CALGARY, AB (October 12, 2014) – The Fort McMurray Oil Barons (8-6-2) came back from a 2-0 third period deficit, but fell just short in a shootout as the Calgary Mustangs (3-9) defeated the MOB by a 3-2 final at the Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary on Sunday afternoon.
The Mustangs jumped out to a 1-0 lead after pressuring the Oil Barons while shorthanded. As a Mustangs penalty was set to expire, a wide-open Nick Rein fanned on a shot in the McMurray slot, but the puck was corralled by Mason Mitchell, who scored from the side of the net to open the scoring just as the Mustangs penalty ended.
In the second period, a net front scramble ended with Jared Virtanen knocking a puck past Zach Fortin (St. Jerome, PQ) to make it 2-0 at the 8:25 mark.
The third period would belong to the Barons, however, as the MOB converted on two power plays to knot the game up. First, Mitch Vanderlaan (Hanwell, NB) fired a wrist shot from the right circle past Mustang goalie Ravi Dattani to spoil the shutout bid and make it 2-1. Then, with just 1:09 left on the clock, Zach Wittenburg (Chestermere, AB) blasted a point shot into the back of the Calgary net to tie the score.
In overtime, the Barons barely missed on a perfect 2-on-1 pass by Stefan Burzan (Surrey, BC) and the game headed to a shootout, where the Mustangs’ Mitchell was the only player to score, gaining Calgary the extra point.
The Barons now prepare for a two-game homestand on Friday and Saturday at the Casman Centre. The team takes on the first-place Camrose Kodiaks on Friday and the same Calgary Mustangs in a rematch on Saturday.
Both games start at 8:00 PM.
KAOS 91.1 3 stars:
1. Mason Mitchell (1 goal, 1 shootout winner)
2. Ravi Dattani (46 saves/48 shots)
3. Zach Fortin (41 saves/43 shots)