DRAYTON VALLEY, AB (September 14, 2013) — The wins keep on coming for the Fort McMurray Oil Barons (4-0), after a come-from-behind 5-1 win over the Drayton Valley Thunder in DV's home opener on Saturday night.
A scoreless first period saw the Barons double the Thunder in shots, with a 16-8 margin. However, stellar goaltending by Marc-Olivier Daigle kept the game scoreless, despite a 91-second 2-man advantage for the MOB in the opening frame.
The Thunder struck first on a power play 2:57 into the second period, when Tanner Clarkson found a rebound at the right side of the Barons net and jammed a quick shot past rookie goaltender Jesse Gordichuk (Penticton, BC) for a 1-0 lead.
It would be the only blemish on Gordichuk's record in his first start as a Baron, as he would save 26 other Drayton Valley shots.
The comeback began just over halfway through the game when the Barons' penalty kill capitalized on a turnover and fed Kevin Miller (Stony Plain, AB), who dangled his way in front of the Drayton Valley net and snuck a backhand shot past a sprawling Daigle to tie the game.
The MOB's first lead came courtesy of Adam Durkee (Lafayette, CO) less than a minute later, when the second-year forward tipped a point shot from Louis-Joseph Sawyer (Montreal, PQ).
Before the middle frame was out, Alex Cromwell (McKinney, TX) capped off the scoring with a net-front goal to make it 3-1 on another power-play.
The MOB then put the game out of reach in the third, when captain Jetlan Houcher (Paradise Valley, AB) found himself on a breakaway just 29 seconds in, firing a quick wrister short side on Daigle to make it 4-1, with his first point of the season.
At the 9:05 mark, Houcher got his second point with a perfect pass from the slot to Durkee at the right side of the net, whose backhander beat Daigle for his second goal of the night and a 5-1 MOB margin.
The Barons will cap off their first road trip tomorrow afternoon when they take on the Whitecourt Wolverines at 2:30 PM.
Country 93.3 3 stars:
1. Jetlan Houcher (1 goal, 1 assist)
2. Jesse Gordichuk (26 saves, 27 shots)
3. Adam Durkee (2 goals)