Rolling Meadows, IL – The Chicago Crush Premier squad opened their 2024-25 campaign in style, defeating their crosstown rivals, the Chicago Cougars, 5-3, in a thrilling matchup at West Meadows Ice Arena. Fueled by a dominant second period and sharp special teams play, the Crush secured their first win of the season in front of an electric home crowd.
It didn’t take long for the Crush to make their mark in this high-stakes divisional clash. Just 3:15 into the game, William Kenny put the Crush on the board with a quick shot off a setup from Ryan Brown and Keith Watkins. The Crush defense, anchored by goaltender Patrick Johansen, stood tall throughout the opening period, holding off a Cougar attack that registered nine shots. Johansen’s steady play between the pipes kept the visitors scoreless, and the Crush entered the first intermission with a 1-0 lead.
The second period was where the Crush truly flexed their muscles. With the Cougars struggling to stay out of the penalty box, the Crush took advantage. Just over four minutes in, Spencer Kauke capitalized on a power play, slotting home a goal off assists from Peter White and Cyler Brogle to double the lead. Less than a minute later, David "DJ" Long added another, giving the Crush a commanding 3-0 advantage.
The Cougars struck back with a lone goal from Alexander Musyakevych midway through the period, but it did little to stem the tide. The Crush continued to press, and Peter White restored the three-goal cushion at the 15-minute mark, finishing off another power-play opportunity to give the home side a 4-1 lead heading into the final frame.
A major storyline of the night was the play of the Crush special teams. Converting 3 of 7 power-play opportunities, they kept the Cougars chasing the game throughout. Head coach Steve Maltais praised the team's discipline and execution after the game, saying, "Our power play was clicking tonight, and that made the difference. We knew if we could get them in penalty trouble, we’d have our chances, and we made them count."
The Cougars refused to go down quietly, narrowing the deficit to 4-2 early in the third period with a power-play goal of their own from Damien Calzada. The visitors made a strong push late in the game, and defenseman Jordan Trakosas pulled the Cougars within one with a goal at 14:12, making it 4-3. However, the Crush responded with poise, as DJ Long buried his second goal of the night on yet another power play just minutes later to put the game out of reach.
Johansen remained rock-solid in net, turning aside 24 of 27 shots to secure his first win of the season, while Long’s two-goal effort highlighted an all-around strong performance by the Crush.
With a 5-3 win in the books, the Crush will look to build on their momentum as they continue their opening stretch of the season. Head coach Maltais credited the team’s balanced attack and strong defense for the victory but noted there’s room for improvement. “We played a complete game tonight, but we know this is just the start. We’ve got to stay sharp, keep working, and prepare for the next challenge.”
The Crush will hit the road next week as they face off against the Decatur Blaze, looking to keep their early season success rolling.
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