AJHL North - Sherwood Park Climbs CJAHL National Rankings
By / Laurence Heinen
Just three years ago, the Sherwood Park Crusaders finished the 2005/06 season with a woeful 15-35-2-8 record.
That won’t be the case this season as the Crusaders jumped out to a 17-4-0-0 record to grab an early lead atop the AJHL North Division standings.
“We’re excited for it,” said Sherwood Park coach Ross Kenny. “We’ve been on the other end. Being 17-4 is a lot better than being 4-17.”
The Crusaders edged the Camrose Kodiaks 6-5 on the road on Oct. 23 before returning home to the Sherwood Park Arena two nights later where they downed the Lloydminster Bobcats 3-1. The next afternoon, Rob Kleebaum scored in double overtime to lead the Crusaders to a thrilling 3-2 win over the visiting Calgary Canucks.
Thanks to their three-game winning streak, the Cru’ jumped from third to second in the weekly Canadian Junior A Hockey League rankings.
“We’re fortunate in that we’ve worked hard each game or most games and have been able to come out on top,” Kenny said. “I don’t think we have any illusions of what that means at this point in time. I think it just means we’ve played a good series of games and we need to keep ’er going.”
A pair of 20-year-old veterans in Reese Rolheiser (12 goals and 24 assists through 21 games played) and Nik Yaremchuk (10g, 20a in 20 gp) have led the way offensively so far, while Kleebaum had also contributed with 10 goals and 17 helpers.
“It’s pretty spread out,” said Kenny of the Cru’s balanced scoring attack, while noting his veterans have paced the attack. “They’re leading the way and they have to be our go-to guys.” Cody Kunyk, 18, who recently accepted a scholarship to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, has also produced offensively with a team-leading 14 goals to go with 11 assists.
Three-year veteran defenceman Trevor Conrad was appointed as captain this season and Kenny said he’s done an admirable job so far as a leader.
“He’s a very committed young man,” Kenny said. “He’s in very good shape. He’s as strong as an ox. He works extremely hard shift in and shift out, game in and game out. It makes it a very logical choice when somebody does what they say their going to do.”
In goal, Kenny has platooned Vincenzo Marozzi and Matt Esposito and both netminder had recorded eight wins each as of press time.
“It’s been good,” Kenny said of his goalie rotation system. “It helps in competition and it helps in depth. There’s two guys there that are in the top five in goaltending in the league.”
IMPORT GOALIE BACKSTOPS STORM
In his first season in the AJHL, goalie Matt Milne has made an impact with the 12-4-1-1 Grande Prairie Storm.
The 19-year-old netminder from Newmarket, Ont., has compiled a 7-2-1 record to go with a 1.90 goals against average, a .929 save percentage. He’s also pitched three shutouts including a 27-save performance in the Storm’s 3-0 win over the Crusaders in Sherwood Park on Oct. 18.
Milne compiled a 26-3-0 record, 2.32 GAA and .922 save percentage last season with the Newmarket Hurricanes of the OPJHL before being recruited to play for the Storm this season.
Not to be outdone, former Olds Grizzlys goalie Chad Carder has also played well with the Storm this season going 5-2-1 with a 2.21 goals against average and a .913 save percentage. The 19-year-old Calgarian recorded his first shutout of the season when he made 27 saves to blank the Okotoks Oilers 1-0 in Grande Prairie on Oct. 24.
WILLIAMSON PACES STEEL
After recording five points in three games Oct. 24 to 26, St. Albert Steel forward Bryce Williamson sat in second spot behind Sherwood Park’s Reese Rolheiser in the AJHL scoring race.
Following a two-goal, one-assist performance during a 4-3 road loss to the Calgary Royals on Oct. 26, Williamson increased his totals to 13 goals and 18 helpers in 21 games this season.
The 18-year-old right winger could surpass his totals of 29 goals and 32 assists he had in 61 games last season if he can keep up his 1.5 points-per-game pace.
