Ramblers Edge Crushers for Second Straight Preseason Win

The Amherst Ramblers are starting to build something early in the preseason — and on Saturday night at Amherst Stadium, they gave their fans another glimpse of what might be coming this year.

Backed by timely scoring, gritty defense, and a two-goalie effort between the pipes, the Ramblers held off a third-period push from the Pictou County Weeks Crushers to secure a 3–2 win, their second straight preseason victory over their division rivals.

From the opening faceoff, Amherst looked ready. Just under five minutes in, forward Cooper Cormier buried the game’s first goal, finishing off a clean setup from Odeil Grenier and Jack O’Blenis to give the Ramblers a quick 1–0 lead.

They kept the pressure on, and midway through the first period, a power play opportunity gave them a chance to strike again. They didn’t waste it — this time it was Jack O’Blenis converting with help from Zach Wheeler and Thomas Gagnon, doubling the Amherst lead to 2–0.

As the intensity picked up, so did the physical play. Both teams exchanged penalties throughout the period and into the second, with tempers flaring after the whistles. A scoreless middle frame was anything but quiet — highlighted by a fight between Amherst’s Bailey Shortall and Pictou’s Ben Wallace, along with a flurry of roughing and misconduct calls that kept the referees busy.

The Crushers came out in the third looking to claw their way back into the game. They broke through early in the period on a power play goal from Corey MacGillivray, and ten minutes later, Will Allen tied it up with a sharp-angle finish that beat Amherst’s second-half goaltender Hudson Bradley.

But the Ramblers didn’t blink.

With just over six minutes remaining, Amherst went back on the power play — and once again, they made it count. Mark Corbett found the net with a go-ahead goal that would stand as the game-winner, assisted by Cooper Cormier and Owen Aura.

From there, Amherst’s defense tightened up, and Bradley shut the door to preserve the win.

The Ramblers were outshot 44–41, but their goaltending duo of Lyam Leblanc and Hudson Bradley split the load effectively. Leblanc stopped all 20 shots he faced in the first half of the game, while Bradley turned aside 22 of 24 in relief. On the other end, Pictou’s Yanni Karkoulas was sharp as well, stopping 38 shots in the loss.

With the preseason halfway through, Amherst is showing encouraging signs: a power play that’s clicking, contributions throughout the lineup, and a level of toughness that bodes well for the grind of a long Maritime Hockey League season.