The perennial powerhouse St. Paul’s Crusaders are just one win away from another city championship after scoring five times in a shutout victory to open the final series.
The Crusaders defeated the Westwood Warriors 5-0 in Game 1 of the Winnipeg High School Hockey League’s division one championship series on Monday at the Seven Oaks Sportsplex.
St. Paul’s goalie Ben Muise needed to make just 19 saves for the shutout, while Nicholas Miller and Cole Anseeuw each had a goal and an assist for the Crusaders as they took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.
Payne Wood, Connor Allison, and Davis Krut also notched markers in the win.
Brandon Hachey made 36 saves between the pipes for the Warriors.
The Crusaders took top spot in the regular season, but the first three rounds of the high school playoffs were loaded with upsets as the second, third and fourth place teams all made early exits. Westwood finished in fifth place.
The Crusaders can wrap up the title when they go for series sweep in Game 2 on Wednesday.
St. Paul’s lost to Garden City in last year’s final but have won the championship in 14 of the last 20 seasons.