It would take seven games but the home team was finally able to pick up a win as the Spruce Grove Saints would earn a berth in the North division final for a fourth consecutive year thanks to a 5-2 win on Tuesday night.
The Crusaders would get some early chances but Saints goaltender Kenny Cameron stood tall.
The Saints would open the scoring on the power play as Corey Chorneyko pounced on a rebound and fired the shot behind Crusaders goaltender Tommy Nixon at 11:36 of the opening period.
The Saints would continue to dominate the period but were unable to add to their lead.
Shots favored the Saints 20-10 in the opening period.
Just 3:42 into the second period Jarid Hauptman would keep whacking at the puck and jam it behind Nixon to make it 2-0 Saints. Shortly after that the Saints would take a penalty but Dylan Hollman would get behind the defence and backhand the puck behind Nixon to make it 3-0 Saints at 4:40.
The Saints would keep on piling on as Corey Chorneyko would score his second power play goal of the game on a rebound at 9:13 of the second period to make it 4-0.
The Crusaders would get on the board just 1:02 after the Saints made it 4-0, Dillon Massie would get credited with the goal at 10:15 of the second period.
The Crusaders would keep on coming as Ryan Kruper banged in a rebound to make it 4-2 at 11:43 of the second period.
That would be the final goal of the period, the Saints outshot the Crusaders 14-8 and were outshooting the Crusaders in the hockey game 34-18.
The Saints would restore their three goal lead early in the third period as Nathan Smith finished off a 2 on 1 at 7:11.
The Saints would shutdown the Crusaders the rest of the way and out shoot them 11-5 in the period and 45-23 in the hockey game.
Saints goaltender Kenny Cameron made 21 saves in the win.
Crusaders goaltender Tommy Nixon stopped 40 shots in the loss.
Spruce Grove will now wait for the winner of Fort McMurray and Lloydminster.
Wednesday preview
Fort McMurray vs. Lloydminster (series tied 3-3)
A week ago nobody thought that there would be a game seven between the Fort McMurray Oil Barons and Lloydminster Bobcats. The Bobcats were able to split the first two games in Fort McMurray.
They came out strong in games three and four but were unable to finish in either game and ended up going to down 3-1 to the Oil Barons.
Defence came out to play in game five and it looked like the Oil Barons were going to beat the Bobcats at their own game, but that was not the case as the Bobcats would push and ended up going to overtime.
In overtime the ever dangerous Tanner Dunkle would win the game for the Bobcats to send the series back to Lloyminster.
Monday night the Bobcats would be patient before getting an opportunity with a two man advantage and made the Oil Barons pay, in fact the Bobcats would score three power play goals in the first period and then trap the Oil Barons the rest of the way to set up game seven on Wednesday night in Fort McMurray.
Three seems to be the magic number as the Bobcats have score three goals in five of the six games of the series.
The Oil Barons are 3-0 when they score more than three goals against the Bobcats in the series.
Three periods could decide who joins the Spruce Grove Saints in the North Division Finals.
Story by Chris Colwell