FORT WAYNE, Ind. - In a challenging match at the SportONE/Parkview Icehouse on Sunday, October 15, 2023, the Chicago Crush Premier unit faced off against the Fort Wayne Spacemen, but the result was far from what the Crush had hoped for, with the Spacemen emerging victorious with a final score of 7-3.
From the very beginning, it was clear that the odds were against the Crush. Fort Wayne set the pace early in the first period, with Cothron striking just 49 seconds into the game on a power play opportunity, assisted by Badger and Axelsson. Young swiftly followed with another goal at 2:07, extending the Spacemen's lead. Uehlin added to the frustration with a power play goal at 8:25. The Crush did manage to put one on the board when Nick Zehelein scored at 11:41, but it was clear that they were fighting an uphill battle. The first period was marred by penalties with multiple infractions on both sides.
The second period continued to be a tough struggle for the Crush. Cheeney and Toussaint scored two more goals for Fort Wayne in rapid succession. Spencer Kauke managed to pull one back for Chicago at 6:56, giving a glimmer of hope. However, the Spacemen's Takitani silenced any optimism with a shorthanded goal at 13:50, putting Fort Wayne firmly in control.
Penalties remained a persistent issue, with both teams incurring multiple infractions.
In the final period, Lacey's goal at 3:37 sealed the fate of the Crush, leaving them with an insurmountable deficit. Defenseman Jonathan Wood did manage to add a power play goal for the Crush at 7:16, but it was too little, too late.
The game concluded with a final score of 7-3 in favor of the Fort Wayne Spacemen. The Spacemen outshot the Crush significantly, with 39 shots on goal compared to Chicago's 25. Despite multiple power play opportunities, the Crush only converted on one of their seven chances, while the Spacemen capitalized on two of their eight opportunities.
For the Chicago Crush Premier unit, it was a disheartening loss. Forward Jason Castaneda expressed, "We put up a great effort, but just weren't able to get the job done."
Cyler Brogle somberly added, "We finished strong, but unfortunately, we couldn't pull through." Ryan Hammer reflected, "We had good effort, but we didn't get the result we wanted."
This game will serve as a poignant reminder of the challenges the Crush faced on this particular Sunday evening, and it's a game they'll be looking to learn from as they move to even up the road series this Monday versus Fort Wayne.
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