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TEAM BIOS
Pembroke Lumber Kings
Sherbrooke Cougars
Yarmouth Jr A Mariners
Weeks Crushers

Pictou County Weeks Crushers Dethrone
Pembroke Lumber Kings
To Take Home Fred Page Cup Crown

NEW GLASGOW, NS, April 27, 2008.....Sometimes you just gotta believe in yourself. That’s what the Pictou County Weeks Crushers did and the tournament hosts are now the 2008 Fred Page Cup Champions with a thrilling 4-1 victory over defending champs Pembroke Lumber Kings on Sunday afternoon at the John Brother MacDonald Stadium in New Glasgow. The Crushers, who finished second in round robin play, played with heart, character and great determination throughout the tournament to win their way to the Royal Bank Cup, the National Junior “A” Championship. The Crushers will travel to Cornwall, Ontario to compete in the RBC from May 3-11.

As was the case in their previous three Fred Page Cup tourney wins, the Crushers shut the door on the opposition in the third period and the offence turned it up a notch again with three third period goals to break open a tight 1 – 1 game after 40 minutes.  Andrew Joudrey opened the scoring for the Crushers at the 12 minute mark of the first period on a beautiful solo rush that ended with a top corner marker. Tyson Cameron and Sean O’Donnell added assists. Pembroke’s vaunted offence finally hit the scoreboard on a one timer from Patrick Millette halfway through the second period to tie the game 1-1 after 40 minutes.

The Crushers and Lumber Kings both started the third period somewhat tentatively with neither team wanting to make a mistake. The Crushers appeared tired and had every right to be with three regulars out with injuries and having played the night before. But somehow they found the strength to take it to Pembroke and the dynamic duo of Jordan Knox and Jason Rinzler went to work. First Rinzler on a 2 on 2 rush cut in from the wing against the Lumber King defender  backhanded the puck past goalie Paul Beckwith to put the Crushers ahead 2-1, with seven minutes to go in the game, and sent the home crowd to their feet.

Then it was Knox’s turn as the speedy winger zoomed down the right side of the ice, cut through the crease and chipped the puck past the goalie with 3:20 left. The crowd sensing the championship win was within the Crushers’ grasp let out a thunderous roar but there were more dramatics yet to come. The Crushers picked up two penalties to put them down five on three with just over two minutes remaining. The Crushers penalty kill, which has been impressive all weekend and goalie Alexandre Quessy who has played his best hockey since coming to the Crushers, held off the Lumber Kings. Knox, in true MVP style, then corralled a loose puck in front of an empty Pembroke net to seal the 4-1 win with 26 ticks on the clock. As the crowd counted down the last seconds of the game, the players stormed the ice with gloves and sticks flying into the air to mob goalie Quessy. Game MVP for the Crushers was Knox and for the Lumber Kings it was Millette. The Fred Page Cup was presented to Captain Scott Lavigne, a tower of strength on the Crusher blue line. Lavigne was joined by jubilant assistants Jordan Knox, Geoff Hum and Kevin MacLean in accepting the coveted hardware. The Lumber Kings received the silver medals from Hockey Canada officials while the Crushers were presented the gold.

When asked about the game in the middle of a triumphant Crusher dressing room, Andrew Joudrey said, “We knew we could win. The boys dug deep and we when we went ahead in the third we never looked back.” Jason Rinzler, a tournament all star who has had big goals all spring for the Crushers and who netted the biggest one of the day, described his team as “ a confident group that believed in themselves.”

Coach Troy Ryan spoke of how everyone on the team had a job to do and each played a role in the win. He described his squad as one with “great team chemistry” with the players supporting each other on and off the ice. Ryan added that he told his team many times that, “good things happen to good people”.  When asked if he would remember this team and this moment ten years from now, Ryan said that he would remember this team forever. “I would rather lose with this team than win with some other teams I’ve had.  For us to be competitive was a big win for the hockey community but to win the championship is unbelievable.”

When asked to give his thoughts on the championship, Crushers President Wade Taylor said, “This is a tribute to the work ethic of the team but it all begins with the leadership.  Nobody works harder than Troy Ryan”.