparing the scene, which depicts the legendary Dr. Frankenstein trying to create the perfect Crusher, is dealing with about 25 rembunctious hockey players.
"You just have to get used to them," she said. "But we do this every year."
"This" is the team's participation in the Haunted Hall of Horrors, assembled this weekend in the gym at the Nova Scotia Community College in Stellarton. It will be open to the public on Monday and Tuesday evenings.
The Crushers' scene, complete with vibrating floor, is one of 12 differently decorated rooms. There is a lot of screaming and spooky lighting, since the hall is wired for light and sound, said the project's volunteer chairwoman, Christine MacKenzie.
About 250 volunteers helped put the hall together, with sports teams and other groups each volunteering to decorate a room that's guaranteed to scare.
There's also a Witches' Kitchen, filled with goulishly culinary delights and a Pumpkin Patch with children's activities.
"We don't recommend this for anyone under 10," Ms. MacKenzie said.
There is no prize for the scariest presentation, but the patrons may cast a ballot for their favourites at a penny voting station.
All proceeds go to the United Way, to be distributed locally. The project raised $8000 in 2008.

Crushers comeback to beat Mariners

New Glasgow - The Pictou County Weeks Crushers needed a third period comeback and overtime to defeat Justin Collier and the Yarmouth Mariners Thursday night at the John Brother MacDonald Stadium.

The Crushers sent 58 shots at Collier but were not able to solve the netminder until midway through the third period when Dan Joyce put a pass from Tyler Noseworthy behind him. The Crushers then pulled even when Sean Hoyt was able to beat Collier on a similar play that all started with a great shift by Crushers rookie Mitchell Maynard.

The Crushers thought they had completed the comeback minutes later, but a goal by captain Geoff Hum was called back and the game headed into overtime. 24 seconds into the extra frame, Crushers rookie Adam Slaunwhite walked into one at the Mariners blueline, the shot deflected off a Mariners stick and beat Collier for Salunwhites first goal of the season.

The Crushers do not see action again unitl next Thursday when they host the Woodstock Slammers at the JBM Stadium. Game time is 7:30pm.

Crushers Get Set to welcome Mariners

New Glasgow- After Saturday’s road win in Amherst, the Crushers were given the rest of the Holiday weekend off, so the players could return home for some of mom's home cooking and some much needed downtime. Tuesday afternoon, it was back to work at the John Brother MacDonald Stadium as the Crushers coaching staff put their team through an intense hour and a half practice which was followed by a 45 minute spin class at the YMCA.

The Crushers hit the ice again Wednesday afternoon in preparation for their Thursday night contest at home against divisional rivals, the Yarmouth Mariners. The Crushers/Mariners rivalry has heated up quite a bit since the two teams met in 2008 in the MJAHL playoffs, when Yarmouth ousted the Crushers in five games, only to see the Crushers come back and knock Yarmouth out of the Fred Page Cup on their way to capturing the title.

"Anytime we face a divisional opponent we consider it a big game" Crushers assistant coach Chad McDavid said after Tuesdays practice. We haven't played Yarmouth yet, but we had a chance to watch them at the showcase, they're a hard working team with good goaltending"

Regardless of who the opposition is, the Crushers are still looking to improve on a game to game basis. "We're still looking for more consistency in our play, not only game to game but also period by period" McDavid says. “We haven't played a full 60 minutes to our full potential yet, its coming but we're not their yet."

There will be no love lost Thursday night when the Crushers and Mariners face off at 7:30pm at the JBM Stadium. “We’re expecting a battle, there is no easy game in MJAHL" says McDavid.

Following Thursday's game, the Crushers don't see action again until the following Thursday as the host the WoodStock Slammers. Woodstock currently sits a top the Meek division with a record of 8-0-1, their only loss coming at the hands of the Crushers.

Although no games are scheduled for the Crushers this weekend, the team will take the opportunity to help out at the Acadia Street Elementary School Fall Fair. As well as some team building activities for the players.

Crushers silence the Jungle

Amherst - The Pictou County Weeks Crushers took a 5-0 lead over the Rams into the 3rd period in their Saturday night match in Amherst and held on for a 6-3 win.

Dan Joyce had a hat trick to lead the Pictou County team, giving him 8 goals for the year; Geoff Hum had 3 assists.

Joyce picked up the lone goal in the first period and opened the middle stanza with his second on a power play before teammate Dannie Robichaud scored his first of the year to make it 3-0 for the Crushers. Joyce got his third midway in the period and that proved to be the game winner. Michael Hynes (7th of the season) added a 5th Weeks goal just a minute later. Amherst got two goals to start the third period from Kody Orr (his 5th) and Jeremy Barron (also 5th). Mitchell Maynard (3rd) added the 6th Weeks goal as the game was winding down. Derek Smith (3rd) tallied the final Rams score with less than a minute to play while Amherst was down a man.

The Crushers got one power play goal on 5 chances. Amherst was unable to score on any of its 6 extra man opportunities.

The win went to Randy Chisholm (3-3-1) for Weeks, going 25 for 28. Jonathan Waye (5-2-1) took the loss, stopping 16 of 20 before he was relived by Devon Cudmore who went 10 for 12.

The Crushers are at home Thursday to Yarmouth.

Successful Weekend for Pictou County at Atlantic Challenge Cup

Moncton- Pictou County was well represented at the Atlantic Challenge Cup over the weekend in Moncton, NB. Crushers Assistant coach Chad McDavid, along with Weeks Major Midget Brent Turnbull, Bantam AAA rookie Mark Vokey and PeeWee AAA coach Clary Melanson all took part in the event and all came home with a medal.

McDavid, an assistant coach with the mens U15 team capatured gold by defeating team New Brunswick 4-1 in the final. Melanson, who was director of operations for the mens U14 squad and Mark Vokey, a forward took home the gold medal by also defeating New Brunswick in the final. Turnbull who was a key member and an assistant captain with the mens U16 team, won a bronze medal by defeating team NewFoundland in the bronze medal game.

Crushers Staff Representing at Hockey Canada Events

New Glasgow- The Weeks Crushers are proud to announce that two members of their staff have been asked to represent Hockey Nova Scotia at up coming Hockey Canada events.

Assistant Coach Chad McDavid is in Moncton at the Atlantic Challenge Cup with the U15 Mens Hockey Team as an Assistant Coach. During the first day of action, team Nova Scotia defeated team PEI 7 - 0. On a side note, Weeks Major Midget forward Brent Turnbull is also in Moncton as a member of the U16 Mens team. Turnbull and team NS defeated team PEI 6-1 in day one of action.

Crushers equipment manager Harley Palmer has also been asked to work with Team Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge in Summerside PEI, starting November 1st. The Crushers would like to wish both coach McDavid and Plamer the best of luck and look forward to their return.

ROAD WARRIORS

New Glasgow- The Pictou County Weeks Crushers knew going into the MJAHL Showcase this past weekend in Summerside that they were going to be in for a battle. Not only were they scheduled to play two games less then 24 hours apart, but they would have to face arguably two of the top teams in the league. The same two teams that handed the Crushers lob-sided losses a week earlier.

On Saturday night the Crushers went head to head with the Woddstock Slammers, who just over a week earlier defeated the Crushers 7-4. The Slammers came out fast and pushed for an early lead, but Crushers rookie goaltender Randy Chisholm held them at bay. Later in the period, the Crushers pushed back, but Slammers goalie Andre Guay was eaqual to the task. The first 25 minute period ended scoreless with the Slammers outshooting the Crushers 21-12.

With Crushers asstistant captain Dan Joyce in the box to start the 2nd frame, the Slammers were able to solve Chisholm and take a 1-0 lead on the powerplay. That is what the score remained until the last play of the game. With Chisholm pulled and a face off in the ofensive zone, Crushers captain Geoff Hum was able to win the draw back to Joyce who fired a shot on net, and with only 1.4 seconds remaining Tyler Noseworthy was able to slide the rebound past Guay to tie the game.

Overtime solved nothing and the game went into a shootout. Hum proved to be the only successful shooter as the Crushers went on to defeat the Slammers 2-1 and hand them their first loss of the season.

On Sunday, the Crushers, listed as the home team took on the Summerside Western Capitals, the same Caps who embarassed the Crushers at home only three days earlier. The Crushers were determined to send a message earlier and were rewarded 23 seconds in, when Ryan Fortune found the back of the net. Mid way through the first, the Caps replied to tie the game but Dan Joyce restored the lead before the end of the frame to give the Crushers a 2-1 lead after one.

Summerside tied the game at two early in the 2nd but from there, the Crushers took over. Fortune with his 2nd, and two more goals from Mike Hynes gave the Crushers a 5 - 2 lead. The Caps made a push late in the game and were able to cut the lead to 5-4, but the Crushers held on for the win.

Things do not get any easier this week for the Crushers. On Thursday, the Crushers host the division leading Truro Bearcats and on Saturday, the Crushers travel to Amherst to take on the Ramblers in the Jungle.