STAY CONNECTED: Have the stories that matter most delivered every night to your email inbox. Subscribe to our daily local news wrap.
By Jeff Henson

Storm close regular season with loss to Crusaders

Mar 3, 2019 | 9:15 AM

The Sherwood Park Crusaders set a franchise record with their 44th win of the season, beating the visiting Grande Prairie Storm 5-1 on Saturday night. 

Brayden Hyland and Reid Irwin would get the Crusaders off to a 2-0 lead after the first, with M<ichael Benning extending the lead to three with a power play goal in the middle frame. 

Jarin Sutton would get the Storm’s lone goal on a second period power play, set up by Zach Okabe and Tyrell Boucher. 

But the Crusaders would salt it away in the third with goals from Arjun Atwal and Jack Hamly. 

Lars Kaliel made 33 saves in taking the loss for the Storm, who could only direct 20 pucks at Matt Berlin.  

The loss means the Storm end the season in fifth place in the North with a record of 30-26-4, giving threm a first round playoff matchup with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons. 

Games one and two go Thursday and Friday in Fort McMurray, before the series shifts back to Grande Prairie for game three on Sunday, March 10th. 

by Jeff Henson