DIEPPE, N.B. – It may only be pre-season, but Ben Berisha is showing he has been a valuable addition to the Amherst Ramblers.
Berisha, picked up from the Summerside Western Capitals last week for Mitch Maynard, scored 1:04 into overtime to lift the Amherst Ramblers to a 6-5 win over the Dieppe Commandos in Maritime Junior Hockey League exhibition action at the Arthur J. LeBlanc Arena on Sunday.
Josh Pugsley earned the assist on the goal that came after Alex Murray tied the game for Dieppe with a power play marker 11:46 into the second period.
Both Pugsley and Mitch O’Neil had a goal and two assists for the Ramblers, who jumped out to an early 2-0 lead before the Commandos tied it before the first period was over.
Brett Shute added a goal and an assist for Amherst while James Walsh and defenceman Kyle Beckwith also scored. Willie MacDonald had two assists.
Zach Cahill scored two goals and added an assist for Dieppe with Murray adding a goal and two assists. Danny Chiasson had a goal and an assist.
Mathieu Newcomb also scored for the Commandos.
Marc Theriault and Chase Marchand shared the goaltending duties for the Ramblers, facing 26 shots. Vincent Charest, Jeremy Gallant and Josh LeBrun played goal for Dieppe, facing 27 shots.
On Saturday, MacDonald’s goal with 3:42 to play lifted Amherst to a 4-3 win over Dieppe at the Amherst Stadium.
MacDonald also had an assist in the game while Berisha and Jesse McInnis each had a goal and an assist.
Brock Morrison fired one goal while Ryan Dunleavy had two assists and Dylan Brake, Maxime Richard and Yan Legace each had assists.
Riley Thompson, Remi Bois and Alex Bradley replied for Dieppe.
Amherst outshot the Commandos 50-38.
The Ramblers return to action on Sunday in Truro against the Bearcats.
Amherst opens the regular season on Sept. 13 in New Glasgow against the Weeks Crushers. The home opener is Sept. 15 against the defending league champion Woodstock Slammers.
dcole@amherstdaily.com
You two are right thanks Summerside, we appreciate you sending us a few players who can score and so far helped win two games for us!!! Hope we keep winning and win the league!!!!!