AMHERST - What a difference a week makes.
Six days after suffering a 6-2 setback on their home ice, the Pictou Weeks Crushers returned the favour knocking off the Amherst CIBC Wood Gundy Ramblers 4-2 in Maritime Junior Hockey League action at the Amherst Stadium on Wednesday night.
"They came out hard against us tonight and were harder on the puck than we were at times. We had plenty of chances but (Brandon) Thibeau played well," Ramblers coach Jim Bottomley said after the game. "It was one of those nights when we didn't get the breaks."
The Ramblers seemed sluggish at times after 10-3 win in Dartmouth on Tuesday. Goalie Richard Tingley, who has been sensational of late, seemed to fight the puck on occasion.
The difference came down to a pair of power play goals.
Evan Carmody's second goal of the game on a five-on-three with 5:52 to play in the middle period proved to the winner. With Morgan Walker and Kody Orr in the penalty box, Carmody took a pass across the crease from Mitch Deruelle and beat Tingley on a one-timer.
Jordan Moore scored a power play marker from the right of Tingley 10:50 of the third period to give the Crushers some insurance with Deruelle again playing the setup man.
After a scoreless first period, Jordan MacInnis opened the scoring early in the second when his slapshot from the point beat Tingley through the legs. Brett Shute scored on a rebound from Patrick Harrison and Danny Harquail to tie the game five minutes later, but Carmody's first of the game into the top of the net restored the Crushers' lead.
Kody Orr scored his 30th of the season at 11:27 from Jamie Bishop and Mitch O'Neill, setting the stages for Carmody's power play winner.
The Ramblers had three consecutive power plays early in the third, but could not find the equalizer as Thibeau made several big saves.
"We had plenty of chances and crowded the net, but they shut us down and Thibeau came up with some big saves," Bottomley said. "It was one of those games. Sometimes they bounce our way, sometimes they don't."
Bottomely admitted his team may have been too relaxed after beating the Crushers in New Glasgow last Thursday and thumping the Metro Shipbuilders 10-3 on Tuesday.
"You could sense it. Last night and the last game against these guys when they had it pretty easy. You could see they may have been too relaxed at the start and we were playing catch up," Bottomley said. "They didn't quit until the end, though, but there are a few things we'll discuss tomorrow at practice."
Amherst outshot the Crushers 44-30.
Amherst returns to action on Saturday, Bill Riley night, against Summerside. Game time is 7 p.m.
dcole@amherstdaily.com
Twitter: @ADNdarrell
